Most Kernersville disposal calls come down to four things: something wedged in the grinder, a tripped motor, a leaking seal, or a unit that has reached the end of its life. A plumber can tell which in one visit and replace the disposal if it's finished. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Kernersville.
How a disposal visit usually goes
Your call is routed to an independent plumber who serves Kernersville. They'll ask what the unit does when you flip the switch, because a hum, total silence and a leak each point to different fixes. On site, they cut power first, then check for a jam by turning the plate from underneath, test the reset and the switch, and look at every connection under the sink for drips: the sink flange, the drain elbow and the dishwasher hose.
If the disposal itself is sound, the next step is the drain. Water that sits in the sink after grinding usually means the trap or the line in the wall is packed with food. If the housing is cracked or the motor won't run after a reset, the plumber will talk through a replacement and the size of unit that fits your kitchen.
Cost factors
- Clearing a jam or resetting versus installing a new unit
- Motor horsepower and whether the grinding parts are stainless
- Plug-in versus hardwired connection, and any new outlet or switch
- Drain cleaning if the clog sits past the disposal
- Reconnecting the dishwasher, including knocking out the inlet plug on a new unit
- Whether a permit is pulled for the work
Kernersville specifics
Kernersville has run a town sewer system since the 1920s, with rates and billing tied to the City/County Utilities Commission that runs Winston-Salem's utilities. Whatever goes down a Kernersville kitchen sink ends up in that system, so grease and heavy food solids are worth keeping out no matter how well the disposal works.
The housing is mostly from the 1980s through the 2010s. The median home dates to 1995 and about 26% were built before 1980, per Census survey data. Many kitchens in newer subdivisions have plastic drain lines in good shape, so trouble there is more often the unit or the dishwasher hose. Houses around the South Main Street Historic District near Korner's Folly are the exception, and their drains may need a closer look.
Permits are different here than in the rest of Forsyth County. The Town of Kernersville's Development Services Division handles plumbing permits and inspections for town limits and its ETJ through its ViewPoint online portal, not the Winston-Salem Inspections Division.
Before the plumber arrives
- Switch the disposal off and unplug it or flip its breaker
- Clear out the sink cabinet so there's room to work
- Note the brand and model printed on the unit if you can see it
- Don't add chemical drain cleaner to standing water
Garbage Disposals questions in Kernersville
Who handles permits for disposal work, and is one needed?
Can a disposal be added to a sink that has never had one?
What makes a disposal smell, and how do I get rid of it?
Why is there water under the sink every time the disposal runs?
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