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Signs That Your Garbage Disposal Needs To Be Replaced 

Jamming 

If your disposal jams more than once, it could mean it is time to replace your garbage disposal.  A disposal jamming is a sign that either the disposal is not operating correctly or it is underpowered for your usage needs.  Disposals come in a variety of horse power. But what’s adequate for one household isn’t always adequate for the next.  Disposals for residential use come in as little as 1/3 horsepower and go up to 1.1 horsepower.  It’s like comparing a 20.00 blender to a Vitamix. The $20.00 blender may be perfect for someone who rarely uses it. But for someone who depends on a blender for making nut butters, a Vitamix is going to be a required piece of equipment in the kitchen.  

Leaking 

If your garbage disposal is leaking, it will require replacement.  You will want to make sure that the disposal is the part leaking and not the collar or the drain work connected before replacing to ensure that you solve the leaking problem.   

Noisy 

Depending on the type of disposal you have, the sound will vary.  Some disposals are much quieter than others but they shouldn’t make any rattling sounds.  You should hear grinding, and the hum of the motor but if you start hearing noises you didn’t hear before like rattling it is often a sign that either your disposal is not operating correctly or needs to be replaced.  The noise can often be caused by rusty components inside the disposal being forced to work past their lifespan.  This is the first sign that a disposal will start to rust through and leak.  

Kitchen sink stoppage 

A stoppage at your kitchen sink isn’t always a sign that you need a new disposal, sometimes it’s just a stoppage, but make sure that stoppage isn’t being caused by a disposal that needs to be replaced.  An underpowered disposal or a disposal that is past it’s lifespan and not grinding properly can lead to stoppages due to larger debris going into the kitchen drain line.   

Pro tip

Look down your disposal with a flashlight.  If you see rusty parts, this is a sign it’s time to start considering a new disposal before the housing rusts through and causes water damage under your sink.   

Proper Use of your Disposal can extend the lifespan 

You may not realize this, but your disposal has a procedure for proper use. This procedure is so your garbage disposal runs optimally and doesn’t jam up.  We have a great video on how to properly use your disposal to ensure that it runs great for years to come.   

Know what you can and shouldn’t put down your disposal  

Don’t put food down your disposal and leave it to sit there waiting. 

You will want to make sure that you have cold water running before you start your disposal.

Turn your disposal on before you start putting food down the collar.  This will allow your disposal blades to get up and running before food is introduced. This allows the blades to process the food without the risk of the disposal jamming because food was lodged in the blades before they were given the opportunity to get running.

Make sure you don’t send too many scraps down your disposal at a time 

Once your disposal waste is done being processed be sure to allow another 30 seconds of cold water to rinse everything out of the disposal before turning the disposal off 

Services in Phoenix & Beyond

When you’ve found yourself in need of plumbing services in the Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale, or Chandler area, you can trust Robins Plumbing to provide you with prompt and expert care, contact our team today! In addition to our toilet services, we also offer a variety of residential and commercial plumbing services, including: drain cleaning, water heater repair and replacement, sewer camera inspection and locating, backflow prevention, commercial and residential jetting, water treatments, and more. Visit our reviews online to see what others have to say about our local plumbing company!