A leaking garbage disposal is one of the more honest appliance problems. It tells you the failed part by where the water shows up. Dry the unit off, run a cup of water through it, and watch where the first drip starts. That one check does most of the work.
Most Bay Area kitchens run an InSinkErator (Badger or Evolution), a Moen, or a Waste King. They all leak in the same three places, so this reads the same whatever brand you have under the sink.
Water at the collar under the sink
A drip around the rim where the disposal meets the bottom of the sink is the flange. That is the metal collar held to the drain hole by a mounting ring, sealed with plumber’s putty. Putty dries out over the years, cracks, and water works its way between the flange and the steel. This is the most common disposal leak and the most fixable one. A tech loosens the mounting ring, scrapes the old putty, reseats the flange with fresh putty, and retightens. The trick is even clamping and the right amount of putty, or it weeps again in a month.
Water off the side of the housing
A side drip almost always comes from a hose connection. The dishwasher inlet hose clamps to a nipple on the side of the unit, and that clamp loosens or the hose hardens and splits. The other spot is the discharge outlet where the drain pipe meets the disposal, sealed by a rubber gasket that flattens with age. Quick tell: if the drip only shows up while the dishwasher is running, it is the inlet connection. On a fresh install, a knockout plug left in the dishwasher inlet is worth ruling out too.
Water from the bottom seam
This is the one with no repair. The bottom seam is where the motor housing meets the grinding chamber, sealed internally at the factory. When that seal wears through, there is no reliable field fix. It is a replacement. Most disposals reach this point somewhere past the eight to twelve year mark. If you have confirmed the water starts at the bottom and is not running down from the flange above, stop using it.
The reset button is not a leak fix
The red button on the underside restarts the motor after an overheat or jam. It has nothing to do with water. If the unit drips, the button does nothing. If it will not turn on, press it once and try again.
Stop running it and book a visit
A leaking disposal drips into the cabinet every time water passes through it, and cabinet bases rot fast once they stay wet. Put a pan under it, quit running it, and get someone out. Flange reseals, gasket swaps, hose replacements, and full unit swaps are all routine for our techs. We charge $75 to come out and diagnose it, credited toward the repair, then give you a written repair-or-replace call and the price before any work starts.
Bay Area Appliance Repair Service covers the whole Bay Area (BEAR #50788, CSLB #1136642, A+ BBB), often same or next day. If the leak ties into the dishwasher line, that is worth a look on the same visit. See our dishwasher repair service and the dishwasher repair guide, or check typical appliance repair costs in the Bay Area.
To book, call (925) 999-4095, email [email protected], or use the contact page.
FAQ
Leaking from the bottom. Can it be fixed? Usually no. A bottom-seam leak means the internal motor seals are gone, and a sealed-motor unit cannot be reliably resealed. Replace it.
Why the top? The sink flange. The plumber’s putty sealing it to the drain dried out. That is a repairable reseal.
Does the reset button stop a leak? No. It only restarts the motor after an overheat or jam.
Can I keep using it while it leaks? Stop until you find the source, and clear anything stored under the sink so the cabinet base stays dry.