Garbage Disposals in Atlanta, GA

Safe steps for a stuck unit

1. Switch the disposal off and unplug it or turn off its breaker. Keep your hands out of the grinding chamber.
2. Find the small red reset button on the bottom of the unit and press it.
3. If it hummed without turning, put the hex wrench into the socket in the center of the underside and work it back and forth until the plates move freely.
4. Restore power, run cold water and switch it on.

Avoid chemical drain openers. They can harm the unit's seals and leave caustic water sitting in the sink for whoever takes the drain apart next.

Reading a leak

If the disposal grinds fine but the sink still drains slowly, the clog is in the trap or the branch drain, which is a drain cleaning job.

Grease is the real enemy

A disposal chops food, but it does nothing about fats and oils. Grease runs down warm, cools in the pipe and builds up layer by layer, catching food scraps until the line closes. Wastewater from Atlanta homes is collected and treated by the Department of Watershed Management, and grease that gets past your own pipes can add to blockages in the public system too. Simple habits help:

• Let grease cool in a can and throw it out once it hardens
• Wipe oily pans before they go in the sink
• Limit stringy peels, coffee grounds, rice and pasta
• Run cold water during grinding and for a few seconds after

Fix it or replace it

Jams, a tripped reset, a loose mount and a leaking hose joint are all repair work. A cracked or leaking body, a motor that stays dead after a reset, or a unit that jams every few days is usually ready to be replaced. For replacement plumbing in a one- or two-family home, Atlanta's Office of Buildings handles technical permits online, so ask whether one applies.

What affects cost

The main factors are a simple unjam versus a new unit, the size and model, any electrical work at the switch or outlet, a clog past the disposal, and the dishwasher connection.