Garbage disposals are used daily in millions of households across the country. Kitchen caretakers, especially moms, have benefited greatly by being able to rinse away and filter all unwanted waste and residue. However, any trouble caused by drain stoppage can cause frustration for moms and cause them to seek out immediate garbage disposal replacement services. Fortunately, there are a few DIY garbage disposal troubleshooting measures that moms can take to resolve garbage disposal problems.
If you have a stalled garbage disposal, then flip the switch and notice if the unit hums or has no sound at all. Next, follow the remaining 6 steps to diagnose and repair a faulty garbage disposal:
Step 1: Find out if anything is stuck inside the garbage disposal or whether the spinning gadgets are jammed. However, you should never use your fingers when doing this. Instead, tap the turning wheels with a broom end or plunger handle. Then, remove any food particles or debris if there is any, and tap continuously to un-jam the spinning wheels.
Step 2: If tapping and removing do not work, then take a look at the bottom of the disposal. There is a reset button that looks and works similar to other appliances that we use in our homes. It is a small red button at the bottom of the unit. Resetting the disposal will retrieve the default functioning and erase unwanted debris.
Step 3: If completing the first two steps yields no results, then you may need to make a simple repair. Go to the circuit breaker box and switch off the power to the garbage disposal. Unplug the disposal if it is already plugged in. There is also a “food waste disposal” wrench that can help you eliminate the waste from the disposal.
Step 4: Now look beneath your disposal, and you should see a narrow opening for that wrench. Fix the wrench in that opening and turn it left to right for a while. If there is any water stopped in the sink bottom, then it will start to drain.
Step 5: Wait till the water passes down the drain. After this is done, switch the power of that unit on again. You can turn on the tap to see if the water goes through smoothly and everything is working the way it should.
Step 6: If you have reached step 6, then the disposal should be working fine provided all the steps mentioned previously were followed correctly. You can flip the switch on now and turn on the cold water. However, if the disposal still hums or is not working properly, then you need to call a professional plumber. Most garbage disposals will need to be replaced after a certain number of years, no matter how long-lasting they claim to be.
Garbage disposals have revolutionized how we operate in the kitchen. Yet, they do require continuous maintenance. In order to have your garbage disposal working at its best, you can always contact a professional who will know what to do with your device.
