Garburator repair and installation
Most garburator problems are one of three: jammed, humming but not turning, or leaking. The first two you can sometimes fix yourself in five minutes, and we'd rather tell you that than charge you for it.
Try this first
Humming but not spinning: it's jammed. Turn it off at the switch and the breaker. Most units have a hex socket underneath — turn the supplied wrench (or a ¼" hex key) back and forth to free it. Then press the red reset button on the base. Dead silent: press the reset button first, then check the breaker. Never put your hand in it, even with the power off.
If that doesn't do it, call us.
When it needs replacing
Leaking from the body (as opposed to a connection) · Persistent smell after cleaning · Repeated jamming · Over 10 years old and failing
What kills them
Grease, fibrous vegetable peel, coffee grounds, eggshells, pasta and rice. Also worth knowing: many Metro Vancouver strata bylaws prohibit garburators entirely because of what they do to a building's shared drain stack. Check before you install one in a condo.
