Providing these water softener things are fine there is the chance that the cord running to the disposal has developed a short or a wire has become disconnected. You will need to disassemble the unit to verify all wires remain securely fastened. The last conclusion is that the motor has burned out, in which case you will need to replace the disposal unit.
When you get to the house stand if front of the toilet and locate the water shut off valve. Should be down below the toilet on the wall. Just turn it off (righty-tighty) completely and flush the toilet. All the water should have left the tank, well at least most of it. If there is remaining water line repair get it out with paper towels or a rag. The important thing is that no more water came in. If it did then your valve is not shut all the way or not working and you need additional help.
The con to time well spent is only if the fix or installation works. Suddenly, when a pipe is squirting water or the dishwasher is leaking all over the floor, that time seems wasted instead of well spent. Now your time is wasted, plus you have to pay for a professional plumber to come over and fix the mess. That time could have been spent doing something else, like golfing or swimming or gardening.
Once you have disconnected the tank remove it from your work space. Do a thorough measurement of the remaining pipe for reference when you go to the hardware store. I will be honest with you, you might need to make a few trips back to the store. Once you get the new tank, slide it into place to line up the plumbing.
The first step in the replacement project is to turn off the water line repair to the toilet and flush any water that may be in the tank. If you forget this step, you will have a giant mess to clean up! You should now disconnect that water line.
Find the right plumber in Washington DC could sometimes be difficult. There are so many to choose from that you may sometimes be led to wonder if you have made the right choice. The first thing to make sure when in DC is that you find someone who is within the vicinity. This will make sure that you can get in touch with them easily and have them reach you instantly.
The plumber you hire does not normally do heating but will do hot water heating or in floor heating in the house. Some places you can use the water heater for both domestic hot water and for in floor heating if the heating is a secondary heat. Check with your local plumbing codes on this to be clear.