Garbage disposals are designed to shred food and other waste and keeping your kitchen pipes clean. Read More about 5 Signs It’s Time To Replace Your Garbage Disposal.
For peace of mind when your garbage disposal acts up, consider getting a home warranty price quote to cover the costs of repair and replacement down the line.
How long do garbage disposals last?
Garbage disposal lifespans can last up to 15 years if the appliance is properly maintained.
Running your garbage disposal regularly with cold water can help wash out any bits and particles that would otherwise block the piping beneath your kitchen sink.
Of course, when your garbage disposal has problems, it can’t do its job. How do you know if your garbage disposal is in bad shape or broken? Below are five ways to tell when it’s time to change your garbage disposal.
Don’t wait for home warranty coverage until after you experience problems. Call us today to learn about your options: 860-288-4791
1. Strange or unusual noises are coming from your garbage disposal.
Because a garbage disposal has moving parts, any peculiar or new noises can be an indicator of a serious problem. Shine a flashlight down your drain to check for anything that may be blocking the unit. A sneaky piece of silverware or a small dish can easily result in unusual sounds from the unit.
If you find something, carefully remove it and test the disposal. If you’re not able to find anything and still hear abnormal sounds, it’s time to call in a professional or consider a replacement.
2. It has a bad smell that won’t go away.
Old food and waste are prone to bad odors, but through proper use of a functioning garbage disposal, this shouldn’t be a problem. If odors persist even though you’ve thoroughly rinsed and ran your garbage disposal, there may be stubborn particles trapped in the unit that refuse to budge.
In most instances, you can call out a professional to remove these trapped particles. However, if you’re running an older disposal – 15 years or more – it may be time to swap it out.
3. Your garbage disposal won’t turn on.
When a garbage disposal won’t turn on, there may be a serious problem with the unit itself. Start by pressing the reset button on the unit to see if that gets it going again. You can also check the circuit breaker in your home’s electrical panel.
If none of these troubleshooting methods resolve the issue, there’s a good chance you’ll need to call in someone to give it a serious look.
4. Water is leaking from your garbage disposal.
Nothing lasts forever. With garbage disposals, you’ll usually be looking anywhere from eight to fifteen years before you’ll need to replace the unit.
Over time, the disposal may develop cracks or even spring a leak. When this happens, you’ll likely need to replace the unit, as a repair wouldn’t be worth your money.
5. You’re frequently pressing the reset button on the unit.
If you find that you’re frequently pressing the reset button on your garbage disposal, this is a sign that it’s not long for this world.
Pressing the reset button is something that should be seldom done, so pay attention to how often you’re doing it.
Do home warranties cover garbage disposals?
Not all home warranty providers offer coverage on garbage disposals.
Sometimes, this area of your home is excluded from contracts. Select Home Warranty offers coverage for your home’s garbage disposals so that when the time comes, you won’t have to worry about the full cost of repairing or replacing it.
With Select Home Warranty’s Platinum Care and Bronze Care plans, all modules, components, and parts of your garbage disposal necessary to its function are completely covered. If something goes wrong with the unit, affecting its functionality, you can save money on getting it professionally repaired.
How does a garbage disposal home warranty work?
Home warranties help you reduce the stress of caring for your home and save you from the large upfront cost of repair or replacement when finding a problem.
When you experience an issue with your garbage disposal, it’s simple to place a claim and we’ll help find the right professional to assess your problem. You will only owe a modest day-of service fee to the technician.
Don’t have a home warranty with Select? Get your free quote to find out how little it costs to protect your home (and your wallet) or call us today: 860-288-4791
