Garbage Disposal Replacement in Wilmington, DE
- Plug-In or Hardwired Units
- Dishwasher Hose Moved Over Where There Is One
- Sink Flange and Trap Checked
Jimmy looks it over in person, and the written price follows.
When water drips from the housing itself, the seal inside has failed, and the unit is done. A disposal that still hums or stays silent after the plate is freed and the reset is pressed ends up in the same place. Replacing it means getting the mount, the drain, and the power right on the new one.
A disposal swap is a short job under one sink. Jimmy Grubb does the plumbing himself, from pricing the swap to checking the new unit for drips.
Checked Out Before the Wrench Comes Out
InSinkErator disposals, or one you supply
Sized to your sink and the room in the cabinet below it.
Run with water before we pack up
Each new joint is watched for drips with the water on.
Leaks traced to their joint
A drip at the top points to the flange, one at the side to the discharge tube.
A Disposal Hangs on Three Connections
Under the sink, a disposal is clamped to a mounting assembly bolted around the sink flange, drains through a discharge tube into the trap, and runs on power from a cord or a hardwired cable. A replacement is as large as the changes those three connections need.
A like-for-like swap on the same mount
When the new disposal uses the same mounting design as the old one and the mount is sound, the old unit twists off the ring and the new one locks onto it. The discharge tube and the dishwasher hose move over, the power is connected the way it was before, and the sink flange above is left in place.
A change of brand or size
A disposal with a different mount means the old sink flange comes out. The old putty is scraped off the sink, the new flange is set and sealed, and the new mounting ring is bolted up under it. A larger motor also makes a taller, heavier unit, so its outlet can sit lower than the old one. The line from the disposal to the wall drain has to run the full length, so a lower outlet may require recutting the tailpiece or trap to maintain that slope. On a double-bowl sink whose two drains share one trap through a tee, that can mean recutting the waste piping across both bowls.
A disposal with the dishwasher draining through it
Where a dishwasher drains through the disposal, its hose runs to a small inlet on the side of the unit. A new disposal ships with that inlet sealed by a knockout plug. The plug has to be tapped out with a screwdriver and the loose piece fished out of the grinding chamber, or the dishwasher has nowhere to drain. The hose is then clamped on and looped up high under the counter, or run through an air gap if the sink has one, so dirty sink water cannot run back into the dishwasher.
Plug, hardwire or batch feed under the sink
A plug-in disposal runs on a cord into an outlet inside the cabinet, switched from the wall. A new disposal may ship without a cord, so a plug-in setup gets a cord kit fitted to the unit. A hardwired disposal has the cable from the switch run straight into a wiring box on the bottom of the unit. The new one is wired the same way after the breaker is off. A batch-feed model has no wall switch at all: it starts when the stopper is turned in the drain. Whichever it is, the new disposal goes onto the power already under your sink.
New circuits and panel work are not part of a disposal replacement.
If the cabinet floor has softened or swollen from a long drip, the base under the sink is rebuilt as part of a sink cabinet replacement.
sink cabinet replacementGalvanized drain stubs behind Wilmington kitchen sinks
Pre-1930 Wilmington row homes were plumbed long before plastic drain pipe, and where an old galvanized steel line still runs behind the sink, it rusts and narrows from the inside. A disposal sends ground food into that line, and a narrowed pipe is where it settles. Where the trap meets an old steel stub, a thin, rusted thread at that joint is the weak spot, and a new disposal hangs its weight and its shake right above it. Whether that stub should be cut back and replaced before the new unit goes up is something Jimmy goes over with you once the old one is off.
Under the Sink, One Connection at a Time
Let Jimmy know what it's doing
Text or call (302) 321-3577, or send the form with what the disposal is doing and whether the dishwasher drains through it. If water is coming out under the sink, say so. Active water leaks are the one call we try to reach the same or next day.
A look under the sink
During the visit, the old unit's power and mount are inspected, along with the drain and trap layout, any dishwasher hose, and the condition of the cabinet floor.
A unit picked for the sink
You settle on an InSinkErator model for your sink and cabinet, or mention the disposal you already bought.
Power off, old unit down
The unit is unplugged, or the breaker is off for a hardwired one. The hose and discharge tube come off, and the old disposal twists off its mount.
The new disposal goes up
The mount and flange are reused or replaced; the knockout plug is removed where the dishwasher drains; and the new unit is hung, piped, and connected to power.
Switched on with the water running
With the water running, the disposal is switched on, and the flange, discharge tube, and dishwasher hose are checked for drips. Where a dishwasher is connected, it is run to drain as well.
Every Part a New Disposal Touches
| Piece | On a disposal replacement | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Mounting assembly | Reused if sound and compatible; replaced where needed | A new brand or size needs a new mount |
| Sink flange | Reset and resealed where needed | Drips at the top of the unit start here |
| Discharge tube and trap | Reconnected; recut where needed | The line has to fall to the wall drain |
| Dishwasher drain hose | Knockout plug removed, hose clamped | Only where a dishwasher drains through it |
| Power | Cord kit for a plug-in, or wired as before | Breaker off first on a hardwired unit |
| The disposal | InSinkErator, or one you supply | Sized to the sink and the cabinet |
| New outlet or circuit | Not included | Not part of this work |
Already bought the fixture or the material? We can usually install it, as long as it suits the job. On customer-supplied materials, our warranty covers the labor only.
What a Disposal Replacement Costs
- Job
Garbage disposal replacement
Price$450
What changes a disposal job is whether the new unit fits the old one's mount. One of a different brand or size can need a new sink flange, a cord kit, or a recut trap, and changes like these are priced at the visit, in person, never from a photo or a text.
Our warranty
Our work carries a one-year workmanship warranty, dated from the day the job is finished.
Customers Around Wilmington on Jim and His Son
Meticulous, reasonable and good people
Stella Ann, Google review, March 2025
“Jim and his son are meticulous, reasonable and good people”
More reviews from our customers, straight from Google.
When a Disposal Hums, Drips or Smells
Not always. A hum with no grinding means the motor is getting power, but the plate inside is jammed. With the power off, a 1/4-inch hex key fits the socket at the center bottom of the unit and can loosen the plate. Then press the red reset button on the bottom. If it still won't turn or it trips again right away, replacement is the fix.
Dry the unit and the pipes with a towel, then run the sink with a flashlight on the disposal, first with it off and then with it on. Water at the top of the unit points to the sink flange seal. Water at the side points to the discharge tube gasket. A drip that appears only when the dishwasher drains points to the hose clamp.
Household disposals run from about 1/3 to 1 horsepower. A bigger motor grinds tougher scraps with fewer jams. It is also taller and heavier, so it needs more room between the sink and the cabinet floor, and that space is measured before you choose.
Cold. Cold water keeps grease solid so the disposal chops it and the water carries it away. Hot water melts grease, and it sets again farther down the drain, where it collects ground food.
Food film builds up on the underside of the rubber splash guard and inside the grinding chamber. Scrubbing the guard and grinding ice with a little dish soap clears the buildup. A lingering smell after cleaning can come from a slow drain farther down the line.
Single Bowl or Double?
When you call or text, say whether the sink is single- or double-bowl and whether the dishwasher drains through the disposal. Both change what goes on under the sink.
Precision Home Worx · Based in Claymont, DE · (302) 321-3577 (call or text) · Monday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Delaware business license #223872998 · General liability insurance and RLI surety bond #LMS1971327
Serving Wilmington, Claymont, North Wilmington, Hockessin, Pike Creek, Greenville, Newark, New Castle, Bear and the rest of northern Delaware.
Related services
The main service
Plumbing and water heatersWhere we work
Around the kitchen sink
Where we replace disposals
Disposal replacements in Wilmington, North Wilmington, Claymont, Hockessin, Pike Creek, Newark, Newport and New Castle.
