Garbage disposal is an important kitchen appliance with least importance – I mean though it does an important job we merely give it importance as it hardly makes a problem if we use it by maintaining the dos and don’ts for functioning it properly.
If your garbage disposal stops working there must be some reasons that are stopping it to work. Generally, the problem can be solved easily by removing the reasons and if the problem is so serious that it cannot be solved even by taking proper remedying initiatives, then you may need to replace the old disposal unit with the new one.
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Reasons and Remedies for a Problematic Garbage Disposal Unit
Your garbage disposal unit may stop working for many reasons and as a result, you may see that it is not turning on or it is not functioning. To cover all the possible reasons and remedies of this kind of problem we have discussed the whole process in two parts.
Not Turning on
If your garbage disposal does not turn on, it is either the sign of a trivial or a crucial problem – it can be both actually. You can understand the seriousness of this problem after troubleshooting.
To identify the root of the problem and to fix the way of solving it we would recommend you to follow the following steps:
Step 1: Check whether the disposal is plugged in properly or not. If it is not plugged in properly plug it properly.
If it is plugged in properly, press the reset button. Do you know where the reset button is located in? Look at the bottom portion of the unit and you will notice a red button – it is the reset button.
If the problem is not fixed yet, go to the next step to find out the root of the problem.
Step 2: Check the main circuit board to see whether it is tripped or not. If so, you have to reset the circuit breakers lever. But, if the problem is not with the circuit board then we will recommend you to go to the next step.
Step 3: Now you have to look the wire connection. Maybe there is a problem with the wiring system that is connected with the switch of the disposal or the garbage disposal is faulty.
To check the wiring system connected with the switch of the disposal at first turn off the power connection for safety purpose. Then disassemble the switch and inspect wire connection.
Maybe somewhere the connection is loose and that is why your garbage disposal has been stopped working. If so, tighten the connection.
But if the problem is not with the wire connection please go to the next step.
Step 4: Sometimes the disposal unit does not work because of a faulty switch. Replace it and turn on the power connection.
If the disposal unit starts working then you are lucky that the problem is solved but if not and the motor does not make any noise, your garbage disposal is beyond any kind of repair and needs to be replaced.
Jamming
If your garbage disposal gets jammed it may stop working and will not turn on. It may also make noise. A jammed disposal unit may cause the circuit breaker to trip very quickly. So, you should take proper imitative to solve this problem as soon as possible.
For troubleshooting a jammed unit please follow the following steps:
Step 1: At first turn off the main circuit and also the switch button of the disposal unit so that the continuous power supply cannot cause any kind of accident.
Step 2: Generally, an offset wrench comes with the disposal unit. You can also buy one from the nearby hardware store if you do not have this wrench in your toolkit box. You can also use a large Allen (hex) wrench for this purpose.
A spoon with a long handle can also be used for this work. Generally, the wooden spoon is preferred for this purpose.
Take that wrench or spoon with a long handle and insert it into the flywheel turning hole that is located at the bottom of the unit. Rotate the wrench in the clockwise direction to remove the waste item that is preventing the rotation of the flywheel.
Step 3: Bring a flashlight and turn it on. With the help of the flashlight inspect the condition of the flywheel. If it is freed from the jammed item, go to the next step.
Step 4: Turn on the power at the main circuit panel and go back to the disposal unit but do not turn on the switch of the unit now rather press the reset button.
Do you recognize the reset button of the disposal unit? Well, it is the red colored button located at the bottom of the unit. In this step, you have to press this reset button.
Step 5: Let run some tap water through the disposal and flip the switch button on and off for a short burst. You have to do this quickly, I mean you should not wait a long between turning on and off the switch. If there is any debris left in the flywheel it will help to clean the flywheel.
Final Verdict
Before falling into big problems your garbage disposal may show some signs like slow draining, leaking, etc. If you notice any of these signs that indicate low performance you should not do any delay to take proper initiatives before it is too late.
If the problem occurs do not get panicked rather pay some attention to it and try to find out the source of the problem. Then take necessary initiatives to solve the problem. Once you could detect the source of the problem it will not get so much time to solve the problem.
