A garbage disposal is one of the hardest-working fixtures in a kitchen, and when it stops working right, you notice it immediately. The sink will not drain because the disposal is jammed. The unit hums but will not turn. Water appears under the cabinet because a seal or connection has let go. Or the old disposal finally quit and you need a new one installed properly. Since May of 1984, Parrett Plumbing has repaired, unclogged, and replaced garbage disposals in Fort Walton Beach homes and small businesses.
Disposals fail in a few common ways. A bone, fruit pit, or fibrous string jams the grinding ring so the motor cannot turn. Grease and food buildup clog the drain side. An internal seal wears out and leaks under the sink. Sometimes the motor hums but the reset has tripped, and sometimes the unit has simply reached the end of its life and a new one is the right answer. Whatever the symptom, the disposal is diagnosed honestly, repaired or replaced as needed, and checked so the sink drains and the unit runs quietly again, all handled by the owner from start to finish.
Signs You Need Garbage Disposals
What We Do for Garbage Disposals
Can It Go Down the Disposal?
Search or tap a food and the parrot gives it a thumbs up or down with a one-line reason. The full what-not-to-put-down-the-disposal list lives on the Can It Go Down the Disposal? page.
Can It Go Down the Disposal?
Tap or search a food — the parrot gives it a thumbs up or down.
How a Visit Works
Describe the symptom
Call (850) 243-9511 with what the disposal is doing, humming, leaking, jammed, or not turning on, and your town. You talk to the plumber who will handle it.
On-site diagnosis
Your plumber checks the unit, the power, the drain, and the seals to find out whether it can be repaired or needs replacing, and tells you before any work begins.
Repaired or replaced
The jam is cleared or the new disposal is installed, connected, and run with water so you can see it drains and grinds the way it should.
Why Call Parrett Plumbing?
Garbage Disposals Questions Answered
My disposal hums but will not turn. Is it broken?
Not always. A humming disposal usually means the grinding plate is jammed by something, or the motor reset button has tripped. The jam can often be freed and the motor reset. If it still will not turn after that, the motor may have failed and replacement is the right call.
Why is water showing up under my sink near the disposal?
A disposal leak can come from the sink flange, the body seal, or the drain connection at the side. Each is a different repair. The unit is checked to find which one is leaking so the right part is fixed instead of replacing a disposal that only needs a new connection.
Should I repair my old disposal or just replace it?
It depends on the failure and the age of the unit. A jam or a tripped reset is usually repairable. A failed motor or a leaking body seal on an older unit often points to replacement. You get an honest recommendation based on what is actually wrong.
What should I not put down my garbage disposal?
Grease and cooking oil, fibrous peels like potato skins and celery, coffee grounds, eggshells, and expandable starches like pasta and rice all cause problems. Grease solidifies in the pipe, fibrous strings wrap the grinding ring, and starchy foods turn to paste. See the disposal guide on the Tools page for a quick breakdown of what is safe and what is not.
Do you install disposals with a dishwasher connection?
Yes. When a new disposal is installed, the dishwasher tie-in knock-out and hose connection are checked and set up correctly so the dishwasher drains through the disposal as intended.
When can you come look at my disposal?
Disposal repair and installation are scheduled Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with Saturday and Sunday closed. Call during business hours with your town and what the disposal is doing.
Related Plumbing Services
Based in Fort Walton Beach. Pan and zoom the map below to see our service area across Okaloosa, south Santa Rosa and west Walton counties.
Need a Plumber? Tell Us What's Going On.
Residential and commercial plumbing in Fort Walton Beach and nearby towns. Fill out the form below or call directly.