Garbage Disposal Repair Fixing Common Issues
Garbage disposal stops working is it humming or operating poorly? This tutorial will help you troubleshoot and repair common issues. Save money and time doing it yourself. Common garbage disposal problems and their causes. Let’s look at some typical issues. This will help you figure out what’s wrong with yours.
Humming noise, no grinding but still has power
A humming sound with no grinding and has power typically means the motor is jammed. Something hard, like a bone or utensil, is stuck. Most likely wedged between the impeller and the grind ring.
Actionable tip: Turn off the power first and if possible unplug the garbage disposal from the wall electrical outlet! Then, use tongs or pliers to carefully remove what’s blocking it. If the garbage disposal is completely unplugged from the wall outlet or shutoff by the breaker (Test) it is ok to put your hand inside the sink drain and try to feel for the jammed object.
Another way to do this is with a garbage disposal wrench or an adjustable garbage disposal tool. Each of these is used to turn the blades or grind ring to dislodge the object. The wrench is used inside the drain while the tool is inserted on the underside of the garbage disposal housing under the sink to turn the blades manually.
Leaking garbage disposal
Most leaks will happen on the bottom sides and at the sink mount. Leaks at the top might mean a loose hose connection for the dishwasher or the mount where it connects to the drain is loose.
Bottom leaks are often due to a cracked housing. Side leaks could also be from a bad p-trap elbow seal connecting to the garbage disposal. If it is determined that the housing has cracked it is best to just replace the disposal. Before doing this make sure the leak isn’t coming from the drain pipes or p-trap.
Garbage disposal won’t turn on
If your disposal won’t turn on, check the power supply and the circuit breaker. Most likely the reset button tripped. You can find the reset button on the bottom of the unit normally it is a red color just push it in.
Vibrations can sometimes loosen the wire connectors connecting the power cord to the disposal wiring. Follow the power cord to the disposal to locate the hatch for the wiring and inspect the connections.
Clogs and drain blockages
A lot of different foods can clog disposals. Things like pasta or rice that expand with water. This creates nasty blockages. Prevent this by adding small amounts of food to the garbage disposal at a time.
A small horsepower garbage disposal can also cause clogs if it is struggling to grind up the type of food you are putting in it. In this case replacing with a larger horsepower would solve the problem.
When working on a garbage disposal follow these safety procedures.
Use the proper tools
Power is turned off
Wear gloves & eye protection
Replacing a garbage disposal
Disposals come in different sizes based on horsepower and brand. It is important to choose the right garbage disposal for your needs. this should be based on the amount and types of food you will be putting in the disposal.
If you dispose of light food waste a 1/3rd horsepower would be just fine but if you have a large family and put heavier foods in the disposal you may want to up that to a 1/2 horsepower.
Regular cleaning and deodorizing
Keep your garbage disposal clean and smelling fresh. Tossing ice cubes into the disposal and running for a few seconds will clean the blades and using citrus peels will give your disposal a clean fresh scent.
