How to Repair a Garbage Disposal

A garbage disposal comes in handy when you don't want unused food filling up your trash can. Just put the food down the drain, turn the switch and listen as your garbage disposal grinds away until the water washes the food down the drain. If your garbage disposal is on the fritz, follow the steps below to fix the disposal yourself.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Garbage Disposal Makes No Noise When Turned On

1. Look on the bottom of the garbage disposal (under the sink) and press the reset button. You know it needs to be reset if the button isn't pushed in. Give the disposal a try.

2. Check to see if a circuit breaker has been tripped if pushing the reset button didn't work. If so, switch the breaker off and back on, and try the disposal again.

3. Locate the switch that gives the garbage disposal power (either on the wall or under the sink). The problem may be a faulty switch. Find the circuit breaker on the service panel that powers the garbage disposal and turn it off. Replace the faulty switch and turn the power back on. Check to see if the disposal is working properly.

4. Replace the garbage disposal if--after trying these steps--there is still no noise when you turn it on. Your disposal is likely unfixable.

Garbage Disposal Makes a Humming Noise, But Will Not Run

5. Switch off the circuit breaker in the electrical service panel that powers the garbage disposal.

6. Insert the offset wrench that came with your garbage disposal into the flywheel turning hole located on the bottom of the disposal. If you don't have a wrench that fits, purchase one from a store that carries your particular type of garbage disposal.

7. Turn the wrench clockwise to loosen whatever has gotten lodged in the garbage disposal or flywheel. You will feel the flywheel turn easily once it has been dislodged.

8. Use a wooden broom handle (or something of similar shape) to dislodge a stuck impeller or flywheel if you cannot find the proper offset or hex wrench. Go through the hole in the sink where the garbage disposal is located and put the broom handle against the impeller. Use a bit of elbow grease to loosen the flywheel.

9. Turn the power to the garbage disposal back on once you know the flywheel is no longer obstructed. Push the reset button under the garbage disposal.

10. Turn on the water and flip the garbage disposal switch quickly on and off for a short period of time. This should set the flywheel spinning and wash the dislodged object down the drain.

Tips & Warnings

• Before doing any repairs, check the warranty on your garbage disposal to see if replacement parts and service are still covered. You may be able to get a new garbage disposal.
• If you can hear the flywheel spinning when you turn the garbage disposal on, but you can tell it's not grinding the food, the blades are probably broken. It's best to change the entire unit in this case due to the cost and difficulty of repair.
• If the water in the sink above your garbage disposal is not draining, the drain is clogged--either in the garbage disposal itself or deeper in the drain. This is not a garbage disposal problem; it has to do with the plumbing. For more details on how to unclog your sink, see the related eHow article titled "How to Unclog a Sink."
• If you just need to clean your garbage disposal, put a cup of rock salt with some ice cubes down the drain and turn the disposal on for about 5 seconds. Grind a lemon while running warm water to deodorize your garbage disposal.
• Never put your hand down into the garbage disposal to unclog or fix a problem. Use tongs or pliers to remove anything that may have accidentally entered the garbage disposal.
• Never put metal, rubber, glass objects, artichokes, corn husks, shells or large whole bones down a garbage disposal.

[mrbillinoc]

on 6/8/2009 Thank you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I had all my tools out and was almost ready to tear out

[Diligent77]

on 3/21/2009 BEAUTIFUL! I followed your steps to the "T" and in about 30 minutes my garbage disposal went from humming only to fully functioning. Thanks a bunch!!!

[howiegreene]

on 12/28/2008 Thank you for the directions on hearing humming but no working :) Followed your directions exactly and fixed the disposal in 15 seconds!