Broward · Miami-Dade · Jacksonville
Garbage Disposal Repair
Garbage disposal repair covers the handful of ways these units fail — humming without spinning, jamming, leaking underneath, or going silent — and each symptom points to a different fix. Not every fix is worth paying for: a jam in a young unit is a quick repair, while a body leak on an aging one is a replacement conversation. We tell you which side of that line yours is on first.
What the job includes
- Symptom triage first — hum, jam, leak, and silence each mean something different
- Freeing jammed flywheels and clearing whatever the unit swallowed
- Checking the reset button, switch, and power path when the unit is silent
- Resealing the sink flange and replacing worn gaskets on top-side leaks
- Inspecting the discharge line and dishwasher connection — common quiet drip points
- A clear repair-or-replace recommendation based on symptom and age
How you know it’s time
It hums but nothing spins
The motor is alive and the flywheel is stuck — usually a pit, bone, or utensil wedged against the impellers. Caught early, very fixable.
Flipping the switch does absolutely nothing
Silence usually means the internal overload tripped or power is not reaching the unit. Sometimes the red reset button fixes it; sometimes it runs deeper.
Water under the sink after running it
Flange and hose connections are repairable, but water seeping from the unit's body means a failed internal seal — a replacement, not a repair.
It runs, but grinds badly and smells
Worn impellers leave food half-processed and the residue turns sour. Depending on age, a tune-up or the beginning of the end.
When to make the call
Book a visit when the two safe DIY moves — the reset button and the hex-key crank underneath — have not brought the unit back, or whenever you find water under the sink, since a slow drip quietly ruins cabinet floors. None of this is a drop-everything situation: switch the unit off, keep the cabinet dry with a towel, and schedule a time that suits your week.
Local knowledge
Garbage Disposal Repair is a different job in Broward than in Jacksonville. We know both.
Broward & Miami-Dade
In the 1990s–2000s communities of Weston, Pembroke Pines, Miramar, Doral and West Kendall, builder-grade disposals installed together are seizing together. Most jams and hums are quick fixes; a leaking body is not. We tell you which, and in condos we check that the disposal is permitted by the building before replacing one.
Jacksonville & the First Coast
A good share of the disposals we see in Jacksonville were installed when the house was built — so whole neighborhoods hit disposal-retirement age together. In Nocatee, Oakleaf, and the newer stretches of St. Johns County, builder-grade units from the 2000s construction wave are now past their typical lifespan, and a jam or leak there is often the opening chapter of a replacement story. Our hard aquifer water plays a part too: mineral scale shortens component life, the same way it does with water heaters.
What it looks like
Before we came. After we left.
Pull the handle across. More on the work page.
Questions
Garbage Disposal Repair. Ask us anything.
Last reviewed September 16, 2026
Why is my garbage disposal humming but not spinning?
A humming disposal is jammed — the motor has power but the flywheel cannot turn, usually because a fruit pit, bone, or utensil is wedged against the impellers. Switch it off promptly; a motor humming against a jam is cooking itself. With the unit unplugged, the hex socket underneath lets the flywheel be cranked free.
Should I repair or replace my garbage disposal?
Repair it when the problem is external or mechanical — a jam, a leaking sink flange, a loose hose connection — especially on a young unit. Replace it when water leaks from the body itself, meaning an internal seal has failed, or when an older unit needs attention repeatedly. We price both options honestly when it is close.
Why is my garbage disposal leaking from the bottom?
A leak from the bottom almost always means the internal seals have failed — that is a replacement, not a repair, since those seals are not serviceable. The good news: leaks from the top flange or side connections look similar under a dark sink but are genuinely fixable. Identifying which you have is the first thing we check.
Can I fix a jammed garbage disposal myself?
Often, yes — and we will happily tell you how. With the disposal unplugged, crank a 1/4-inch hex key in the socket at the bottom center to free the flywheel, remove the culprit with tongs, then press the red reset button. If the jam returns immediately or there is any leak, a visit beats more cranking.
How much does garbage disposal repair cost in Florida?
The cost depends on what failed: freeing a jam is the simplest visit, replacing flange seals takes more time and parts, and anything involving the motor usually shifts the conversation to replacement value. Free estimate first, quote before touching anything — and if replacement is the smarter spend, we show you that math.
Also in the family
Serving Broward County, Miami-Dade County, Jacksonville & the First Coast.