Your garbage disposal unit is one of the most overused appliances in the kitchen and one that is constantly being neglected. Maintaining this unit is important if you want to keep it running as smoothly as possible each and every time you use it.
Unfortunately, maintenance of a garbage disposal unit is often overlooked. Now, if your unit suddenly conked out on you there is still hope. You can try a few do-it-yourself steps on how to fix a garbage disposal before calling in the experts.
How to Fix a Garbage Disposal
Unit Won’t Turn On
If you have turned on the switch but the unit is not responding in any way – not even a sort of whirring sound – check first if the unit is plugged in. This may seem like such a trivial matter but oftentimes, it is as simple as the unit not being plugged in properly.
You should also check that the power supply to the socket is working and that the circuit breaker has not tripped. Press the reset button which is usually located at the bottom of your unit.
Turn the unit on. If it still doesn’t work, you might also want to check the switch. Change the switch with a new one. After you have done all of these and the unit still won’t turn on and you hear no whirring or humming sound, it may be time to call in the experts.
Most of the time however, if the unit does not make any noise after you have done everything you could, it could be asking for a replacement.
Whirring/Humming Sound Only
On the other hand, if you do hear some sort of whirring sound but it does nothing else, the flywheel could be stuck.
There should be an offset wrench that was included in your purchase of the unit. Insert this inside the turning slot of the flywheel – the flywheel is located at the bottom of your garbage disposal unit – turn the flywheel clockwise to dislodge it.
Press the reset option once again. Open your faucet to run water into the unit and then turn the unit on and off in quick successions at least two times. This will allow the flywheel to start spinning and if any object was obstructing the motion of the flywheel, the water would have gotten rid of it.
Once you have done all these troubleshooting steps and the unit still won’t work properly, this is the time to seek expert help.
Note: Before troubleshooting, make sure that the power supply to your unit is turned off and that you won’t place your hand down the grinding chamber at all costs!
