Dealing With a Garbage Disposal Leak

When your garbage disposal leaks, it can cause a lot of damage to your kitchen. It can leave puddles under your sink or even a pool on the floor by your cabinet. 

The most common culprit is a leak around the sink flange that connects mounting hardware between your disposal and the sink drain. If the flange is loose or corroded, it can no longer form a watertight seal. Blocked or clogged drains sometimes can contribute to the leaks of a garbage disposal too. Blocked drains in Melbourne can be fixed by calling in some professional help. 

Water Damage 

A garbage disposal leak can damage your kitchen, including cabinets and floors. It can also lead to mold growth if you don’t deal with it quickly enough. 

Leaks from the garbage disposal flange and drain hose are often caused by faulty parts or worn out connections. These components may need to be replaced or resealed. 

Likewise, dishwasher drain hoses and waste line hoses can leak because they are loose or have bad rubber gaskets. These problems can also be fixed by replacing them or tightening the line clamps and screws. 

To find a leak, start by clearing the cabinet underneath your sink and putting a bucket under it to catch any drips. Fill the bucket with colored water and pour it around your disposal’s flange or under the drain pipe to see where the leak is coming from. 

Mold Growth 

A garbage disposal leak can damage a lot of your kitchen, not just because it’s the source of water but also because it is one of the most common causes of mold growth. A leak can occur anywhere from a sink flange gasket to the disposal itself, so it is important to find and fix the cause of the leak as soon as possible. 

Leaks from the flange or the disposer are often caused by faulty or loose gaskets or O-rings. Luckily, there are some simple ways to prevent this problem from occurring. 

Mold is a spore-based fungus that grows in warm, damp environments. The spores can travel through dust and are typically carried indoors on clothing and shoes. When people breathe them in, they can trigger asthma symptoms and other health concerns. 

Damage to Cabinets 

A garbage disposal leak can damage a lot to your kitchen, including cabinets and flooring. It can cause puddles to form in the cabinet, make dripping sounds, and create a foul odor. 

Often, these leaks are associated with the plumbing connections on the disposal. This could include the pipes that connect the disposal to the drain or sewer line and

the gasket between the disposal and sink drain. 

The flange of your disposal should always be fastened securely to all its connections. If the flange is loose or there is a hole in the connection, this is a sign that the plumbing putty is worn down and needs replacing. 

Garbage disposals are designed to grind food waste into small particles that can easily mix with cold water and go down the drain. Several types of foods, however, are not recommended for the disposal as they can cause it to jam and clog. Some of these items include fibrous scraps, meat products, oil, cooking fat, and pasta. 

Damage to Floors 

A garbage disposal leak can damage your kitchen from the cabinets and countertops to your floors. The best way to handle the situation is by detecting and repairing any leaks as soon as possible. The most obvious sign of a problem is water seeping beneath your sink. Once you have located the source of the leak, be sure to dry out the area as much as possible and use a wet vac to remove any excess water before calling in the pros. If the leak is not caused by water intrusion, a little bit of time and patience should go a long way to repair or replace any damaged materials. 

One of the most important things to do is replace the gasket or seal that tames the disposal’s oh-so-tricky drain line and flushing system. This will not only save you a headache down the road but it will also keep your floors looking new.