Jammed, humming or leaking
Garbage disposal repair and replacement in Houston kitchens
You flip the switch and get a hum, a click, or nothing at all. Or there's a puddle under the sink every time you run it. A disposal tells you a lot by how it fails.
- We answer 24/7, nights and weekends included
- Based in South Belt, close to Beltway 8
- Jam cleared, leak traced, or a new unit mounted and wired
Updated October 2026
Short answer
Garbage disposal repair in Houston is often a ten-minute fix for a jam or a tripped reset button, but a disposal that leaks from its body has a failed internal seal and needs replacing. We check the mount, the dishwasher inlet and the drain trap before deciding, so you don't replace a unit that only needed freeing.
The job
Fix the disposal or replace it: how we decide
A disposal is a motor under a grinding plate, hung from a mounting ring under the sink drain. When it hums but won't spin, something is wedged between the plate and the grind ring, often a bone, fruit pit or bottle cap. When it does nothing at all, the thermal overload has tripped or the switch or outlet has failed. Both are repairs. We free the flywheel with a hex key from below, clear the debris and reset the overload.
Leaks are where repair turns into replacement. Water at the top means the sink flange putty or mount has loosened, which we reseal. Water at the side means a loose dishwasher hose or discharge gasket, also fixable. Water from the bottom of the housing means the internal seal has failed, and no part replaces it. If the sink drains slowly even with the disposal running, the clog is past it and we look at the kitchen drain.
Your options
Continuous-feed versus batch-feed disposals
| Compare | Continuous-feed | Batch-feed |
|---|---|---|
| How it runs | Wall switch; runs while you feed scraps | Runs only with the stopper in place |
| Speed | Faster for big cleanups | One load at a time |
| Safety | Open while running | Hands can't reach the chamber while it runs |
| Wiring | Needs a wall switch | No wall switch needed |
| Common fit | Most kitchens and heavy cooks | Homes with kids, or where a switch is hard to add |
Most households prefer continuous-feed. If there's no switch at the sink or little hands around, a batch-feed unit avoids both problems.
Pricing
What sets the cost of a disposal repair or new unit
A jam or a reseal is a short service call. A replacement depends mostly on the unit you choose and what's waiting under the sink.
Repair or replacement
Freeing a jam or resealing a flange costs far less than a new unit.
Horsepower and model
Larger motors and quieter, insulated units cost more up front.
Electrical connection
A unit with a cord plugs in; a hardwired unit or a missing outlet takes more work.
Dishwasher and trap
Reconnecting a dishwasher hose or replacing a corroded trap adds parts.
Sink flange condition
A cracked or pitted flange on an older sink needs replacing during the swap.
Typical planning range: $100 - $250 for garbage disposal repair (replacement $200 - $550; new retrofit install $250 - $650), per HomeGuide (Apri). Treat it as a planning number only. We price your job after we see it.
The versions we see most
Jammed or humming disposals
A hum with no grinding means the motor has power but can't turn. Running it in that state overheats the windings, so switch it off first. We cut power at the switch, reach in with tongs to pull out what's loose, then turn the flywheel from below with a hex key until it moves freely. Once it spins, the red reset button on the bottom brings it back. A disposal that jams every week usually has a worn grind ring or is being fed fibrous peels, grease or rice. If the unit trips its reset over and over even when clear, the motor is failing and replacement is the honest answer.
Leaking disposals
Where the water shows up tells us what's wrong. A drip around the sink flange means the plumber's putty has dried out or the mounting ring has loosened, and we pull the unit, reseal the flange and remount it. A leak at the dishwasher inlet is usually the hose clamp or a cracked hose. A leak at the discharge tube means the gasket needs replacing. A leak from the reset button or the bottom of the housing means water is getting past the internal seal into the motor, and the unit has to go. We dry the cabinet, run water through it and watch each joint before we leave.
New disposal installs
When the old unit is done, or you're adding a disposal for the first time, we mount the new one on a fresh sink flange, connect the discharge to the trap and knock out the dishwasher plug if a dishwasher drains through it. Horsepower matters: a half-horse unit handles light scraps, while three-quarter and one-horse models grind faster and jam less. Batch-feed units only run with the stopper in, which some families with small children prefer. The unit needs power under the sink, so we confirm there's a switched outlet or hardwire connection. A new sink? We can set the disposal during a sink installation.
Before you call
Disposal fixes you can try, and where to stop
| Situation | What you can safely do | When to call us |
|---|---|---|
| Disposal hums but won't turn | Switch it off, then turn the hex socket on the bottom back and forth with the key | It won't free up, or it jams again within days |
| Disposal is dead silent | Press the red reset button on the bottom after it cools for a few minutes | Reset doesn't hold or the outlet has no power |
| Bad smell from the sink | Grind ice and citrus peel with cold water running | The smell stays, which may point to the trap or the drain line |
| Water under the sink | Turn off the disposal and dishwasher and put a pan under the drip | Water is coming from the body or the flange |
Talk to a plumber now
Any hour, any day. Tell us what you see.
Local to southeast Houston
Hard water, grease and disposals in Houston kitchens
Houston's main system delivers water averaging about 135 ppm of hardness, which the USGS counts as hard, and some readings climb past 180 ppm into the very hard range. Scale doesn't wreck the motor, but it builds on the grind chamber and the sink flange, and it helps grease and food fibers cling inside the trap and drain arm. Combined with cooking oil poured down the sink, that's how many kitchen drains slow down. Running cold water during and after grinding keeps fats solid enough to pass.
Step by step
Our steps under the kitchen sink
Listen and look
We run the unit, note the sound, and find any water in the cabinet.
Power off
The switch and breaker are shut before hands or tools go near the disposal.
Clear, reseal or remove
We free the jam, reseal the joints, or drop the old unit off its mount.
Mount and connect
A new unit is hung, the discharge and dishwasher are tied in, and power is connected.
Run and check
Water and a load of scraps go through while we watch every joint for drips.
Brands we service and install
We repair and install disposals from InSinkErator, Moen and other common makers, and connect them to sinks from Kohler and American Standard.
- Rheem
- A. O. Smith
- Bradford White
- Navien
- Rinnai
- Noritz
- Kohler
- Moen
- Delta
- American Standard
- Pfister
- InSinkErator
- Uponor
- Watts
Common questions
Garbage Disposal Repair & Installation questions from Houston homeowners
Usually the motor is working too hard: a near-jam, a worn grind ring, or heavy feeding. If it trips even when empty, the motor is near the end of its life.
Small amounts, with plenty of cold water. Large batches of peels, rice, pasta or grounds pack into the trap and drain arm and cause clogs.
If it only jams, yes. If the housing leaks or the motor hums weakly, replacing it costs about the same as repairing it and lasts longer.
Many dishwashers drain through the disposal. If a new disposal goes in without its knockout plug removed, the dishwasher won't drain, which is a common install mistake.
Many units run about eight to fifteen years, depending on the motor size and how hard they are used. Stainless grind parts outlast galvanized ones, and a unit that is fed lightly with cold water running tends to last longer.
Same system, different job
Related plumbing services
- Sink InstallationKitchen, bathroom and utility sinks set, plumbed and leak-tested.
- Drain CleaningKitchen, bathroom and laundry drains cleared with the right cable for the pipe.
- Appliance Plumbing HookupsDishwashers, ice makers and washing machines connected without a slow leak.
- Kitchen Remodel PlumbingRelocated sinks, island drains, pot fillers and appliance lines for a new kitchen.
Planning the work?
Phone any hour and we will set a time to look at it.