Common garbage disposal problems

Garbage Disposal makes no sound when I turn it on ?

If you go to turn on your garbage disposal and it doesn’t work at all, no sound or nothing, then try hitting the reset button on the bottom of the garbage disposal. Just simply push up on the little red button and it should stay up. Try turning it on. If there is still no sound then I would go check the breaker box to make sure you are getting power to the garbage disposal. Another way is to hold a meter up to the switch.

Garbage disposal just hums

If the garbage disposal is just humming then that means that it is jammed and you will need a ¼ inch Allen wrench to turn the Garbage Disposal manually. Insert the wrench into the socket that is at the bottom of the disposal usually in the middle. Turn the wrench both clock wise and counter clockwise until it is turning easily both ways. Use some needle nose pliers or tongs to get out whatever the obstruction was that was jamming it.

If the garbage disposal is running but you can hear something small banging around turn the disposal off. Put a sink stopper in the sink then fill up the sink with hot water. Once the sink is about half way full, lift up the sink stopper and then turn the disposal on. The water pressure will more than likely force whatever was banging around in there down the drain.


plumbing, garbage disposal