In Falls Church, a disposal that hums, stays silent or leaks is usually jammed, tripped or failing at a seal, and older drain lines here can add a slow sink to the mix. A few safe checks help before a plumber arrives. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Falls Church.
The City of Falls Church is a small independent city just inside the Beltway, and its median home dates to about 1971, with about half built before then. Water comes from Fairfax Water. The City runs its own sewer system, with part of the flow treated at Arlington County's plant and the rest at the Alexandria plant. The Falls Church mailing area spreads well into Fairfax and Arlington counties, and those addresses follow county rules.
What to do now
- Flip the switch off and unplug the unit or turn off its breaker.
- Look into the chamber with a flashlight and pull out anything hard using tongs.
- Press the reset button on the unit's underside.
- If it hummed, use the hex key in the bottom socket to turn the plate back and forth.
- Restore power and test once with cold water running. Stop if it hums or trips again.
- Put a container under any leak and leave the dishwasher off.
Symptom table
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Humming, no spin | Object or packed scraps jamming the plate |
| No response | Tripped overload, breaker or switch |
| Leak at the top | Flange seal dried out or mount loose |
| Leak at a side hose | Loose clamp or worn hose |
| Leak at the bottom | Internal seal failure |
| Slow sink, unit fine | Buildup in an older trap or drain arm |
| Basement drain backing up | Clog in the main or the private lateral |
What affects the cost
- Clearing and resetting compared with installing a new unit
- The motor and grind components of a replacement
- Old drain fittings that need replacing to seal
- Cleaning a narrowed branch line in an older house
- Permits: inside city limits, the City's Department of Code Administration handles them; outside, Fairfax or Arlington County does
Private sewer lateral defects belong to the property owner. The City also runs a Backflow Prevention Program that reimburses homeowners for a sewer backflow prevention device installed by a plumber under a plumbing permit, which helps protect basements from backups. If a basement floor drain fills whenever the kitchen sink and dishwasher run together, the problem is likely farther down the line than the disposal, so mention it on the call. Homes with a Falls Church address outside city limits are not covered by the City program and follow Fairfax or Arlington County rules.
Garbage Disposals questions in Falls Church
Who do I call if sewage is coming back from the public sewer?
Why does the sink drain slowly when the disposal grinds fine?
Where should cooking grease go instead of the drain?
Can a disposal be added to a kitchen that never had one?
More plumbing services in Falls Church
Garbage Disposals nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
Last updated: