Disposal jobs we handle
- Jams cleared from underneath and the reset button tested
- A leaking unit swapped for a new one on the same mounting ring
- Drain elbow, dishwasher hose and sink flange reconnected and sealed
- Units that plug in moved to the new disposal; hard-wired ones reconnected to the same feed
- The trap under the sink checked for drips once the water is running
San Gabriel’s sewers and what goes down the sink
The City runs its own sewer system. Its sewer page describes “over 72 miles of sewer and 1,300 manholes” that carry wastewater to the County Sanitation Districts’ trunk lines for treatment.
Grease is the City’s main complaint. Its fats, oils and grease page says “A large percentage of San Gabriel’s sanitary sewer blockages are the result of FOG from residential, commercial and/or industrial sources,” and lists food scraps such as sauces, salad dressings and butter among what builds up when washed down the drain.
A disposal grinds food; it doesn’t make grease go away. Scrape plates into the trash, wipe greasy pans with a paper towel, and run cold water while the unit works. If your sink drains slowly even with a healthy disposal, the clog is often past the trap, which is a drain job rather than a disposal job.
Who handles the rest
Clogs in the wall or out to the street need a plumber with a drain cable. If the sink has no outlet or switch for a disposal, or the circuit trips with nothing running, an electrician sets that up first, and we can mount the unit afterward.
What to send us
Open the cabinet and take a photo of the disposal and drain pipes, plus a close-up of the label if you can read it. Text the photos to (626) 684-3505.
Disposal questions
How will I know you’re on the way?
You’ll get a text from us as we set off.
What if the trap or drain line is the real problem?
We check with you first. You get the reason and the added cost before we do anything outside the quote.
Do you supply the new disposal?
Either way works. Parts depend on the job: if we bring the unit, it’s listed in the quote, and if you’ve bought one, we install that.
The house is a rental and I won’t be there. Is that OK?
Yes. A tenant can let us in, or you can leave a key or a lockbox code.
Guides for kitchen sinks
- Slow kitchen drains, leaky traps and tired disposalsHow we fix slow kitchen drains, leaking traps and worn-out disposals in older San Gabriel kitchens with mixed old and new plumbing.
- Slow, gurgling sink and tub drains in an older houseWhy sinks and tubs in San Gabriel's older homes drain slowly or gurgle, what you can safely clear yourself, and what our minor plumbing visit involves.
This job sits in our plumbing fixes group. For other repairs, see the services overview, or start with the repair guide for San Gabriel’s older homes.