It can be a frustrating experience. You finish dinner and clear the dishes. Naturally, the small food scraps are sitting in the garbage disposal, ready to be taken care of. You flip the switch, and the disposal is not working.
Sometimes, with a little bit of troubleshooting or a minor repair, you can take care of the problem before you need to hire a plumber or a garbage disposal installer. Let’s look at a few common fixes for this problem.
Check the Outlet
Before we go too far, we have a simplistic answer that might be more common than you think. The first thing to look for is whether the disposal is plugged in. If you are moving around cleaning supplies or whatever you store under the sink, it’s not unreasonable that something could have snagged the cord and knocked the plug loose on the disposal.
Check the Electrical Circuit
Older homes may have the garbage disposal on the same circuit as multiple appliances. Any of these could potentially trip the circuit. If you notice a tripped circuit, it’s a good idea to look around the kitchen and take note of the other outlets that still have power. You may have too much running off the same circuit.
If this is the case, it’s a good idea to make sure no other appliances are on while you’re running the disposal, until you can get an electrician to address the issue for you.
Resetting the Disposal
If you have power and no circuits were tripped, it may be as simple as pressing the reset button on the disposal. If the disposal overheats this may be the issue. The button is usually on the side or the bottom.
Turn the Flywheel or Impellers
Sometimes a foreign item or something non-food related can jam the disposal. If this is the case, you can shut off the power to the disposal, and use an Allen wrench in the hole at the bottom of the disposal. If you turn it clockwise or counterclockwise it can dislodge the jam. For safety reasons, you shouldn’t stick your hand down the disposal because you can get cut even if there is no power to the disposal.
Check for Garbage Disposal Leaks
If you’re noticing leaks under the sink, you’ll need to isolate the source. First, you can clear out the stuff that you store underneath the sink and unplug the disposal. You’ll want to examine the lines that run to and from the garbage disposal. If water only leaks when the disposal or the dishwasher is running, you’ll need to check the corresponding lines. If any of the connections are loose, you’ll need to tighten them.
Replacing the Disposal
If you’ve tried the appropriate fixes above and nothing is working, you may just need a new garbage disposal. Blown motors or factory defects require a replacement. If you don’t know how to replace one yourself, you can always hire an experienced plumber to help you complete the job.
Hire a Plumber to Fix Your Garbage Disposal
We’ve grown accustomed to the convenience of disposing of food scraps down the kitchen sink. If your garbage disposal is not working, it can be an extremely frustrating experience. The experienced plumbing team at Haley Mechanical can help you troubleshoot the problem, and if necessary, replace the garbage disposal. Contact us today to get started!
