Your garbage disposal may not be used as often as other appliances in your kitchen but it is very important to have. The garbage disposal is responsible for grinding up anything that comes in contact with it. So what do you do when your kitchen sink starts to clog and your garbage disposal stops working? Do you know how to fix it? Follow these tips for common garbage disposal repairs and how to address them.
Before repairing your garbage disposal please be sure to unplug it from the outlet below the sink or lock it out at the fuse box. You can even tape the garbage disposal switch off to make sure it won’t turn on.
*Never put your hand in the machine unless you are absolutely positive that it is turned off. The blades can easily chop the skin off of your finger.
It’s Not Running:
Generally, most garbage disposals come with an internal breaker system that will automatically turn off the disposal when a certain amount of resistance is encountered by the grinding blades. If you unit turns off unexpectedly you can press the reset switch (this can be found on the bottom of the unit).
If the reset switch doesn’t work then check the breaker box next. If this is the problem simply turn the breaker box back on to reset the garbage disposal. If your garbage disposal resets contact a plumber or technician.
If the switch and the breaker box are not the problem then the motor might have failed. Simply purchase a new motor to fix this problem.
It’s Clogged:
When the garbage disposal is clogged and the sink starts to fill up with water it is most likely due to a clogged drain line. Clean the clog to fix this.
To clean the drain line, place an empty bucket under the garbage disposal and detach it from the main disposal unit. Use your finger to clear out he drain line opening in the garbage disposal, then clean the drain line of any blockage too. You might want to wear gloves when cleaning the garbage disposal. If there is an extreme amount of blockage then you will need a drain snake to clear it out or call a plumber to clear out the drain line.
Water Leaks Under the Sink:
There are three main areas where the garbage disposal can leak. The drain line, the connection, and the sink flange.
If water is leaking from the drain line simply tighten down the bolts or the pressure seal. If the pressure seal is damaged then you will need to purchase a new one.
If water is leaking from the connection then you will need to tighten the bolts or purchase a new gasket/seal.
If water is leaking from the sink flange it is most likely due to a faulty upper gasket/seal. Call a plumber to fix this for you.
The Garbage Disposal Won’t Turn Off:
If your garbage disposal won’t turn off analyze the plug that you have connected the cord to. When the plugs are wired to a switch, sometimes the top half of the outlet is connected to the switch while the bottom received continual power. Simply plug the garbage disposal into a different socket. If this doesn’t solve your problem then it is probably an electrical issue. Turn off the main breaker switch and contact a professional to solve this problem.
Thanks for reading!
If you need to replace any parts for your garbage disposal you can find an oem replacement part on our website.
Point & Click Appliance Repair 