If you are worried about your garbage disposal leaking, this article will help guide you in the right direction.

So what are the classes of leaks? There are two basic types of leaks that can happen with garbage disposal. The first type is an external leak. External leaks occur when water or other substances seep out of the garbage disposal onto your sink or countertop, usually because the appliance’s splash guard isn’t properly in place.

The second class of leaks can be much more dangerous and sometimes deadly – internal leaks. These occur when water or substance enters into the actual mechanism of the garbage disposal itself, causing it to rust over time which may lead to jams while grinding food waste inside it, resulting in foul odors, clogged drain pipes, drains, and potentially flooding the kitchen if it is connected to a septic system. These leaks can be caused by any number of different things but usually occur because of poor installation or maintenance on the part of the user; either not having their appliance properly secured (and subsequently falling into place) or not using biodegradable products inside them (which would also cause jams).

Another issue that may arise with garbage disposals leaks are blockages due to residue buildup within the device. The more you use your garbage disposal, the more product will end up in it, which means that eventually, they’ll have to clean out their mechanisms from time to time. Food items such as banana peels, celery stalks, fruit pits, and large bones can all cause blockages that can lead to leaks, slow drains, and foul odors. These issues indicate you should clean your appliance, but if they happen often, than this may be a sign of something more severe like rusting or corrosion in the garbage disposal components.

Know the symptoms of what class of leak your garbage disposal might have so you know how to address it appropriately. For external leaks, there are two main symptoms you’ll likely experience; the first is water leaking out onto your countertop, floor or an area nearby it (and usually under where the garbage disposal has been placed).

The second symptom is when food waste steps its way around the sink’s splash guard into an area that isn’t meant for it to go. Sometimes you won’t even notice either of these symptoms until you take a closer look and notice that something is amiss.

Internal leaks can be more serious and should be addressed as soon as possible, but the first symptom isn’t discovered easily. It takes time for substances to rust and other components inside the disposal to wear down before it leads to an internal leak so other external signs need to be present in order for you to even suspect this. Common signs of internal leaks are water draining slowly out of your garbage disposal when not used or taking longer than usual to drain completely, foul odors coming from your kitchen sink when no one has used it recently, damp paper towels in the bottom of the trash bin underneath the sink (if there is one) or residue building up in hard-to-reach places.

To prevent a garbage disposal from leaking you should use biodegradable items inside it to break down waste, keep the device’s splash guard securely in place and clean it out regularly for best results. If your garbage disposal has already sprung a leak then the quick solution may be as easy as replacing its splash guard or making sure it is properly fitted onto the sink but if those fixes don’t work than it might require more extensive repairs from an appliance repair service company or eventually having to replace it entirely. Either way, leaks are inconvenient and can be costly over time so make sure to address any issues you have with yours right away.

 

For more information, contact Vinny’s Jersey Plumbing, located in Wayne, New Jersey.  We also service other towns in New jersey, such as Cliffside Park, West Caldwell and Rutherford.