Can a Garbage Disposal Leak Plug Up Your Drain?

Garbage Disposal Leak

• When your garbage disposal springs a leak, the cause is usually damage to the outer casing of the unit. Coins, silverware and even tiny bits of gravel can be washed down your kitchen sink drain. Inside the disposal, the blades drive the hard object against the plastic sides of the disposal, damaging the casing. Over time, the hard item can tear a hole in the casing. When this happens, water leaks out of the hole every time you turn on your sink faucet, whether you run the disposal or not.

Clogs

• A garbage disposal clog is more likely to plug up your drain than a leak. Clogs occur when you scrape too much inappropriate food waste into the kitchen sink. Fibrous foods and grease can get caught in the disposal blades, jamming the unit and filling the drain with waste and water. If a piece of silverware is also down the drain, you might experience a leak at the same time as the clog, but it is the clog that plugs up the drain, rather than the water leak.

Solutions

• To get rid of a clog in your garbage disposal and get back the use of your kitchen sink, start by disconnecting the disposal from power. You can unplug its power cord or flip the breaker for the kitchen; just be sure it cannot turn on. Using metal tongs, reach down through the sink drain and pull out any food debris you can. Use the tongs or a broom handle to turn the disposal blades counterclockwise. If they’ve jammed up, this will release them. Pull out more food debris and plug the disposal back in. While running your faucet, turn the disposal on to get rid of any other food bits left in the drain.

Considerations

• If you can see water leaking out of the side or bottom of your disposal, it is time to replace the unit. Repairing the casing is difficult and not cost effective; you are better off purchasing a new unit. To avoid having to deal with either a leak or a clog, take care when washing items in the sink; rinse anything that might have gravel on it outside with a hose. Don’t scrape fibrous food into the drain. Always run plenty of water whenever you use the disposal.