In this post, we’re going to go over how to troubleshoot your own garbage disposal. If you’re tight on cash or are willing to put up with the train noise that your current disposal makes but it’s not working, here’s a few steps you can attempt to fix your disposal. The most common issue is when you turn on the garbage disposal but it doesn’t work.
The first thing to do is turn your disposal off and look down the drain into the disposer with a flashlight to see if there is any debris blocking the food waste unit from working correctly. Some common items that end up in the disposer are forks, spoons, knives, sponges, and hardened food debris. If you notice there is a large item in your disposer, use pliers or tongs to remove the item but please be sure that there is no power applied to the unit.
If the problem isn’t debris in the unit, it could be that the breaker has been tripped. Most disposals have a red button on the bottom that you can press to reset the breaker. It’s also a good idea to check the main breaker at your electrical panel in your home (normally in the garage or a closet).
Finally, the problem could be that the disposer is “gunked up”. To fix this problem, utilize a screwdriver and turn the blades by accessing the screw port on the bottom of the unit. Some units require a “jam buster wrench” to turn the hex receptacle on the bottom of the receptacle if a screwdriver is incompatible. Once you have access to the jam buster access, simply turn the disposal manually a few times and it is spinning freely. When you’re done, be sure to remove the wrench from the disposal.
Hopefully, this has helped you troubleshoot your disposel. If it’s time for a new disposer, check our website reviews to find the best garbage disposal for your family or business.