A Lemon Grove disposal that stops grinding is usually jammed, has tripped its overload, has a seal that is failing or a motor that has worn out. A plumber can also check the trap and kitchen drain so a clog is not blamed on a working unit. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Lemon Grove.
Warning signs
- A low hum and a plate that will not budge
- The reset trips within seconds of starting
- Water spreading across the cabinet floor after use
- The other basin filling with dirty water as the unit runs
- Food scraps rising back into the sink instead of washing away
- A rattle that continues once the chamber is empty
Lemon Grove conditions
Lemon Grove grew from a citrus-growing town into a compact suburban city along the San Diego Trolley Orange Line, and its neighborhoods include plenty of established homes. In kitchens that have been through several remodels, the disposal may be new while the drain behind the wall is not, so a slow sink is worth checking past the unit.
Helix Water District supplies the city. Its water is ozone-treated at the R.M. Levy plant and carried with chloramines, and treated-water hardness averages about 12 grains per gallon. Scale gathers on the sink flange and dishwasher inlet, and over time it hardens rubber seals, which is why older units often start to drip at the top or side.
Sewer service comes from the Lemon Grove Sanitation District, which the City runs. It has about 67 miles of collection pipe, and wastewater is treated by the San Diego Metropolitan Wastewater system. Homeowners own the sewer lateral out to the main, so a clog between your kitchen and the street is yours to have cleared.
What affects cost
- Clearing a jam or reset compared with a full replacement
- Horsepower and build of the new unit
- Replacing a worn trap, tailpiece or slip nuts
- Electrical: cord kit or hardwired
- A slow branch line or lateral that needs clearing
When you call
The number on this page reaches an independent plumber who covers Lemon Grove. Tell them whether the unit hums, leaks or is silent and whether other drains are slow too. Keep the disposal off and the dishwasher idle until it is checked. If sewage is spilling from a manhole or the street, call the Sanitation District at 619-825-3810 Monday through Thursday, or Heartland Fire & Rescue Dispatch at 619-441-1621 after hours and Friday through Sunday. Questions about permits for larger kitchen work go to the Building Division at City Hall, 619-825-3800.
Garbage Disposals questions in Lemon Grove
Who handles sewage that backs up from the public side?
Does hard water shorten the life of a garbage disposal?
Why does dishwasher water come up in the kitchen sink?
When is replacing a disposal smarter than repairing it?
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