Help! My Garbage Disposal Is Humming But Won’t Work!

There are many modern conveniences we often take for granted during our everyday lives—until we have to go without them. You don’t realize how nice it is to be able to dispose of food waste down the drain until your garbage disposal stops working.

One of the common issues we hear about is a garbage disposal that seems to turn on and makes a humming noise but won’t actually shred up any food. There are a couple of reasons this could be the case. Keep reading to learn more!

Reason #1: Shredding Plate is Jammed

If the disposal is turned on but the shredding plate isn’t operating, there’s a good chance it is somehow stuck or blocked. First, shine a flash light into the disposal to see if there’s an object stuck inside. If there is, make sure the power to the disposal is completely turned off before using a screwdriver or wrench to dislodge the object and then tongs to remove it. Only use metal tools—never put your hands in the disposal!

If you can’t detect an object, the issue can often be solved by inserting an Allen wrench (or the wrench that came with the unit) into the opening at the bottom of the disposal underneath the sink and wiggling the shredding/grinding plate back and forth until it moves freely. To ensure you don’t break your disposal however, it’s best to call in a plumbing professional!

Reason #2: Electrical Issue

If you turned on your garbage disposal and it hummed and then stopped working completely, it may have tripped your circuit breaker. After looking in the top to ensure the disposal isn’t clogged by an object, you can use the reset button underneath the sink to reset the appliance. If it’s still not working, you likely have a blockage on your hands that you simply can’t see!

Call in the Experts for Garbage Disposal Repair

It sounds silly, but it’s often better to call in a professional for garbage disposal repair than attempt to fix it yourself. You don’t want to risk breaking the entire thing or, worse, injuring yourself because you don’t know what you’re doing! If your garbage disposal is humming but won’t operate correctly, contact John Nugent & Sons for repair today!