Garbage Disposal Repair in Chevy Chase, MD

Signs it is time to call

• Humming without grinding that returns after you clear the plate
• A reset button that will not stay in
• Drips from the rim, the side outlet or the base of the unit
• Water backing into the second basin or the dishwasher
• Slow drainage even with the disposal empty

Older houses, older drains

Chevy Chase began in the 1890s as a streetcar suburb along Connecticut Avenue, and its housing shows it. In ZIP 20815, about two-thirds of homes were built before 1980, and more than 2,600 date from 1939 or earlier. Many of those kitchens have been rebuilt, sometimes more than once, while the drain lines inside the walls and under the basement floor stayed put. A modern disposal feeding a narrowed old line is a common reason for slow sinks here.

WSSC Water provides water and sewer service. Plumbing permits come from WSSC Water Permit Services, and building permits from the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services. Chevy Chase is also a patchwork of small incorporated towns and villages plus an unincorporated area. The Town of Chevy Chase, for example, issues its own permits for larger projects and will not approve them until the county permit is in hand. A disposal swap is not that kind of project, but a full kitchen renovation may be.

What affects the cost

• A simple jam or reset compared with a replacement
• The unit you pick, from basic to heavier-duty
• Old brass or galvanized trap parts that need replacing to seal properly
• Cable cleaning of an older branch line behind the sink
• Electrical connection and dishwasher hookup

What happens when you call

The number on this page puts you in touch with an independent plumber who works in Chevy Chase. Mention what the disposal is doing, whether other drains are slow and roughly how old the house is. Before the visit, cut power to the unit, empty the cabinet and keep chemical drain openers out of the sink. If the plumber finds the main line is involved, you will hear about the options before any bigger work starts, including whether a camera look at the old line makes sense.