Garbage Disposal Not Working? Reset It, Repairs $100 to $250

How much does garbage disposal repair cost

HomeGuide's repair and installation guides are titled 2026 but were written in April 2023. Fixr's figures are from January 2025.

Do this now: garbage disposal stopped, humming or leaking

1. Cut the power: unplug the disposal under the sink or switch it off at the electrical panel, as Moen advises.
2. Never put your hand inside. Moen says to pull objects out with tongs or needle-nose pliers.
3. Stop flipping the switch on a humming unit. Moen says running a jammed disposal over and over can trip its internal breaker.
4. If water is dripping into the cabinet, stop using the sink and set a pan under the leak.
5. Free the jam with the hex wrench, press the reset button, then restore power (steps below). Call if it still will not run.

Is it urgent? Most disposal problems can wait

A broken garbage disposal is rarely an emergency, and booking it for business hours avoids HomeGuide's after-hours minimums of $140 to $400.

• Same day: water leaking into the cabinet that you cannot stop.
• Same day: the sink and other drains backing up together. HomeGuide says several drains backing up at once is a common sign of a main line stoppage; see drain cleaning.
• Electrical: a breaker that trips again as soon as you reset it; see breaker keeps tripping.
• Can wait: humming, jammed, slow or not turning on.

Garbage disposal humming but not spinning

A disposal that hums but does not spin is jammed, and HomeGuide prices that repair at $75 to $175. Moen says running a jammed unit over and over can trip its internal breaker. Its un-jamming steps:

1. Disconnect power: unplug the unit or turn it off at the main electrical panel.
2. Look inside with a light and remove the object with tongs or needle-nose pliers. Never use your hand.
3. Fit the un-jamming wrench through the sink opening onto the turntable and turn it until it moves freely.
4. Press the reset button, then restore power only after the sink opening is clear and nobody is near it.

If the metal parts are badly rusted and the unit hums without moving, HomeGuide says the housing cannot be repaired and the disposal should be replaced.

Garbage disposal reset button: where it is

The reset button is on the disposal unit under the sink, on the side opposite where the power cord comes out, Moen says, and it may take a screwdriver to press. HomeGuide's checks for a unit that will not start: unplug it and plug it back in, press the reset button, then reset the circuit breaker.

Why is my garbage disposal not working? Five things to check

A garbage disposal that is not working usually has no power, a tripped reset button, a tripped circuit breaker, a jam or a failed motor, and HomeGuide prices the fixes at $70 to $550, the high end being a new motor.

1. Silent when switched on: check that it is plugged in; HomeGuide's first step is to unplug it and plug it back in.
2. Reset button: press it. Moen says it is on the unit, on the side opposite the power cord.
3. Breaker: reset the circuit breaker at the panel (HomeGuide).
4. Humming but not turning: it is jammed. HomeGuide prices a jam repair at $75 to $175.
5. Still dead: the motor or switch may have failed. A replacement runs $350 to $700 installed (Fixr).

A disposal that will not switch on costs $70 to $550 to fix in HomeGuide's figures, the high end being a new motor. If the outlet itself is dead, HomeGuide lists a new GFCI outlet at $150 to $350 and Fixr at $120 to $200; see GFCI outlet installation or electrical repair.

Garbage disposal leaking

Disposal leak repairs run $80 to $180 in HomeGuide's guide, usually a worn seal or a loose flange or drain connection. Replacing leaking sink drain pipes costs $100 to $350. If the cabinet floor is wet and the source is not obvious, see leak detection. HomeGuide says an older unit with a cracked casing is cheaper to replace than repair.

How much does it cost to replace a garbage disposal

Replacing a garbage disposal costs $350 to $700 in Fixr's January 2025 guide, including removing the old unit. Fixr's national average for a new installation is $500, for a 1/2 HP stainless steel unit, and it says labor is roughly $300 of that, about 3 hours of plumber time. Unit prices by motor size:

Unit price only, before labor. HomeGuide, Apr 2023; Fixr, Jan 2025.

HomeGuide gives an 8 to 12 year lifespan. Fixr says most units last 10 to 12 years: aluminum models about 10, stainless steel 15 to 20. Adding a disposal where there was none can need permits: HomeGuide lists electrical permits at $50 to $350 and plumbing permits at $30 to $500.

What jams a garbage disposal

Bones and fibrous scraps jam smaller disposals, Moen says: they are not built for corn husks or broccoli stems. Its examples of jam causes include a chicken bone, a metal spoon and broken glass or ceramic. For a clog past the disposal, HomeGuide prices snaking the drain at $225 to $500, and drain cleaning has more.

Garbage disposal repair near me: what to ask before you book

• Is there a diagnostic fee, and is it credited? HomeGuide lists $70 to $130, usually credited if parts are replaced.
• Repair or replace? If the repair is near the $350 to $700 replacement price, ask for both.
• What size unit? Ask for the horsepower and whether the price includes haul-away of the old one.
• After hours: HomeGuide lists emergency after-hours minimums of $140 to $400. See emergency plumber.
• License and insurance: ask for the license number and proof of insurance.

Other jobs under the sink and beyond are on the plumbing hub. A full kitchen redo is on kitchen remodel cost, and every trade's prices are on home repair costs.

Calls go to an independent company that serves your area and takes this kind of job. Ask for its license number and proof of insurance before work starts. How calls work.