Garbage disposals can be an extremely convenient feature to have in your kitchen. They can help to ensure that nothing large is able to get down your piping and cause a clog. However, just like any other appliance in your household, your garbage disposal can experience an issue from time to time. If you notice that your garbage disposal simply won’t spin, we’re going to go over some of the steps that you should take below to get it to work again and when to call for garbage disposal repair service.
Shut Off the Power
One of the very first steps that you need to take is to turn off your garbage disposal or completely unplug it. You don’t want to be working down there with your hands and have your garbage disposal turn back on, as it can lead to some serious injuries.
Check for a Jam
One of the most common reasons that homeowners experience their garbage disposals stop spinning is that there’s a jam in them. It could be that a stray fork was able to drop down into the basin or that there’s larger debris like bones in the disposal. Anything that’s too big or too strong for the blades to cut through can cause them to be jammed and stop spinning. Fortunately, you should just be able to remove the obstruction and your garbage disposal should go back to working like normal.
Try Manual Spinning
Another thing you can try is to manually test the blades to see if they’ll spin without any pressure. You may be tempted to simply stick your hand or another item down into the garbage disposal and try to wedge the blades to spin it. Avoid that temptation, as most disposals have a hole in the bottom specifically designed to allow you to manually spin the blades. Most newer ones require you to use an Allen or hex wrench that fits the particular size of the hole. If there is no hex-style hole, you can typically use any long object that fits in the hole to spin the blade.
Hit the Reset Button
If these blades seem to be spinning without any resistance when you move them manually, your garbage disposal may just need to be reset. Sometimes power surges or internal electrical problems can cause your garbage disposal to shut off. There should be a reset button on the bottom or side of the unit that you can press to reset the entire garbage disposal. Remember that you’re going to have to turn the power back on to see if the reset worked.
Check the Circuit Breaker
If the reset process doesn’t work, you might want to head down to your electrical panel box and see if the circuit breaker for your garbage disposal has been tripped. If the garbage disposal isn’t getting power, it’s simply not going to work. If the circuit breaker isn’t tripped, you can try plugging your garbage disposal into a different outlet to see if the outlet that you’re using is faulty.
Just Humming
If you notice that your garbage disposal seems to turn on and creates a humming noise but won’t spin its blades, it’s a key indication that you have a motor issue. In many cases, the motor is going to be burned out and needs to be replaced. It’s best to simply shut off the power to your garbage disposal if you hear this distinctive humming noise, as your unit won’t operate correctly. Leaving it run like that could allow it to continually overheat and cause an electrical hazard.
Get Professional Help
If the motor is burnt up or you can’t seem to diagnose the root cause of why your garbage disposal is not spinning, then it’s necessary to give us a call. The issue with your system may be the result of an internal wiring issue or a flywheel problem that can be easily prepared with the right knowledge and skills. However, in other cases, your garbage disposal may have simply reached the end of its lifespan and needs to undergo a replacement. Either way, our plumbing professionals can assist you.
Helpful Garbage Disposal Repair Service
Fix-A-Leak Plumbing & Heating offers helpful garbage disposal repair service to the Bohemia, NY area. We can also help with all your garbage disposal installation and replacement needs. Call our friendly plumbing services team today to book your next appointment with one of our helpful plumbers.
