Garbage Disposal How To Fix Humming
This week on Money Saving Tips, we go under the kitchen sink to fix a jammed garbage disposal.
Out of all the appliances in a modern kitchen, I believe the humble garbage disposal unit is the most obscure device. It sits silently, in the dark, behind closed doors for its entire life and it may only see use for a few seconds a day. In fact, I actually know of some households where the garbage disposal is never used.
So what do you do when the garbage disposal jams, hums or doesn’t respond when you flip the switch on? You could call the maintenance man if you have one, or a local plumber who will most likely charge a $75+ service fee just to come out. Or with 5 minutes and 1 tool you could go about fixing the issue yourself with our step by step guide below.
If the sink is full of water you can wait for it to drain, or bail the water out using a cup, pot, bucket, etc.
Step 1 - Diagnose the Issue
Turn the garbage disposal switch on. Does it hum or make any other noise? If you can tell there is power going to the unit but it’s humming or not moving, it’s most likely just jammed (Skip to Step 4). If there is absolute silence and no power going to the unit move on to the next step.
Step 2 - Check the Reset Switch
Most garbage disposals have a reset switch located on the bottom of the unit. It’s a red button that should be pushed in. If the button is pushed out, the disposal probably shut off due to an overload. Try the garbage disposal again. Still not working? Time to check the circuit.
Step 3 - Circuit Breaker
If there is no power going to the recepticle where the garbage disposal is plugged in, you may need to go to the breaker box and reset the circuit that serves the garbage disposal. Turn the breaker switch all the way off and then back on.
Step 4 - Humming Noise = Jammed
If electricity is flowing to the garbage disposal but it is unable to spin, you’ll hear a humming noise from the motor. If this is the case, immediately turn off the disposal switch and un-plug the power cord to the garbage disposal (there is usually a recepticle under the sink). You’ll need to go find a set of Allen wrenches (aka hex key), unless you have the specific key that came with your garbage disposal.
Step 5 - Allen Wrench/Hex Key
Once you have the correct size hexagonal shaped tip on your wrench/key, insert the wrench into the hole located dead center on the bottom of the disposal. Use the wrench like a crank and work it back and forth in both directions. Once the jam is cleared you should be able to move freely in both directions. You may have to use SOME force to un-jam the disposal. But don’t worry, the allen wrench itself will bend before it does any damage to the disposal.
Step 6 - Checking the Grinding Chamber
As a last resort, use a flashlight to look into the grinding chamber of the garbage disposal. If you look at the outer edge of the shredding disk there may be something large jammed inbetween the little teeth. Use tongs or pliers to remove the offending piece of food.
Pro Tips
- When running the garbage disposal, use a moderate flow of cold water. The disposal unit doesn’t have its own cooling system and relies on cold water to prevent overheating. Continue to run the cold water for a few seconds after you finish using the garbage disposal.
- Try not to use hot water when disposing of food waste. It is okay to drain hot water through the garbage disposal between usage.
- Never pour grease or fat into your garbage disposal or drain for that matter.
Hopefully your garbage disposal issue has been fixed by following the steps above. If your problem is more extensive or your disposal is just grinding poorly it may be time to replace the whole disposal unit altogether. Replacement of the garbage disposal is a more involved process than above and may even require a professional plumber depending on the situation. Comment below and let us know if you’d like to see more tips like this one and/or if you’d like to see a garbage disposal replacement tutorial.
Spread knowledge, save the Earth, save your money.
-EchoSierraCharlie
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