Garbage Disposals in Avondale Estates, GA

An older housing stock

Avondale Estates was planned in the 1920s next to Decatur, and its homes show it. Census survey figures put the median build year at 1966, with about 55% of homes built before 1980, roughly 26% in the 1950s and nearly 13% in 1939 or earlier. A lot of those kitchens have been remodeled, sometimes more than once, but the drain inside the wall may be original. Old galvanized and cast iron lines narrow from the inside, and ground food clings to them. That's why a disposal job here often includes checking or clearing the line.

The city does not own the water or sewer system. DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management owns and operates both, and the city has no authority to repair those assets. Anything inside the house or on the private side is for a plumber. The City requires separate trade permits for plumbing regardless of value, managed through Community Core; City Hall is 404-294-5400. Ask the plumber how that applies to your disposal job.

Disposal or drain?

Signs to watch for

• A buzz with no grinding
• No sound after resetting
• Water in the sink cabinet
• Gurgles as the sink empties
• Food coming back up

Timing

If you're planning kitchen work in an older Avondale Estates home, have the drain checked before new cabinets and counters go in, since getting to an old line is harder afterward. Otherwise, a sink that has been slow for weeks should be handled before the holidays, when heavy cooking tends to finish off both tired disposals and narrowed drains.

Day to day, protect an older drain by grinding small amounts, running cold water well after the motor stops, and keeping grease, coffee grounds and starchy leftovers out. If the disposal jams, switch off the power, free the plate from below with the hex wrench, and never reach inside. If it won't turn freely, stop and call.