If you look under the sink where your garbage disposal is, you’ll see the unit motor. This includes the power switch near the unit and the switch on your circuit board. Whenever you’re working on your garbage disposal, turn off the power to the unit.
To troubleshoot this problem, you’re going to attempt to manually get the blades turning to try to knock the obstruction loose. If you turn on your garbage disposal unit and hear the motor humming but the blades aren’t spinning, the most likely cause is some sort of obstruction in the blades. Garbage Disposal is Humming, But Not Spinning The cheaper and more convenient option is to just get a brand-new garbage disposal. These are all caused by cracks or worn out seals inside the unit itself. Often leaks will occur around the “reset” switch or the seal near the power supply. If you’ve got water coming from the bottom of your garbage disposal unit, you’re most likely looking at a full-on replacement. If they seem tight enough, you’ve probably got a worn out gasket, which can be picked up at most hardware or home improvement stores.
Simple examine the connection and check the screws. This is usually caused by a worn out gasket or loose screws where the lines attach to your garbage disposal unit. The Inlet or Drain LinesĪnother common location for garbage disposal leaks is around the inlet (to your dishwasher) or drain lines. Once everything’s secure, turn the power supply on and and run your faucet while checking under the sink for leaks. Re-mount the unit and replace all the screws you removed in step 2. Re-mount the garbage disposal and testĪfter you’ve resealed the area, you need to put everything back in its place. You can apply new plumber’s putty, or you can purchase a seal that is attached between the sink and flange. You have two options to re-seal the area. Once you’ve removed the unit, peel or scrape off any of the old putty around the sink. Keep a hand underneath the disposal unit so it doesn’t get damaged when you release it. Detach the garbage disposalįree the unit from the sink by twisting the flange. There’s also a set of screws mounting the inlet hose (going to your dishwasher) and outlet line (going to your waste pipes). There are two screws underneath the flange where the unit attaches to your kitchen sink. Underneath the sink, you’ll see your disposal unit. Unscrew the flange mount, inlet and outlet lines. That means turning off the switch on the wall and in the circuit box. Turn off power supply to disposal unitĪs always, make sure there’s no power going to the unit. You’ll need a flathead screwdriver and plumber’s putty. If the leak is coming from the area right under the sink, and not one of the hoses along the side of the unit, re-sealing the flange will probably solve your problem. One of the more common causes of garbage disposal leaks is the seal around the sink flange getting knocked loose or degrading over time. Take a look at where the colored water is coming from. Now pull the plug and observe under the sink. Add some food dye or coloring to the water.
Put a plug in your sink and fill it with a few inches of water. If you can’t get a clear look at where the leak is coming from, here’s a little hack you can use. There are four major areas where leaks happen: the sink flange (where the unit connects to the sink), the inlet hose (the line going to the dishwasher), the drain line (the line going to your drain pipe) and the bottom of the unit. Garbage disposal leaks can have a number of causes, so the first step to troubleshooting this problem is to locate the leak. You can take care of all your garbage disposal issues without putting your limbs at risk. Keep this in mind at all times or else you’re going to be googling “garbage disposal injury troubleshooting” next. Finally, we’ll give you a rundown on the things you should never put in your garbage disposal.īefore we dive in, let’s declare a little golden rule for garbage disposal troubleshooting: keep your hands out of the garbage disposal. In this guide, we’ll go over the “big four” - leaking garbage disposals, disposals that turn on but don’t spin, disposals that won’t turn on at all, and clogs. Most garbage disposal problems can be fixed without having to call a plumber.
Garbage disposals are a wonderful modern convenience to have in your kitchen, but like all great gadgets, they can run into problems after repeated uses.