If you are cleaning up every other area in your kitchen, be sure to always check the garbage disposal as well on a regular basis. The truth is that, over time, many people simply don’t. Then, one day out of the blue, they spontaneously smell that old foul odor in the air. In the kitchen where food is prepared and served that is definitely not a smell that is welcomed,and you may have thought that emptying your garbage disposal was all that you needed to do in order to avoid the horrible scent. That’s a great habit, but you may need to take some more steps to stop it from leaking.
What is Causing the Leaking?
Like many other pieces of household equipment, garbage disposals need to be properly maintained. This is true with them even if you don’t use yours that regularly. What happens is the rubber gasket (after a long period of inactivity) can dry up and begin to crack. If that happens, a leak is will probably occur when you do use it again. There are also other ways that the gasket can be damaged. For example, if you pull out the garbage disposal for any reason, the rubber piece itself can end up needing to be readjusted and re-fitted correctly when you go to put everything back together again under the sink.
How Can You Stop the Leaking?
The first thing to do is to find the correct sized gasket for your particular type of garbage disposal. If you aren’t sure exactly which one you need, you could write down the model number of the disposal before purchasing it. When replacing the gasket, you’ll first need to unplug the disposal and disengage the drain itself. This will allow you to get a good grip on that main nut in order to twist it off. You won’t want to move the disposal itself too far away from its original position as you work on it. Replacing the gasket right there in the kitchen will avoid making any other possible messes (outside of the leaked, smelly water that’s already underneath your sink). When you are ready to put it back in, be sure that the disposal is sitting flat. Look at it from sink level to be sure that everything lines up correctly.
How We Can Help
Here at It’s Done, our motivated professionals are experts in fixing garbage disposals. Tasks that require attention to detail (such as replacing a bad gasket) are one of our specialties. We even have the exact rubber piece that you need for yours, so there’s no reason for you to go looking all around town for it. We will gladly come to your home, take a look at the disposal on a day and time that is convenient for you, and have the leaking fixed in no time. Feel free to give us a call today.
