How To Repair A Garbage Disposal That’s Leaking
- Rated as REALLY EASY
- 1 repair story
- 4 step by step videos
Flange Gasket
If your food waste disposer is leaking there are a few places that you should inspect. If the leak appears to be coming from around the connection to the sink, look carefully at the sink flange gasket or gaskets. There will normally be a rubber gasket and sometimes a fiber type gasket as well. These gaskets are used to seal the connection of the mounting flange to the strainer basket. Disconnect the power and remove the disposer to replace these gaskets, and ensure that the mounting flange is tightened securely.
Tailpipe or Tailpipe Gasket
If your food waste disposer is leaking there are a few places that you should inspect. If the leak appears to be coming from around the drain elbow or tailpiece connection to the disposer, look carefully at the tailpipe gasket. There will normally be a rubber gasket that seals the tailpiece to the body of the disposer and sometimes this may deteriorate with age and a leak may then occur. Detach the flange that holds the tailpipe to the disposer and then remove the tailpipe. Clean both surfaces that the gasket will contact and also inspect the tailpiece for cracks or any signs of damage or distortion when changing this gasket. Make sure that there is no stress on the tailpiece from the drain connection and then tighten the flange securely.
Flex Coupling
If your food waste disposer is leaking there are a few places that you should inspect. If the leak appears to be coming from around the drain connection to the disposer, look carefully at the coupling. Some models of food waste disposers use a flexible coupling to connect the drain tailpipe to the disposer. If the coupling is damaged or defective it will need to be replaced. Loosen the drain connection to the tailpipe and then remove the clamp that secures the tailpipe to the flexible coupling. With the tailpipe removed you can then detach the coupling from the drain chamber of the disposer. There will normally be a flange or a screw and mounting clip that secures the coupling to the disposer body. Make sure that the surface of the disposer outlet and the tailpiece are clean when replacing the coupling, and that the mounting flange, clamps and drain connection are tightened securely. Run some water through the disposer to verify that the leak has been corrected.
Internal Seal
If your Food Waste Disposer is leaking from the bottom or from the joint between the motor and the grinding chamber you may have a defective boot seal or shaft seal. This part is located below the grinding plate and is used to keep water from leaking into the motor area. When fibrous material such as banana peels, celery and corn husks or cobs for example, are put into the disposer; they will often find their way past the grinding chamber and into the seal area where they may cause damage. The seal is not normally available as a replacement part and the complete disposer would then need to be replaced.
More Repair Parts
Still not sure which part is broken? We can offer you custom troubleshooting help if you search with your model number.