If your garbage disposal is not working, then before searching what to do you need to know the reason behind the failure. If you have a good idea about the usual kitchen garbage disposal problems, then it will be easier to look for a solution.
Cannot Turn It On
If you are extremely lucky, check the power cord and if there is no electric connection, that’s the reason why your garbage disposal is not working. Switch it on. Boom! It starts again. But it’s not usually that easy.
If your electricity connection is completely ok, you need to reach out the reset button of the disposal. Few disposals have the reset button at the bottom, others may have in front. Just check if it’s popped out. If so, it has got overloaded or jammed or just got too hot because it was turned on for a long time.
Make sure the disposal is turned off and then clean the jam. Now reset the safety button and turn on again. At first, it will make some noise, it’s normal. If the red button does not pop again it means you are good to go. If it’s still not working and there’s no sound, then maybe there is some internal breakage. Think of just replacing it!
Garbage Disposal Not Working Because It’s Jammed
If your garbage contains a lot of foods like fruits peels, grass, vegetable fibers, etc., there’s a chance that the leftovers, thin but long particles, will make a jam inside your disposal.
If your disposal is not working because there is a jam inside it, then you can free the jam with the help of an Allen Wrench. If the jam is caused because of grease or fat poured inside the disposal you need to try to clean it with warm water.
Before doing any of those, make sure your disposal is turned off. Check the red reset button again. If it’s popped out just push it back and try to start again. If the jam is free, it will start again.
Garbage Disposal is Leaking
This is one of the major problems that you can face as a disposal user. Just check all the connections to find the place where it’s leaking from. Poor installation is a very common reason for these kinds of leakages.
If the leakage is because of the loose connection, you need to tighten them. If the main unit is leaking because there’s a leak in the body, then you need to replace the garbage disposal.
Corrosion or Rust
If your garbage disposal is too old and already rusted inside, and it has stopped working, then there is a good chance that something broke inside the grinding chamber. Consider replacing it because the rust will increase day by day.
Final Thoughts
So these are the exact scenarios when you cannot operate with your garbage disposal. If your garbage disposal stopped working, before calling an expensive plumber you can check all the probable problems that can occur.
If you have a good warranty, you can have a full in-home replacement from the company without paying a single penny. If the unit never starts and you need to replace the disposal unit then here you can check some real-user garbage disposal reviews.
This can be helpful for you to choose the perfect one for you among all the available unit.