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    At Cal’s Plumbing, we proudly offer comprehensive plumbing services in Tucson and throughout the surrounding areas. Whether you need new kitchen garbage disposal installation or repair, you can rely on our plumbing team of friendly and knowledgeable professionals.

    We offer up-front pricing and same-day services for your convenience. You never need to be without the convenience of your garbage disposal.

    Our Plumbing Services in the Tucson, AZ Area Include:

    Cal’s Plumbing for Top-Quality Garbage Disposal Installation, Repair, and Replacement

    At Cal’s Plumbing, we offer both new garbage disposal installation of top brands and disposal repairs on all brands. Arizona homeowners use garbage disposals on a daily basis. It’s a part of after-meal cleanups and a great way to save time and effort when doing the dishes.

    Since garbage disposals are often used, they have many chances to break or become worn out. Let our Cal’s Plumbing team take out some of the irritating guesswork that comes with working on the garbage disposal. We will professionally assess and repair damaged equipment or provide replacement services for those beyond repair.

    Have a Garbage Disposal Jam in Tucson, AZ?

    If so, our team of plumbing pros can help with that as well. Our experts will diagnose the issue and offer solutions to help it from happening again.

    When your disposal has a nasty smell, we recommend some natural methods that are good for the environment and very inexpensive to clean your garbage disposal, and help prevent a future occurrence:

    • Periodically, take a lemon or orange and toss it into the disposal. The oils and juice from the fruits and peels naturally clean the walls inside and create a fresh, long-lasting scent.
    • Freeze vinegar in ice cube trays and run those down to the disposal. This will keep your grind chambers clean while safely killing odor-causing bacteria.
    • For stubborn odors, pour baking soda into the drain and let it sit for several hours before running the water and garbage disposal.
    • For really stubborn odors, use a safe cleaning product like Borax. Just pour three to four tablespoons of Borax down the drain and let it sit for an hour. Then turn on the hot water, flushing the Borax down the drain.

    Garbage Disposal Do’s

    Here’s a list of things we recommend:

    • Do keep your garbage disposal clean. Pour a little dish soap inside and let the garbage disposal run for a minute or so with some cold water after washing dishes.
    • Do run your disposal regularly. Frequent use prevents rust and corrosion, assures all parts stay moving, and prevents obstructions from accumulating.
    • Do grind food waste with a strong flow of cold water. Why cold water? It will cause any grease or oils that may get into the unit to solidify so they can be chopped up before reaching the trap.
    • Do grind certain hard materials such as small chicken and fish bones, small fruit pits, and the like. A scouring action is created by these particles inside the grinding chamber that cleans the garbage disposal’s walls.
    • Do cut large items into smaller pieces. Put them into your garbage disposal one at a time instead of trying to shove a large amount in at once.

    Garbage Disposal Don’ts

    The most important rule of thumb—don’t put anything in the garbage disposal that is not biodegradable food. The garbage disposal is not a trash can; it’s for food scraps only. Nonfood items can damage both the blades and the motor. When in doubt, throw it out!

    Here are other things we don’t recommend:

    • Don’t grind glass, plastic, metal, or even paper.
    • Don’t grind anything combustible.
    • Don’t grind cigarette butts.
    • Don’t pour grease, oil, or fat into your garbage disposal or drain. Grease will slowly accumulate and impede your garbage disposal’s grinding ability as well as clog drains.
    • Don’t use hot water when grinding food waste. Hot water will cause grease to liquefy and accumulate, causing drains to clog.
    • Don’t grind extremely fibrous material like corn husks, celery stalks, onion skins, and artichokes. Fibers from these can tangle and jam the garbage disposal motor and block drains.
    • Don’t turn off the motor or water until grinding is completed. When grinding is complete, turn off the garbage disposal first. Let water continue to run for at least 15 seconds, flushing out any remaining particles. Then turn off the water.
    • Don’t put too many potato peels down the garbage disposal. The starches in the potatoes will turn into a thick paste and may cause the blades to stick.
    • Don’t put large amounts of food down the garbage disposal. Feed food into the garbage disposal a little at a time with the cold water running. This will help the food scraps flow down freely through the drain pipes and plumbing.
    • Don’t put expandable foods into your garbage disposal. Foods like pasta and rice expand when you add water to a pot. They do the same thing once inside your pipes or garbage disposal and are the cause of many jams and clogs.
    • Don’t grind large animal bones like beef, pork, and the like.
    • Avoid putting coffee grounds down the garbage disposal. They won’t harm the garbage disposal and they’ll actually help eliminate odors. However, they can accumulate in drains and pipes, causing clogs. Best to avoid.
    • Don’t use harsh chemicals like bleach or drain cleaners. They can damage blades and pipes. Borax is a natural sink cleaner and sanitizer which effectively works on odor-causing mold and mildew that accumulate in garbage disposals.
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    We Are Your Garbage Disposal Experts in Tucson, AZ

    Whether you are looking for a garbage disposal repair or a new or replacement garbage disposal, our Cal’s Plumbing team is here in Tucson, AZ, to help you. Give us a call or request service online to schedule your appointment.

    Frequently Asked Questions


    Common signs include humming without grinding, frequent jams, bad odors that return after cleaning, leaks under the sink, or water backing up into the other bowl. You may also notice a reset button that keeps tripping or louder than normal noise. In Tucson homes, hard water can add scale that wears parts faster. If simple tips like pressing reset or clearing visible debris do not help, schedule a Cal’s Plumbing technician near me. We diagnose the motor, impellers, and wiring to keep your kitchen running.


    Repair is often best for clogs, jammed impellers, minor leaks at gaskets, or a tripped reset. Replacement makes sense when the motor burns out, the housing cracks, the unit is older than 8 to 10 years, or repairs would cost close to a new model. Tucson’s hard water and heavy use can shorten lifespan. Our team provides an upfront estimate and shows options from standard to quiet, high horsepower units. We handle removal, installation, and clean up so you are back to normal quickly.


    A Cal’s Plumbing installer removes the old unit, checks the sink flange, and inspects electrical and drain connections. We set the new disposal, align the dishwasher inlet if used, and connect to the P-trap with proper seals. Then we run water, test for leaks, and verify quiet operation. Our Tucson technicians also show you safe operating tips and what to avoid putting down the unit. If you need a switch, outlet, or air switch, we can add those during the same visit for a clean setup.


    Cost depends on unit horsepower, sound insulation, and stainless components, as well as any needed plumbing or electrical updates. Replacing a like-for-like model is faster than adding a disposal to a sink without a previous unit. Extra parts such as flanges, air gaps, or new traps can change the total. Cal’s Plumbing provides upfront pricing with no surprises. We help Tucson homeowners compare repair vs replacement and choose a reliable disposal that fits cooking habits, budget, and noise goals.


    Run cold water before, during, and after grinding to move food through the trap. Feed scraps slowly and avoid grease, shells, large bones, fibrous peels, and expandable foods like rice. For odor control, grind citrus peels or vinegar ice cubes, then rinse. A quick baking soda soak helps freshen the chamber. Tucson’s hard water can leave scale, so regular use and rinsing keep parts moving smoothly. If a jam occurs, turn off power and call Cal’s Plumbing for safe, professional service near me.