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Most garbage disposal problems announce themselves in one of four ways: a hum with no grinding, complete silence when you flip the switch, water dripping into the cabinet below, or a unit that grinds but drains slowly. Each points somewhere different, and two of the four are free to fix yourself. Homeowners in Columbus often call a plumber before pressing the reset button worth trying first.

A hum means the motor runs, but the flywheel is stuck. Shut the power off immediately; a stalled motor heats its windings toward burnout in seconds. Cut power at the switch and the breaker, insert a 1/4-inch hex wrench into the socket on the bottom center, and rock it until the plate turns freely. Pull the debris out with tongs, never your hand. Then press the red reset button on the underside. Total silence usually means that same reset button, a tripped breaker, or a GFCI outlet.

Leaks and repeat failures are where a pro earns the fee. Water from the top flange or a drain connection is a seal or gasket, $80 to $180. Water from the bottom housing means the motor seal failed, and that unit is done. Repairs run $100 to $450, averaging around $230, with plumbers billing $50 to $125 an hour plus a $70 to $130 diagnostic fee. Prices in Columbus sit inside those ranges.

Because a disposal sits on both plumbing and electrical, a licensed plumber can rule out wiring, seals, and drain issues in one visit rather than three. Below you’ll find licensed plumbers handling garbage disposal repair in Columbus, jam clearing, leak and seal work, motor diagnosis, and replacement when repair stops making sense. Compare licensing, reviews, and rates, and ask whether the diagnostic fee applies toward the repair.

List of Garbage Disposal Repair Services In Columbus

Based on our criteria
Workman Score
58.3 /100
Based on
11 reviews analyzed
Yelp Yelp Angi Angi
Score Data Quality
Moderate evidence
Decent data coverage
  • Project Completion 52%
  • Professionalism 62%
  • Experience 65%
  • Price-friendly 78%

What is the overall customer analysis in August?

Proficient Plumbing presents a deeply mixed picture. Several positive reviews praise professionalism, politeness, and reasonable pricing, but two detailed 1-star reviews — one of which appears to be a near-duplicate submission — describe serious failures: a botched water heater installation with unresolved follow-up, the owner hanging up on a customer seeking warranty repairs, and a subcontractor ... Read more
Score last updated August 2026
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Workman Score
52.1 /100
Based on
2515 reviews analyzed
Yelp Yelp Angi Angi Thumbtack Thumbtack Homeadvisor Homeadvisor Google Google
Score Data Quality
Strong evidence
High confidence data
  • Project Completion 50%
  • Professionalism 58%
  • Experience 55%
  • Price-friendly 28%

What is the overall customer analysis in August?

ARS Rescue Rooter presents a deeply polarized review profile. A significant portion of positive reviews praise individual technicians as professional, courteous, knowledgeable, and timely, which elevates the professionalism and experience scores above what the negative reviews alone would suggest. However, the volume and severity of negative reviews is substantial: recurring themes include no-show... Read more
Score last updated August 2026
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Workman Score
56.8 /100
Based on
40 reviews analyzed
Yelp Yelp Angi Angi Thumbtack Thumbtack Homeadvisor Homeadvisor Google Google
Score Data Quality
Moderate evidence
Decent data coverage
  • Project Completion 68%
  • Professionalism 73%
  • Experience 78%
  • Price-friendly 32%

What is the overall customer analysis in August?

The Rooter Works demonstrates significant inconsistency across service dimensions. While professionalism scores reasonably well (72.5) with multiple mentions of courteous, knowledgeable technicians like Daniel, Jim, and Carl, this is severely undermined by pervasive pricing complaints. Pricing emerges as the critical weakness (32.0), with 16 reviews explicitly documenting egregious overcharges—$40... Read more
Score last updated August 2026
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Workman Score
52.1 /100
Based on
10 reviews analyzed
Yelp Yelp Angi Angi
Score Data Quality
Moderate evidence
Decent data coverage
  • Project Completion 42%
  • Professionalism 52%
  • Experience 48%
  • Price-friendly 55%

What is the overall customer analysis in August?

This contractor has a deeply polarized review profile, with enthusiastic praise from satisfied customers offset by serious complaints from others. Positive reviews highlight prompt response, honesty, and willingness to go above and beyond, including after-hours emergency service. However, multiple negative reviews describe significant failures: technicians unable or unwilling to resolve urgent sit... Read more
Score last updated August 2026
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Workman Score
38.2 /100
Based on
310 reviews analyzed
Yelp Yelp Angi Angi Thumbtack Thumbtack Homeadvisor Homeadvisor Google Google
Score Data Quality
Strong evidence
High confidence data
  • Project Completion 35%
  • Professionalism 42%
  • Experience 44%
  • Price-friendly 22%

What is the overall customer analysis in August?

Peter's Plumbing presents a deeply polarized review profile spanning roughly 2006 to 2025, with a large volume of glowing 5-star reviews heavily concentrated in the 2015–2020 era and a devastating wave of 1-star reviews dominating the 2021–2025 period. The professionalism dimension is severely dragged down by pervasive, recurring complaints about no-shows, broken promises, ignored phone calls, man... Read more
Score last updated August 2026
View Profile
Workman Score
38.2 /100
Based on
40 reviews analyzed
Yelp Yelp Angi Angi Thumbtack Thumbtack Homeadvisor Homeadvisor Google Google
Score Data Quality
Strong evidence
High confidence data
  • Project Completion 42%
  • Professionalism 48%
  • Experience 44%
  • Price-friendly 14%

What is the overall customer analysis in August?

This contractor's reviews are dominated by severe and repeated pricing complaints, with numerous customers reporting charges they describe as grossly excessive, hidden, or predatory — including charging elderly customers hundreds of dollars for simple repairs and providing estimates many times higher than competitors. Professionalism is mixed: individual plumbers are sometimes praised for courtesy... Read more
Score last updated August 2026
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Why is my garbage disposal humming but not working?

The motor is running, but the flywheel is jammed. Turn it off right away; running a stalled disposal burns out the windings fast. Cut power at the wall switch and breaker, insert a 1/4-inch Allen wrench into the hex socket on the bottom center, and rock it back and forth until the plate spins freely. Remove the debris with tongs, never your hand, then press the reset button. If it still hums, call a plumber rather than retrying.

Why won't my garbage disposal turn on at all?

Silence usually means power, not mechanical failure. Press the red reset button on the bottom of the unit firmly until it clicks. If nothing changes, check the wall switch, the breaker panel, and any GFCI outlet nearby; disposals often share a circuit with one, and a trip elsewhere can kill power here. If all three check out and the unit is still dead, the wiring or motor has failed. That’s when a plumber is worth the call. Both fixes need a pro.

How much does garbage disposal repair cost?

Most repairs run $100 to $450, averaging about $230. Clearing a clog or jam is $70 to $200. Leak repairs run $80 to $180 for a worn seal or flange, more if drain piping is involved. Labor is $50 to $125 an hour, and most companies charge a $70 to $130 diagnostic fee that usually credits toward the work. Prices fall in these ranges. Replacement runs $200 to $550 installed, which is often the better call on an older unit.

Why is my garbage disposal leaking?

Where it drips identifies the part. Water at the top rim means the sink flange seal or plumber’s putty failed a common, inexpensive fix. Leaks at the side connections point to the dishwasher hose or discharge tube gasket. Water dripping from the bottom of the housing is the one that matters: it means the internal motor seal has gone, and no repair reliably fixes that. Plumbers charge $80 to $180 for the fixable leaks. The bottom leak means replacement.

Should I repair or replace my garbage disposal?

Replace it if the unit is leaking from the bottom housing, is over about 10 years old, or needs resetting repeatedly. Those all point to a failing motor, and a new disposal costs $200 to $550 installed versus $230 average for a repair that may not last. Repair makes sense for jams, tripped resets, a leaking flange, or a bad drain connection. Quality units last 10 to 15 years; budget models 5 to 8. Plumbers can price both options.

Can I fix a garbage disposal myself?

Two problems, yes. Clearing a jam with a hex wrench and pressing the reset button cost nothing and solve most complaints. Beyond that, hand it off. Replacing seals, diagnosing a motor, or touching the wiring under a wet sink carries real risk, and improper work can void the manufacturer’s warranty. Never put your hand into the chamber, even with the power off. Plumbers charge a $70 to $130 diagnostic fee that is usually credited toward the final repair bill.

How can I keep the disposal from breaking again?

Most failures trace back to what goes in. Fibrous scraps celery, corn husks, onion skins, potato peels wrap the impellers and cause repeat jams. Grease solidifies downstream. Bones, fruit pits, coffee grounds, pasta, and rice all cause trouble. Run cold water before, during, and several seconds after each use. Skip chemical drain cleaners, which damage internal components. Grinding ice or citrus peel controls odor. Plumbers see the same handful of preventable failures over and over again every year.

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See customer stories
IR
Igal Rubinshtein @igal

Joel and his team went above and beyond to make sure they helped us fix the gas leak. Joel is a man of his word and came through on his promise.

AP
Alex Pritchard @alexpritch

Very expensive. Make sure you establish the price up front. They did some work on gas pipes, which was specialized so the prices weren't so horrible.

JS
Joe S. @joe

They did a good job and came quickly. Installed a bidet in my toilet. Shout out to Casey for the quality work.

DE
D Evonne W. @evonne

Scheduled service for a clogged toilet and never showed. No call, all messages unanswered

JA
Jari @jari22

If its an easy fit sure they maybe great but if its something different then quoted they are going to charge you either way a hefty price.

AU
Ashley Undercuffler @undercuffler

They never called my property manager, or myself, to ask if they could do an additional estimate while at my property. I was shocked. Companies cannot go around doing estimates.

AJ
A Jackson @jacksona

Mike showed up in an hour to shut off a spigot that I could not shut off. Always great friendly service at a reasonable price!!!

IR
Igal Rubinshtein @igal

Joel and his team went above and beyond to make sure they helped us fix the gas leak. Joel is a man of his word and came through on his promise.

AP
Alex Pritchard @alexpritch

Very expensive. Make sure you establish the price up front. They did some work on gas pipes, which was specialized so the prices weren't so horrible.

JS
Joe S. @joe

They did a good job and came quickly. Installed a bidet in my toilet. Shout out to Casey for the quality work.

DE
D Evonne W. @evonne

Scheduled service for a clogged toilet and never showed. No call, all messages unanswered

JA
Jari @jari22

If its an easy fit sure they maybe great but if its something different then quoted they are going to charge you either way a hefty price.

AU
Ashley Undercuffler @undercuffler

They never called my property manager, or myself, to ask if they could do an additional estimate while at my property. I was shocked. Companies cannot go around doing estimates.

AJ
A Jackson @jacksona

Mike showed up in an hour to shut off a spigot that I could not shut off. Always great friendly service at a reasonable price!!!

What does the Wise Workman score mean?
<70 Low
71–80 Moderate
81–100 High
77.5
WW Score
Learn more about how the Wise Workman scoring system works, along with our data governance policy.
What things affect the Wise Workman score?
Price-Friendly
💰Professionalism:
Experience
🛠️Project
Completion

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