Why Is My Garbage Disposal Draining Slow?

Garbage disposals are interesting appliances. On the one hand they're electrical appliances that often require an electrical or mechanical eye where fixes are concerned. On the other hand they are connected to your kitchen plumbing which can make any problem with them expounded or affected by other issues. That's why it's important to take to professionals when you suspect something is wrong with your garbage disposal in order to make sure you get the right fix the first time.

When your garbage disposal is slow to drain and running it doesn't seem to fix the problem, you could be dealing with a couple different problems depending on if it's a plumbing or appliance issue and finding out which one it is going to save you time and money. While you can do a bit of research to help determine the cause of your problem, you should still always call a professional where garbage disposals are concerned.

Considering the nature of the garbage disposal, you need to first check for clogs. Often you can do this by taking a flash light and looking down the garbage disposal itself. It doesn't hurt to unplug it before doing this and always make sure to keep your hand away from the blades. Other symptoms may reveal a clog such as odor or odd noises. Depending on the clog you may be able to flush it out with degreasing soap and ice cubes or you may need to call for a professional clean.

If you don't see a clog, you may need to take a look at the plumbing just underneath the garbage disposal. First turn on the water supply and then turn the garbage disposal on and off several times to force it to flush. Then turn off power to the garbage disposal before dethatching the connecting pipe from the appliance to see if the clog is beneath the appliance itself and clean it out. Even for this step you'll want to consult an expert because the last thing you want to do is ruin the plumbing in your kitchen.

Your garbage disposal may be running but it may not be doing the best job it possibly can. That results in food debris bigger than it should be building up over time and causing clogs or slow drains. Simply cleaning out the clogs won't resolve the underlying issue which will just continue to come back. So if you notice this repeatedly happening despite cleanings, talk to a professional about having a closer look at your appliance to see if it requires repairs or a replacement.