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Q. After dinner, I rinsed off the dishes in the sink like I always do, and flipped the switch for the garbage disposal to grind the food scraps. The garbage disposal was not working. How can I fix the garbage disposal, or is it beyond fixing?
Your scraps garbage disposal wo n’t turn on ? While there ’s a slim chance that you might have to replace your disposition , it ’s unbelievable . Odds are that the problem is something you could fix , often in just a few instant . These troubleshooting bakshis , which are about in ordering from easiest to more convoluted , should help you get your garbage disposal back up and run .
1. Check the power supply.
Whenever an appliance like a food waste disposal is down , the first thing to do is to check whether it ’s still plugged in . While this step might vocalise too simplistic , think for a moment about theunder - sink areain your rest home : If you store cleaning supplies or a wastepaper basket under your sink , the garbage disposal jade can easily get knocked loose or pushed out of the electric receptacle . Plug it in , and you ’re back in business .
2. Check the electrical circuit.
In newer homes , local building codes typically ask an electrician to run a single circuit for the garbage disposal and thedishwasherto part . In homes where additional outlets are on the same circuit , however , running the drivel garbage disposal while something else is operating , such as a toaster or countertop griddle , can cause the breaker to trip .
Before you settle thetripped breakerin your home plate ’s chief electrical panel and flip it back on , test how many other wall socket in the kitchen still have power . stop up something little , like a desk lamp , into the other kitchen release ; if the disposal is n’t the only matter that is n’t working , it ’s likely that too many outlets are on the same circuit .
A temporary workaround is to start the disposal only when no other appliance is hightail it . A more permanent fix is to hire an electrician to move one or more additional circuits in ordering to prevent overload the one that power the garbage electric pig .
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila
3. Reset the garbage disposal.
If the garbage disposalisgetting big businessman ( and you ’ve reassert that it ’s plugged in ) , the solution may be as simple as pressing the reset button . Overloading the drivel disposal with nutrient scraps can cause it to overheat and trip the reset release .
To reset the garbage disposal , you first have to chance the release . Thegarbage disposalreset button is commonly on the side or the bottom of the under - cesspool part of the unit , bet on the model you have . You may have to feel around the back of the building block to locate it . When you find the button , press it once — firmly — and release .
4. Rotate the flywheel and impellers.
A garbage electric pig use impeller arms bind to a flywheel that ’s surrounded by a shredder ring . When the flywheel spin , the impeller and pack crop together to tear up anything that comes into contact with them .
Sometimes composition of metal or other materials that are too knockout for the impeller arms to break down become caught in the impeller , or between the flywheel and the shredder ring , impede them . If this happens , you ’ll involve to remove these objects from the garbage disposal . ( A clue that it ’s jam : The food waste disposal humming when you grow it on . )
Here ’s how to fix the muddle :
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila
Pro Tip : If you do n’t already own ahex wrench localise , get one . A unspoilt set of jinx wrench is ready to hand for everything from IKEA furniture forum to uncouth family repairs like this one .
5. Check for leaks.
If the job is n’t that the garbage disposal wo n’t release on but rather that thegarbage disposal is leaaking , you ’ll need to locate the source of the leakage . Here ’s how to go about it :
6. If all else fails, replace the garbage disposal.
While the above steps will repair most garbage disposals , they wo n’t fix blown motor , factory defects , or leaks from a cracked caparison . reach out to the manufacturer if the crushed whole is relatively raw ; yourgarbage disposal replacementcould be overlay by guarantee . If the garbage disposal is not under warranty , you ’ll need to replace it . The cost to replace a refuse disposal is usually between $ 75 and $ 950 , depending on the replacement unit you choose and whether you install it yourself or hire someone else to do it . Removing a garbage disposal and install a new one is a evenhandedly well-heeled job most DIYers with a introductory knowledge of plumbery can cover .
Another option is to face into getting a insurance policy from one of thebest household warranty party , such asAmerican Home ShieldorAFC Home Club . A home warranty can help incubate repairs ( and sometimes replacements ) on major appliances , include drivel disposals .
How to Maintain a Garbage Disposal
To avoid set a scraps disposal in the futurity , remember this : It works wonder bray up soft bits of food for thought that stay in the sink after meal preparation , but it’snot designedto chew through sure foods . Avoid put animate being bones , nuts and sure shell , ejaculate , and potato peels down the garbage disposal . Even clod of fibrous intellectual nourishment fleck , like raw cultivated celery , cultivated carrot , or cabbage , will don down the impellers or strain the garbage disposal ’s motor .
Particular foods can also create geta . void sending coffee curtilage down the metric grain as they can build up in the drain pipe . The same goes for grease , oil colour or avoirdupois , which can mystify to the insides of pipe .
Rather than put food in the garbage garbage disposal , put the bulk of these scraps in the trumpery can , or well yet — if they ’re non - meat refuse — the compost passel .
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila
Always hunt down thegarbage disposalwith lot of cold piss and allow the social unit to run a few seconds after the food craunch is consummate to clear away residuary mo of food that can do odors .
This Is the twelvemonth for a Kitchen Renovation
Whether you ’re selling or staying , everyone can get something out of a kitchen update . memorize why we deal this renovation the Most Valuable Project of 2025 and how to remain on budget .
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob VIla
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob VIla
