Garbage Disposal Repair | Metro Atlanta
Garbage Disposal Repair and Installation in Marietta and Metro Atlanta
A garbage disposal goes unnoticed right up until it quits, usually with a sink full of dishes and dinner half done. A&G Plumbing & Drain has been fixing and replacing disposals for Marietta and Metro Atlanta homeowners since 2006, and most of the calls we get fall into a handful of familiar problems. Below we walk through the common ones, what you can safely try yourself, and when it makes sense to have a licensed plumber handle it.
Disposal jams and that humming sound
If you flip the switch and hear a low hum but the disposal will not turn, the motor is getting power but the grinding plate is stuck. Something is wedged in there, often a fruit pit, a chicken bone, a bottle cap, or a buildup of fibrous scraps. Leave it humming and you risk burning out the motor, so turn the switch off first.
Here is the fix most homeowners can do safely. Cut the power at the wall switch and, to be safe, at the breaker. Look at the bottom center of the unit for a six-sided hole. Insert a 1/4-inch Allen wrench (many disposals ship with one clipped to the side) and rock it firmly back and forth until it spins a full circle in both directions. That frees the jam. Then find the small red reset button on the bottom of the unit and press it in until it clicks and stays. Run cold water, switch the disposal on, and it should spin clean.
If the wrench will not budge, the reset button pops right back out, or you smell anything burning, stop. At that point you are likely looking at a seized bearing or a failing motor, and that is a call for us rather than more force.
Leaks under the sink
Water pooling in the cabinet usually traces to one of three spots. The top is the sink flange where the disposal meets the drain, often a sign the plumber’s putty has dried out. The side is the dishwasher hose connection or the discharge pipe gasket. The bottom is the worst case, because a leak coming from the body of the unit means the internal seals have failed and the disposal needs replacing, not repairing. We track the leak to its source and tell you straight which one it is. While we are under there we often check the connected drain and trap, and if buildup is part of the problem we will point you toward our drain cleaning service.
Motor failure and electrical issues
A disposal that does nothing at all, no hum, no spin, has either lost power or lost its motor. We check the simple things first, the reset button and the circuit breaker, before condemning the unit. If the motor is genuinely dead, a unit older than eight to ten years is almost always cheaper to replace than rebuild. Grinding metal noises, frequent breaker trips, and a reset button that keeps tripping all point the same direction.
Replacement and new installation
We replace worn-out disposals and install brand-new ones in homes that never had a disposal before. New installation involves the sink flange, the drain plumbing, and a dedicated electrical connection, so it is worth having a licensed plumber do it right the first time. We service all the common brands, including GE, InSinkErator, Moen, Waste King, and Badger. If you are also updating the sink or fixtures at the same time, we can coordinate that through our faucets and sinks work so everything lines up in one visit.
What you should never put down a disposal
Most of the disposals we replace early died from what went down them. A disposal grinds soft food scraps, it is not a trash can. Keep these out of it:
- Grease, oil, and fat, which cool and harden in the pipe downstream
- Coffee grounds and eggshells, which build into a sandy sludge
- Fibrous foods like celery, corn husks, artichokes, and onion skins that wrap the blades
- Starchy items like potato peels, pasta, and rice that swell and clog
- Bones, fruit pits, and anything hard enough to jam the plate
- Non-food items, glass, and metal
Run cold water before, during, and for a few seconds after every use, and a disposal will last years longer.
What it costs in Metro Atlanta
Most disposal repairs in the Atlanta area run roughly $100 to $250 depending on the problem. A full replacement, including the new unit and labor, generally lands in the $200 to $550 range, with the price driven mostly by the horsepower and brand you choose. A good rule of thumb, if a repair would cost more than half the price of a new unit, or the disposal is already past eight years old, replacement is the smarter spend. We give you the number up front before any work starts.
Serving Marietta and Metro Atlanta
A&G Plumbing & Drain is family-owned, licensed, and insured, with a 4.9-star rating across 420+ reviews. We help homeowners in Marietta and across Metro Atlanta, including Kennesaw, Smyrna, Roswell, and Sandy Springs. Call us at (770) 627-4421. We offer same-day service when available during business hours, Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm.
Garbage disposal FAQs
Why is my garbage disposal humming but not spinning?
The motor has power but the grinding plate is jammed. Turn the switch off so you do not burn out the motor, cut the power, and use a 1/4-inch Allen wrench in the hole on the bottom of the unit to free the jam, then press the reset button. If it still will not spin, the motor may be failing and you should have it looked at.
Do you repair GE garbage disposals?
Yes. We service and repair GE disposals along with InSinkErator, Moen, Waste King, Badger, and the other common brands. If a repair is not cost-effective on an older GE unit, we will tell you and walk you through replacement options.
Is it worth repairing a garbage disposal or should I replace it?
If the repair would cost more than about half the price of a new unit, or the disposal is more than eight years old, replacing it is usually the better value. A simple jam or reset is worth fixing. A failed motor or a leak from the body of the unit means it is time for a new one.
How much does garbage disposal installation cost in Atlanta?
Most installations in the Atlanta area, including the unit and labor, run between $200 and $550, mainly depending on the horsepower and brand. A straightforward repair is typically $100 to $250. We confirm the exact price before we start.
What should I never put down my garbage disposal?
Keep out grease and oil, coffee grounds, eggshells, fibrous foods like celery and corn husks, starchy items like potato peels and pasta, bones, fruit pits, and anything non-food. These are the leading causes of jams, clogs, and early failure.
Do you offer same-day garbage disposal service?
We offer same-day service when our schedule allows during business hours, Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm. Call (770) 627-4421 and we will let you know the soonest we can get to you.