Spring Valley is a large unincorporated community of mostly single-family homes, and disposal trouble here usually comes down to jams, worn gaskets, scale or a clogged trap. A plumber can repair a jam or leak, or put in a new unit when the old one is finished. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Spring Valley.
Water in Spring Valley comes from Helix Water District or Otay Water District, depending on the address. Helix reports that its treated plant water averages about 12 grains per gallon of hardness, so Helix-served kitchens tend to collect white scale on sink flanges and dishwasher inlets. Most of the community is on the San Diego County Sanitation District system, which sends wastewater to the City of San Diego's Point Loma Treatment Plant, but there are pockets that are not on municipal sewer.
What to do now
- Turn off the wall switch and unplug the unit or shut its breaker.
- Check the chamber with a flashlight and remove anything hard with tongs or pliers.
- Press the reset button on the bottom of the housing.
- If the motor was humming, rock the plate loose with a hex key in the bottom socket.
- Run cold water and give it one short try. If it buzzes or trips again, leave it off.
- If water is leaking, set a container underneath and do not run the dishwasher.
Signs and likely causes
| What you notice | What is probably behind it |
|---|---|
| Drone with no movement | Something hard or stringy jamming the plate |
| No sound | Overload tripped, breaker off, GFCI tripped or failed switch |
| Wet rim under the sink | Loose mounting ring or failed flange seal |
| Wet hose connection | Loose clamp at the dishwasher or drain elbow |
| Water from the bottom | Internal seal worn through; usually a new unit |
| Slow sink even while grinding | Blockage in the trap or kitchen branch line |
| Several drains slow at once | A problem in the building sewer, not the disposal |
Cost factors
- A jam and reset compared with removing and mounting a new unit
- Motor size and grind parts on the replacement
- Crusted slip nuts or a worn trap that need new parts
- Plug-in or hardwired setup
- Permits, which in unincorporated Spring Valley go through the County of San Diego Planning & Development Services; a straight swap rarely needs one, but the plumber can check
If your home is in one of the pockets not on municipal sewer, mention it when you call. A disposal adds food solids to a private onsite wastewater system, and a plumber can talk through whether that is a good trade for your household.
Garbage Disposals questions in Spring Valley
Is a disposal a good idea if my house is not on municipal sewer?
Who handles sewage that backs up from the public side?
Does hard water shorten the life of a garbage disposal?
Which foods cause the most disposal jams?
More plumbing services in Spring Valley
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