Maintenance Task:  Clean disposal by grinding up ice cubes

The following is the procedure for cleaning your garbage disposal:

1. Place ice cubes in the disposal, grind them up, and flush with cold water.  This will help sharpen the blades and remove buildup from the inside of the disposer.

2. Pour a cup of vinegar into the sink drain and let it sit for about one hour, then flush down with very hot water  This will help to remove scale build-up.

NEVER put your hand in the unit.  Even if the motor doesn't accidentally start up, the cutting jaws are sharp enough to cut your fingers.

The procedure sharpens the cutting blade and cleans out built-up debris and scale.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS from "Ask-a-Wizard":

QUESTION from "Brian": 

Where could I find a diagram showing the setup of the piping from dishwasher to garbage disposal to drain?

ANSWER:

Brian:

Here's a link for you that shows the setup from the dishwasher to the garbage disposal to the drain:

http://www.insinkerator.com/service/install_disposer.html

It also shows a great multi-media tutorial on how to install a garbage disposal for the first time, or how to replace an existing one, and more.

Hope this helps.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from "Cheryl W.": 

If the garbage disposal is running, but will not drain, backs up, probably due to overload, is there a chemical you can use to unplug the drain?

ANSWER:

Cheryl:

If your garbage disposal is running fine, that is, if the motor is turning freely when you turn the switch on, but the water is backing up in the sink, then the culprit is likely a clog in the drain pipe coming out of the bottom of the garbage disposal. If you haven't already, you might want to try "Drano", by SC Johnson Wax, which is "guaranteed" to get your drain flowing again. Well actually, by "guaranteed" they mean that if it fails to clear your clog, Johnson Wax will gladly refund what you paid for their product (so save your receipt). But depending on what is clogging your drain pipe, it may actually require a professional to remove the obstruction if Drano doesn't work. But a product like Drano is a great place to start. 

Note: Johnson Wax claims that all Drano products are safe for garbage disposals, with the exception of Drano Kitchen Crystals Clog Remover. Please remember to READ ALL DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY. In particular, you do not want to turn on your disposal and have Drano splash back on you.

Hopefully Drano will solve your clog problem, but if you want to avoid this kind of problem with your garbage disposal in the future, you should follow the routine maintenance tasks for your garbage disposal that are described in the Home-
Wizard Maintenance Library: http://www.home-wizard.com/maintenance/garbagedisposal.asp

And please remember, NEVER put your hand into your garbage disposal. Even if it is unplugged, the blades are very sharp and can cut your fingers.

Hope this helps.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from "Molly": 

Is it best to use cold or hot water when using the disposal? Or does it matter either way? I thought hot, but recently heard to use cold. Thank you!

ANSWER:

Molly:

When you operate your disposal, you should use cold water, not hot. Hot water can melt fats which makes it easier for them to clog the disposal mechanism and your pipes. Running your disposal with cold water also helps to keep the mechanism to operate cooler when its running.

But when you are not operating your disposal, it is fine to run hot water through it.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from "silvi.007": 

My garbage disposal is running fine, the drains and doesn't back up but their is a terrible odor that comes back. We rarely use the disposal because we can hardly stand the smell. This problem has just begun over the past few months.

ANSWER:

silvi.007:

Its great that your disposal is running fine, and it sounds like it just needs to be cleaned regularly.

The following is the procedure for cleaning your garbage disposal:

1) Place ice cubes in the disposal, grind them up, and flush with cold water. This will help sharpen the blades and remove buildup from the inside of the disposal.

2) Pour a cup of vinegar into the sink drain and let it sit for about one hour, then flush down with very hot water. This will help to remove scale build-up.

You should do this at least once a year, but more often depending on for what and how much you use it.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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Additional comment from "Art from PGH":

FYI - regarding the garbage disposal smell -- make sure to take out and thoroughly clean the rubber "funnel" that covers the opening (assuming it is removeable and you've disconnected the power), as well as the opening the "funnel" seats against. We had a friend who had this problem and when they removed the "funnel" they found about a 1/2 inch of gunk that had built up and smelled terrible. After cleaning the smell was gone!
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QUESTION from "Art from PGH": 

We're moving to a house that has a septic system and heard that it is not good to use a garbage disposal since the septic is not designed to take the volume of waste.

1) Is this true (there are only two of us)?

2) Is a trash compactor a viable alternative (i.e. for all the food waste that would normally go into the garbage disposal)?

ANSWER:

Art from PGH:

Regarding your first question, yes, you can use a garbage disposal when you have a septic system, HOWEVER, since you will be adding more solid waste to your septic system, you need to be VERY CAREFUL to check your septic tank level more often. As you probably know, if your septic tank fills up with solids, these solids can over-flow and go into your leeching pipes which will be very expensive to remedy if they become plugged. And since you are new to the house, you will not have history on how often you should have your septic tank pumped.

The other point about your garbage disposal, is that some towns and cities do not allow garbage disposals to be installed where there are septic systems. And since you are new to this house, if you want to be in compliance, this is something you may want to check.

Regarding your second question, yes, a trash compactor is a viable option. In general, trash compactors are considered good for the environment because they reduce the trash's volume by about 80%, so it takes up a lot less room in a landfill. However, a couple of thoughts about using a trash compactor for food waste. First, food waste will not compact down as much as other household garbage; and secondly, depending on how "green" you want to be, an alternative to a garbage disposal is to set up a compost system in your yard, which will naturally bio-degrate your food waste. If you are interested, here is a link to some instructions on how to set up a home compost pile: http://www.ehow.com/how_137794_set-compost-system.html

Regards,
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from "Ross": 

When looking into the disposer, the small center piece spins but not the blade.  I used the hex, I reset, and the center piece spins, but is not attached to the inner blade.  Did a weld break or something?

ANSWER:

Dear Ross:

Please be VERY, VERY CAREFUL when looking into a garbage disposal that is turned on. You should be wearing EYE PROTECTION, and if it were me, I'd be wearing a FACE AND NECK SHIELD. A garbage disposal typically has a slotted rubber boot across the opening to the sink, that helps keep things from flying out when it is running. I assuming that you are pushing this back so that you can see inside. But again, please be very, very careful.

With that said, if the motor is turning freely, but the blades are not moving, then it sounds like you have a broken coupling. Depending on the age of your disposal, you might want to call around to local service technicians to see if it makes sense to replace the coupling, or if you are better off replacing the entire disposal.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from "lstraughte": 

What is wrong with my garbage disposal:  it leaks water from the base when water is draining, with or without the motor running?????

ANSWER:

Dear lstraughte:

When you say that you have water leaking from the “base” of your garbage disposal, I assume that you mean where the garbage disposal connects to your sink?

Assuming that it is, then here’s how you can fix this leak:

1) Turn off power to the disposal at the electrical service panel, or completely unplug the unit.

2) Where the disposal mounts to the bottom of your sink, turn the disposal clockwise to loosen it, and then remove the unit from the mounting flange.

3) There will be three mounting bolts holding the flange on. Try to tighten these bolts. If they are loose, this could be the cause of your leak. But if they are already tight, then the leak may be caused by failed plumber’s putty that is there to seal this flange. Therefore, loosen the bolts and push the sink flange slightly above the surface of the sink. Squeeze some plumber’s putty between the sink flange and the sink, completely around the flange. When done, then tighten the mounting bolts drawing the sink flange tight to the sink surface. Wipe away any excess putty that oozes out.

4) Reinstall the disposal and turn power back on at the service panel.

5) Check for leaks.


Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from Dan on 4/7/2008:

I have water leaking from the bottom of my garbage disposal it seems to be coming through the motor and out the bottom holes of the disposal any ideas?

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM ON 4/8/2008:

Dear Dan:

If your garbage disposal is leaking from the bottom through the motor, then the problem is likely that it is leaking through the flywheel seal and into the motor. 

If you can, remove the garbage disposer from the drain system, disassemble the unit and replace the seal, or take the unit in for service.

Remember to DISCONNECT THE POWER before doing any work around your garbage disposal. And course never put your fingers inside the unit. Even when the unit is turned off, the blades can be very sharp.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from NICK651 on 3/5/2008:

How do I replace garbage disposal blades housing on a sinkmaster 450. It looks like housing holding blades is roting?

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM ON 3/6/2008:

Dear NICK651:

My understanding is that the blades for a Sinkmasteer 450 are NOT replaceable.

Regarding the housing, you might want to check with the manufacturer, but I would think that this is a case where it would be better to replace the entire garbage disposal unit, rather going through the effort/cost of replacing the housing, and having the motor go bad later.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from JC on 2/11/2008:

One day my garbage disposal system was working fine, the next, I can hear the motor faintly trying to run but disposal does not move. Anything I can do before calling a plumber???

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM ON 2/11/2008:

Dear JC:

Have you tried unplugging the power from your disposal, and then using an allen wrench in the bottom of the unit to turn the rotor back and forth to dislodge what could be stuck in it?

Remember, NEVER put your hand inside of a garbage disposal, even when its turned off, as the rotor blades are very sharp.

For routine maintenance to help keep problems like this from happening to your garbage disposal, please look in our online Maintenance Library.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from Laura Flowers-McLinn on 2/6/2008:

I just filled up the sink with onions and other produce and turned the garbage disposal on. The water will not go down now and the stuff is in the sink. It is chopping it all up, it just won't go out. What is wrong? WHat can I do?

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM ON 2/6/2008:

Dear Laura Flowers-McLinn:

If your garbage disposal is running fine, that is, if the motor is turning freely when you turn the switch on, but the water is not going down the sink, then the culprit is likely a clog in the drain pipe coming out of the bottom of the garbage disposal. 

The first thing you should try is to use a toilet plunger to loosen whatever has clogged your drain pipe. NOTE: Do NOT use a plunger if you have put any drain cleaner chemicals into your sink, as you do not want to risk any of it splashing on you. But if you haven't put any chemicals in yet, then its alright to use a plunger.

If you have a dual sink, then use wet rags or towels to stop up the sink that does not have the disposal. Place the plunger over the disposal opening. If the plunger is not completely under at least about 3-4 inches of water, then add some more, so that the plunger will have a good seal. Then push the plunger strongly up and down.

If this does not get your water flowing freely, then the next step is to try using a product like Drano, which is "guaranteed" to get your drain flowing again. Well actually, by "guaranteed" they mean that if it fails to clear your clog, then they will gladly refund what you paid for their product (so save your receipt). Depending on what is clogging your drain pipe, it may actually require a professional to remove the obstruction if Drano doesn't work. But a product like Drano is a great place to start. 

Note: Drano claims its products are safe for garbage disposals, with the exception of Drano Kitchen Crystals Clog Remover. Please remember to READ ALL DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY. In particular, you do not want to turn on your disposal and have Drano splash back on you.

Hopefully either the plunger or Drano will solve your clog problem, but if you want to avoid this kind of problem with your garbage disposal in the future, you should follow the routine maintenance tasks for your garbage disposal that are described in the Home-
Wizard Maintenance Library: http://www.home-wizard.com/maintenance/garbagedisposal.asp

And please remember, NEVER put your hand into your garbage disposal. Even if it is unplugged, the blades are very sharp and can cut your fingers.

Hope this helps.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from Poli V. on 5/30/2008
My 450 Sinkmaster does not turn on. Is there a restart button on this model since I could not find it?

Thanks.
Poli

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM on 5/30/2008
Dear Poli:

My understanding is that the reset button on a Sinkmaster garbage disposal should be located on the underside of the unit. 

If the reset button is pressed in, then it has not tripped. If this is the case, then you might want to check your house's fusebox, to see if you have blown a fuse for your disposal. And of course, if you have already, you might want to double-check to see if the electric switch for turning on your disposal if firmly in the "ON" position.

Lastly, if you still have problems finding the reset button, then here's the email address for Sinkmaster: Sinkmaster@sentechsa.com

And please remember, NEVER puts your hands inside of a garbage disposal at anytime.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from Roger on 8/21/2008
I replaced my garbage disposal an now my dishwasher will not drain...

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM on 8/21/2008
Dear Roger:

When you replaced your garbage disposal, did you knock-out the drain hole in it? When new disposals are installed, and the dishwasher suddenly stops draining, then this is usually the culprit.

If the drain hole in your garbage disposal was knocked out, then let us know and we will offer some other things to check. But again, it sounds like this is likely your problem.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from B. Abe on 10/8/2008
Our garbage disposal sounds like there is a piece of glass being cut up when we turn it on... we can't see anything in there at all. Could the spinners or blades be loose? If so, how do we tighten them? Either way it sounds awful when we turn on the disposal and want to fix it. (this has been going on for a month, if not two months).

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM on 10/8/2008
Dear B. Abe:

First and foremost, please be VERY careful working around your garbage disposal. NEVER put your hand inside it. Even turned off and un-plugged, the blades can be sharp enough to cut your fingers.

If you have inspected your disposal, and don't see anything caught inside it, then the cause of the noise you are hearing could be a broken blade, coupling, or depending on the sound, a bad motor.

Unfortunately, a garbage disposal is one of those appliances where it is likely more economical to have a service person replace the entire unit, rather than coming out and attempting to repair it. In fact, it can sometimes be hard to get spare parts for some brands, for just this reason.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from Mickey S. on 10/22/2008
I hope you can help. I noticed that water is leaking out the very bottom of the garbage disposal. I did some research and it seems the seal might need to be replaced. Strange thing is, it only leaks when the washing machine is running. Turning on water in the faucet and letting it run does not cause the leaking to occur. Only when the washing machine runs does it begin to leak. Is this natural or should I be looking for something different? Thx!!!

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM on 10/22/2008
Dear Mickey:

From what you've described, it sound like you have your washing machine and garbage disposal both connected to the same drain system. What could be happening is that if this drain is partially clogged then the high volume of water flow/pressure going into the drain from the washing machine discharge could be causing the water to back up into your garbage disposal unit, where is it able to leak out where the flange is not tight. And then when you are just running the sink by itself, the smaller volume of water is able to make it through the partially clogged drain, which is why you don't see the leak when you are just running the sink/disposal and not the washer.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from Roger on 12/23/2008
Are garbage disposal is out and we can't afford to replace it right now.The problem is everytime I use the dishwasher I have a build-up of water in both sides of the sink and I have to take a pan to empty it.It has been extremely cold here lately are the pipes frozen or should I pour some Drano down.
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ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM on 12/23/2008
Roger:

If I understand you correctly, it has been really cold, and now the pipes below your sink appear to be blocked and water backflows into your sink when your run your dishwasher, right?

Is your sink and dishwasher located on an exterior wall of your house? In other words, is the wall that has your sink and dishwasher exposed to the cold on the outside?

If this is the case, then your pipes may have frozen inside the wall, and this is what is causing your backflow problem. What I would suggest that you do IMMEDIATELY (to help keep your pipes from bursting) is:

1) Open up the cabinets below your sink and open your dishwasher.

2) Place a fan in from of both your open sink cabinets and dishwasher to circulate warm air from the room into these areas.

3) If you have a hair dryer, use it to warm up the back wall of your under-sink cabinet and dishwasher. DO NOT use anything hotter than this. And absolutely DO NOT use a torch, propane heater, etc to speed up the process.


If this gets your sink and dishwasher drains flowing, then there are two things that you still have to do:

1) You need to inspect to see that your pipes did not crack. Otherwise, now that the pipes would be unfrozen, if they have cracked then water can leak inside you walls.

2) You need to improve the insulation of this exterior wall and add air vents to the the cabinetry to allow warm air from the room to circulate into this area. Since it sounds like you have some budget constraints (like many, many of us do right now!), then you may want to leave your under-sink cabinet doors open when it is cold outside, and then add a fan in front of the open doors when it gets really cold.

If this doesn't work, then yes, you can try DRANO. But be sure to read the package, and FOLLOW DIRECTIONS COMPLETELY, otherwise it can be dangerous.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from Teresa on 1/3/2009
i have a garbage disposal that has died but i dont want to replace it i want to remove it but i also have a dishwasher hose that is connected to it. How hard would this be to replace and what would i need to do is it something i can do or do i need to hire a plumber any help would be appreciated thank you for your time
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ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM on 1/3/2009
Dear Teresa:

If you are fairly handy, yes, permanently removing a garbage disposal and re-piping up your dishwasher into your drain is a job that requires only basic tools and you might be comfortable doing yourself. HOWEVER, where it could be more complicated is if your local plumbing regulations require you to have an "air gap", and if you don't have one now. 

Otherwise the task requires removing your old garbage disposal, replacing it with a new strainer basket at the bottom of your sink, adding plumbing to replace where your disposal was, and re-attaching your dishwasher drain hose.

I don't have a video for you that shows how to permanently remove a disposal, but if it helps you, here are several videos that show you how to do the various parts of the task:


Removing a garbage disposal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJPDso6PTs4


Installing a dishwasher drain hose (starts about half-way through the video):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJYY-3pXdlA&feature=related


General information on under-sink plumbing hints:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E49_z3rxp_A&feature=channel


And here's a good illustration of how to install the dishwasher drain hose, both with and without an air trap:
http://lgknowledgebase.com/kb/index.php?View=entry&EntryID=3072


In particular, note in the videos and illustration where it points out the importance of:

1) sloping pipes in the correct manner.

2) when to hand-tighten connections

3) and that the dishwasher drain connection to sink drain pipe needs to be at least 20" off of the floor.


However, getting back to the question of whether or not you need an "air gap" installed between your dishwasher and your sink drain, this is where you may decide to bring in a professional plumber. As you will see in the videos and illustrations in the links above, your dishwasher can drain directly into above the sink's trap once you have removed your disposal. You will be replacing a section of your sink drain's tailpiece with a "dishwasher tailpiece", which has a short T-shape nipple that connects to the dishwasher's drain hose. The big question is whether or not you need to install an "air gap". And here's where you may need to consult a plumber, or your local health commissioner. To prevent wastewater from draining or siphoning back into the dishwasher, many areas of the country have plumbing regulations that require that an "air-gap" fixture be installed between the dishwasher and the sink drain (or disposal). As shown in the illustration link above, the air gap mounts on top of the sink or counter right next to the sink and connects to two flexible hoses: one that runs to the dishwasher's drain and another one that runs to the sink's trap or the dishwasher inlet on the disposal. In some areas of the country, local plumbing regulations allow looping the dishwasher's drain hose in a high arc up under the countertop as an alternative to installing an air gap. If your sink doesn't have an unused hole for mounting the air gap, you'll need to bore one in the countertop next to the sink using an electric drill and a hole saw or have the sink top professionally drilled.

One last note, BE SURE TO DISCONNECT THE POWER SUPPLY FOR YOUR GARBAGE DISPOSAL BEFORE DOING ANY WORK AROUND IT.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from Dru on 1/7/2009
We just bought a house and the slotted rubber boot in the garbage disposal, the one you see when you look down the garbage disposal from on top (in the sink) is all torn up. Can I replace this rubber boot myself or do I need to call a plumber? Thank you so much.
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ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM on 1/8/2009
Dear Dru:

The slotted rubber boot that you are referring to on your garbage disposal is a called a "splash guard", and it keeps items from flying out of your garbage disposal when it is running. So yes, if this is not completely intact, then it should be replaced for safety reasons.

If you are fairly handy, then yes, replacing a splash guard on a garbage disposal is a rather straight-forward job that you can do yourself.

As far a guide for how to replace a garbage disposal splash guard, here are a couple of things that will help you:

1) Here is a "do-it-yourself" step by step guide for how to replace the splash guard: http://www.averageguydiy.com/garbage-disposal-splash-guard.html

2) And here are some video tutorials on how to install and replace a garbage disposal.: http://www.insinkerator.com/service/install_disposer.html Even though you are not going to be replacing your entire garbage disposal, I thought it might be helpful to see these videos which show how the entire thing works.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from Dru on 1/9/2009
Thank you so very much for teaching us how to replace a rubber boot on the garbage disposal....your information was complete and easy to follow (I think as I have not actually done it yet)...thanks again.
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QUESTION from Dru on 1/10/2009
My advise on IMPROVING home wizard???? You got to be kidding...this is the best thing since sliced bread.

I happened upon it just a few days ago and already you have answered two questions for me.....I think this is a wonderful place.

Thank you so much.

Dru
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QUESTION from Brad on 8/7/2009
My Maytag Accusense dishwasher will not drain all the way. It usually leaves about 2 inches of dirty water at the bottom when finished. I have to have it manually drain afterwards in order to try to solve this problem. It will always drain some, but it usually takes 2 to 3 times of hitting the Cancel/Drain button for it to drain all of the water out. Any suggestions?

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM on 8/8/2009
Dear Brad:

Some of the most common reasons that could be causing your dishwasher to leave several inches of dirty water at the bottom include:

o the drain hose could have become partially blocked;

o if you have a garbage disposal, then there could be a problem with either your garbage disposal or the lines leading to them; or

o the dishwasher's sump pump has gotten partially blocked or is not working correctly.

Regarding the drain hose, try removing the cover from the air gap and cleaning out anything that could be blocking the line. You can also examine the drain hose and check for debris that could be causing a pressure drop that could be hindering the water from draining completely. 

Sometimes when the dishwasher doesn't drain all the way, the problem is in the garbage disposal. UNPLUG THE DISPOSAL and check the little hole where the dishwasher drains into the garbage disposal. It is about 1/2 way down and about 1/2" in diameter. Try cleaning it out with a metal hanger. Also, make sure your garbage disposal is working right and the water is draining quickly. Remember, even when a garbage disposal is unplugged, the blades of a garbage disposal are VERY SHARP, and you need to be VERY CAREFUL not to cut your fingers.

And if neither the drain hose or garbage disposal or related lines are the source of the problem, then you can also check your dishwasher's sump pump. Take off the lower spray arm ( lift up and turn counter clockwise), then start the dishwasher and let it fill, and when done filling push reset/cancel and see if it drains all the way. Now you need to take off the white nut that is above the fine filter, remove the fine filter. Next look at the hub that has the spray tube attached to it, then turn it to the right a bit and pull off that tube that runs up the back wall. Pull off the plastic screen and there is your sump. There is an insert in the sump that has a screen clipped to it. Squeeze this clip and pull up, and then clean the screen. The check down into the sump, and pull out whatever maybe clogging the drain hole.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from fubar on 8/22/2009
i'm removing my dishwasher and i want to know if there is a way to plug the inlet drain to the garbage disposal or do i have to buy a new disposal

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM on 8/22/2009
Dear fubar:

Many brands of garbage disposals have a "knockout" plug that is removed when you connect it to a dishwasher.

I would suggest that you contact the manufacturer of your garbage disposal ("Google" their name, and they should have a toll-free customer service number), and ask them if two things:

1) for their particular brand/model of disposal, can the knockout plug be replaced after it has been removed; and

2) can then send you a knockout plug.


Was this helpful?
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from tina on 9/22/2009
Last night I discovered water under my sink and all over the cabinent floor after finishing the dishes. When I run water into the sink the water goes straight down and comes out from the bottom of my garbage disposal. The bolt/screw is not connected and water comes from that area and the red reset button and the 2 holes adjacent to one another. Is this repairable or do I have to replace the whole unit?

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM on 9/22/2009
Dear Tina:

If the leakage is from underneath the garbage disposal, it is probably leaking through the flywheel seal and into the motor. In this case, you will need to remove the garbage disposal from the drain system. You would then need to disassemble the unit and replace the seal, or you can take the entire unit in for service. Depending on the cost, you might want to consider replacing the entire unit rather than having it serviced.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from Tina on 9/29/2009
My house came with a badger 5 installed but recently became unserviceable. I just bought the badger 1 at lowes and was wondering if I had to buy the same kind or go with the cheaper one?

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM on 9/29/2009
Dear Tina:

I assume by "Badger 5" that you are referring to an InSinkerator brand garbage disposal.

As you may already know, the Badger 5 is a 1/2 horsepower garbage disposal, whereas the Badger 1 is a less powerful (and less expensive) 1/3 horsepower model.

The problem with installing a less powerful Badger 1 unit is that they do not last as long as the more powerful Badger 5.

Regarding whether you can get by with a less powerful garbage disposal will depend on how you plan to use it. For example, do plan to use it frequently, or do you have a compost pile in your yard for kitchen waste? Also, do you do routine maintenance on your garbage disposal, as described in our Maintenance Library: http://www.home-wizard.com/maintenance/garbagedisposal.asp

Hope this is helpful.
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QUESTION from Lauren on 10/1/2009
we just changed our garbage disposal with a new one. now when you turn the new one one it is very loud like it has something metal or glass it is trying to grind up. How can we fix this and what is wrong with it?

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM on 10/13/2009
Dear Lauren:

It sounds to me like something like a screw, or the metal punchout for a dishwasher, may have gotten left inside your disposal. Or if one of the blades is not connected properly.

You might want to try to CAREFULLY check to see if anything loose is in the unit. First be sure that the circuit breaker to the unit is turned off. Using a flashlight, you can pull back the rubber boot that covers the opening to the unit, and then look in to see if you can see anything loose in the disposal. If you want to carefully explore with your hand, remember, even when turned off, a garbage disposal's BLADES ARE VERY SHARP, and can still cut your fingers.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from Glynda Thompson on 10/5/2009
We have a home for sale and it has been on the market for over a year. My husband is concerned that the garbage disposal will rust and freeze up due to lack of use. He feels that we should pour in some vegetable oil to lubricate and protect it. I'm concerned that the oil will clog the drain. Should we be concerned and if so what should we do?

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM on 10/13/2009
Dear Glynda:

Yes, there is a risk that a garbage disposal that is not run for long periods of time could rust up. And you are correct that it's not best to pour vegetable oil down your drain. In addition, vegetable oil will tend to dry out fairly quickly.

Instead, I would suggest that you spray WD-40 light lubricating oil into your garbage disposal. This will inhibit rust formation, and will it will last for quite a while went the disposal is not being used.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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QUESTION from Gabriel on 10/30/2009
Dear Home-wizard,

I recently got a garbage disposer, in order to avoid difficulties with the machine, can you please list me about 15 inexpensive maintenance tips because i dont want any problems. Thank you.

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD.COM on 10/30/2009
Dear Gabriel:

There are 2 important, but low-cost, maintenance tasks that you should do for your garbage disposal to help keep it running well and lasting longer:

1) Place ice cubes in the disposal, grind them up, and flush with cold water. This will help sharpen the blades and remove buildup from the inside of the disposer. Sharper blades will allow your disposal to operating more effectively, which means you won't have to run it as long, and therefore your disposal should last longer.

2) Pour a cup of vinegar into the sink drain and let it sit for about one hour, then flush down with very hot water This will help to remove scale build-up.

For additional information, you can visit the Garbage Disposal webpage of our online Maintenance Library:

http://www.home-wizard.com/maintenance/garbagedisposal.asp


Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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