GARBAGE DISPOSAL REPAIR & INSTALL — SAME DAY

When a disposal stops working, it's almost always one of five things — jammed flywheel, tripped overload, blown motor, leaking drain or housing, or worn impellers. The first three are usually a 30-minute fix. The last two mean it's time to replace. Our techs carry common Insinkerator, Moen, and Waste King units on the truck so we can do a same-visit swap if yours has reached the end.

A leaking disposal is the bigger problem most people don't catch in time. The seal between the body and the sink flange wears out, water seeps under the sink for weeks, and the cabinet floor warps and grows mold before anyone notices. If you see standing water under the sink — even a little — that's a same-week call, not a "next month" call.

What we repair

1. Jams — bone, fruit pit, silverware. Free the flywheel with the hex wrench, reset, test.
2. Tripped overload — small red button under the unit. Most "dead" disposals are just this.
3. Leaks at the sink flange — top seal worn, replace plumber's putty or silicone, retighten.
4. Leaks at the drain elbow — discharge tube gasket failed, $35 part.
5. Leaks from the body — internal seal failed, time to replace the unit.
6. Humming but not spinning — motor seized, almost always a replace.
7. Slow drain — usually a clog downstream, not the disposal itself.
8. Loud grinding or vibration — worn impellers or shifted housing — replace.

What we install

Standard 3/4 HP disposal install runs $185-$385 labor — we install Insinkerator (Badger, Evolution Compact, Evolution Pro), Waste King L-2600/L-3300, Moen GX/GXP, KitchenAid. You can supply your own from Home Depot, Lowe's, Costco, or Amazon, or we can spec and supply. Septic-safe units (Evolution Septic Assist) for homes on septic systems. Stainless steel and sound-insulated models for quieter kitchens. We always replace the mounting flange, drain putty, and discharge gasket as part of every install — that's the difference between a leak-free 10 years and a leak in 18 months.

North Louisiana disposal issues

Hard water is a factor here. Water averaging 15-25 grains per gallon of hardness builds calcium scale on the impellers and inside the grind chamber, which dulls the cutters and makes the motor work harder. Disposals in soft-water markets last 12-15 years; with hard water and no softener, plan on 7-10. We'll mention the softener option if it makes financial sense for your situation.

Also: dishwasher discharge knockout plug. If you're installing a new disposal and your dishwasher backs up the first time you run it, the plug for the dishwasher inlet wasn't punched out. Common rookie mistake we fix on first-call jobs from other plumbers.

What Mark Johnson & Sons does differently

Same-day scheduling. Flat-rate pricing — we tell you the price before we start. All work comes with a 1-year warranty on parts and labor, plus the manufacturer warranty (2-12 years depending on unit). MJP Service Club members get 15% off and priority dispatch.