A leaking garbage disposal can easily turn into a stinky problem. Leaking garbage often goes unnoticed until we perceive a foul smell somewhere in the cabinet. To avoid dealing with even worse problems, such as water damage, check your garbage disposal for the following signs.
- The damp, soggy cabinet beneath the sink
- A rotten food smell was coming from under the sink.
- Dripping sound from underneath your sink when you turn on the disposal
- Flooding coming from under the sink
How To Repair A Garbage Disposal Leak?
Once you have determined the leak is coming from the garbage disposal, you can proceed to fix it. Below are some tips you might find useful, depending on what component of the garbage disposal is leaking:
1. Leaks From The Top
This probably means that your sink putty is worn and can no longer keep the seal. If this happens, you can solve the problem by detaching the disposal unit, removing the old flange or cleaning the worn-out putty, and then resealing it with new putty.
2. Leaks From The Bottom
If the leak is from the bottom, the seal inside the disposal is busted. If this is the case, you would need to buy new garbage disposal unless your current disposal has a warranty.
3. Leaks From The Side
The leakage is often located where the drain lines are connected to the disposal side. In this situation, you could use a screwdriver to fasten the metal clamp that joins the lines from the garbage disposal to the dishwasher, or you could replace the rubber gasket.
How To Prevent Your Garbage Disposal From Leaking?
Nobody likes to deal with messy garbage disposal repair tasks. It is better to take the necessary steps to prevent this from happening. Performing regular maintenance for your disposal does not require a lot from you, so use these preventive measures below to save yourself the stress of disposal leaks:
- When dumping food in the disposal, always keep the cold water running.
- Adhere to the Dos and Donts regarding what should and should not go down the disposal.
- Take time out to inspect the disposal for leaks and cracks
- Create time to learn more about how to clean garbage disposal.
If your garbage disposal causes serious water damage, home fixes may not be the best cause of action. Contact a water damage restoration professional to get it fixed.