It’s & We’re Always Open!
Garbage disposals can be prone to developing certain problems due to how much use they get improper usage. Most issues are fairly minor and something you can often resolve yourself quite easily. Others can be more serious and something that should typically be handled by a plumber. In this article, we’ll cover the most common problems you can encounter with a garbage disposal and what steps you can take to try and overcome them.
Disposal Won’t Turn On
The first thing to check if your garbage disposal won’t turn on is that the reset button on the underside of the unit isn’t sticking out. The reset button is designed to cut off the power if the disposal jams or its motor overheats. When it trips, the button pops and sticks out by a quarter inch or so. If the button is popped, pressing it back in will reset it and turn the power to the disposal back on. The disposal should then work properly once you’ve reset it. If you keep needing to reset the disposal, it usually means that the motor is wearing out, and you’ll need to replace the system soon.
If the reset button isn’t tripped, the next step is to check that the disposal still has power. That means making sure that the cord is still fully plugged in and that the circuit breaker for the disposal isn’t tripped. If the breaker isn’t tripped, the outlet may be bad. You can check this by plugging something else into the outlet to see if it still works. If the outlet is bad, you’ll need to hire an electrician to replace it.
If you’ve checked these other possibilities and still can’t get the disposal to turn on, it’s likely that the unit is dead and needs to be replaced. The best solution in this situation is to hire a plumber so you can be certain that none of the connections leak and that your plumbing doesn’t get damaged.
Disposal Is Humming But Not Spinning
If you hear a humming sound when you turn on the garbage disposal but don’t hear the flywheel spinning, it almost always indicates that the unit is jammed. On top of the flywheel are two metal impellers. As the wheel spins, the impellers force the food scraps against a stationary grinding ring that’s somewhat similar to a cheese grater. Hard objects like a piece of silverware, a bone, or a fruit pit can easily get trapped between the impellers and the grinding ring, causing the disposal to get jammed. Fibers from things like celery or banana skins can also end up wrapping around the impellers and jamming the disposal.
To fix a jammed disposal, you first need to shut off the power by unplugging the unit or shutting off the circuit breaker. You should then use a flashlight to look inside it and check if you can see whatever caused it to jam. If it’s a larger object like a piece of silverware or a children’s toy, you can usually pull it out using a long pair of needle-nose pliers.
If you can’t see the object or can’t pull it out, you’ll first need to manually unjam the unit. On the underside of the unit is a hole that fits an Allen wrench or hex key. If you don’t have the key that came with the unit, you can just use a 1/4-inch Allen wrench. Inserting the wrench and turning it allows you to manually spin the flywheel and impellers. Turning the wrench a full turn in each direction should free the object and unjam the disposal. Even though the flywheel should now spin when you turn the disposal back on, it may jam again if you don’t remove the object.
In rare situations, an object can become jammed so tightly that you won’t be able to manually spin the flywheel with the wrench. The only solution when this happens is to disconnect the disposal and then take it apart to remove the object. This is definitely something you should hire a plumber for due to the risk of causing irreparable damage to the unit when taking it apart.
Disposal Is Clogged
The most common issue you can encounter with a garbage disposal is it getting clogged. Running nuts, seeds, and starchy foods like pasta, rice, potatoes, or potato peels through a garbage disposal will often lead to the disposal or the drain pipe clogging. The slimy membrane inside onion peels or egg shells can also get stuck inside the drain holes at the bottom of the grinding chamber and cause the disposal to clog.
When dealing with a clog, the first step is to try plunging the drain with a sink plunger. If you have a double sink, you’ll need to plug the other drain first, or the plunger won’t work. When plunging doesn’t work, the safest solution is to call a plumber to clear the drain. What you should never do is pour chemical drain cleaner down a garbage disposal or any other plumbing fixture. Drain cleaners are incredibly harsh and can do significant damage to pipes, causing them to leak.
Water Leaking Out of the Disposal
If you ever see water dripping down the side of your garbage disposal or pooling underneath it, the first step is to determine where the water is leaking from. The easiest way to do this is to take a rag and wipe the disposal dry, and then turn on the water and inspect the unit.
If water is leaking out near the top of the disposal, it usually means that the sink flange that connects it to the drain is loose. In this case, all you need to do is gently tighten the flange to stop the leak. Another possibility is that the plumber’s putty that creates a watertight seal between the flange and the bottom of the sink needs to be replaced. This issue requires disconnecting the disposal from the flange and removing the flange. While this isn’t that difficult, it’s still best to call a plumber if you’re not sure what exactly to do.
Water leaking out of the side of the disposal indicates that either the dishwasher drain hose or the discharge pipe that connects to the drain line is loose. You should be able to fix this issue easily just by retightening the flange on the discharge pipe or the clamp on the drain hose. If water still leaks out of the discharge pipe after you’ve tightened it, it usually means that the gasket that seals the connection is worn out. In this case, you’ll need to disconnect the two pipes and replace the gasket.
The biggest concern is if water is leaking out of the bottom of the disposal. This indicates that an internal seal is worn out and water is leaking out of the grinding chamber down into the main body where the motor is located. Unfortunately, this is a fatal issue that can’t be fixed and will require you to replace your garbage disposal.
At Pipe Works Services, our expert team is ready to assist when you need any type of plumbing repair. Whether it’s garbage disposal repair, garbage disposal installation, or drain cleaning, you can trust us to reliably handle all of your plumbing needs. For dependable plumbing repair services in Chatham or the surrounding areas of Central and Northern New Jersey, contact us today.
