A garbage disposal that hums, jams, leaks or just goes silent is one of the most common kitchen calls. Sometimes it’s a five-minute reset. Sometimes the unit is done and it’s time to replace it.
Common disposal problems
- Hums but won’t spin: jammed flywheel, or a failing motor
- Won’t turn on at all: tripped internal reset, tripped breaker, failed switch or a dead motor
- Leaks: sink flange seal (top), dishwasher inlet or discharge connection (side), or internal seals (bottom; replacement needed)
- Drains slowly: a clog in the trap or drain line past the disposal, often grease or starchy food. See drain cleaning
- Loud grinding or rattling: something hard in the chamber, or worn bearings
Replacement & installation
Replacement makes sense when the unit leaks from the bottom, the motor is failing, or it’s old and underpowered. We match the horsepower to how you cook, reconnect the dishwasher drain properly (with an air gap or high loop as required), and leak-test everything. If there was no disposal before, adding one may need an electrical circuit; Fairway notes a new installation that needs a new circuit requires an electrical permit.
What affects cost
- Repair vs. replacement, and the disposal model
- Whether the sink flange and drain connections need replacing
- Electrical work for a new installation
Local notes
- Permits: Fairway doesn’t require a permit to replace a disposal unless a new circuit is needed. Source. Prairie Village doesn’t require a permit for fixtures going back in the same location. Source.
- Grease: Johnson County Wastewater lists fats, oils and grease among the hazards to sewer pipes. JCW.
Garbage Disposal Repair & Replacement: common questions
My disposal hums but doesn't spin. What's wrong?
It's usually jammed. Turn it off at the switch (and ideally the breaker), then use the hex key that fits the socket on the bottom of the unit to work the flywheel back and forth, and press the reset button. Never put your hand in the disposal. If it still hums, the motor may be failing.
Why is my disposal leaking?
Where it leaks tells you what failed: at the top it's usually the sink flange seal; at the side it's the dishwasher or drain connection; from the bottom of the unit it's usually an internal seal, which means replacement.
Do I need a permit to replace a garbage disposal?
Usually not. Fairway, for example, says replacing a disposal doesn't need a permit unless it's a new installation that requires a new circuit. In Prairie Village, plumbing fixtures going back in the same location don't need a permit.
What shouldn't go down a disposal?
Grease and oil, fibrous peels and stalks, coffee grounds in quantity, eggshells, pasta and rice in large amounts, and anything non-food. Grease is the big one: Johnson County Wastewater runs a fats, oils and grease program because grease builds up in pipes.
Related services
Faucet & Sink Repair and Installation
Dripping, leaking or low-flow faucets fixed; new kitchen and bath faucets and sinks installed.
Drain Cleaning
Kitchen, bathroom, laundry, floor drains and main sewer lines that are slow or backing up.
General Plumbing Repair
Everyday repairs: valves, hose bibbs, noisy pipes, leaks and the small jobs that add up.
Garbage Disposal Repair & Replacement near you
We handle garbage disposal repair & replacement in Prairie Village and nearby: Fairway, Leawood, Lenexa, Merriam, Mission, Overland Park, Roeland Park, Shawnee, and Westwood. See all service areas.