A garbage disposal is another of those modern conveniences that has crossed the line from a nice little accessory to nearly indispensable necessity. It makes cooking, eating, and the ensuing cleanup much easier and enjoyable. Sometimes it takes a garbage disposal breakdown to show Waterford, MI homeowners just how much they’ve come to depend on their disposals.

Disposal problems aren’t uncommon

There can be many reasons (we’ll talk about some of them in a bit) a garbage disposal stops working. Some can be fixed easily; others may require major repairs or even replacement. Kotz Heating, Cooling & Plumbing wants to make sure you never lose sight of this fact: Disposals are potentially dangerous so do not attempt repairs you are not capable of doing. Here are some common problems you may run into:

Overheating

If the garbage disposal doesn’t make any sound when you flip the switch, there’s a good chance it has overheated and shut down to protect itself. Let the disposal cool for a few minutes then look for a red reset button, usually located at the bottom of the unit. If it still won’t work after pushing the reset button check your electric panel to see if the circuit breaker has tripped.

Jammed or clogged

If the disposal makes a humming sound when turned on but isn’t working, it’s likely something has jammed the food grinders (impellers). Before doing anything turn off the circuit breaker. You might be able to locate the jam by shining a flashlight into the disposal, but it’s more likely the problem is deeper in the grinding chamber. This requires disassembling the unit and we strongly recommend calling Kotz to let our expert plumbers handle this job.

An ounce of prevention

While garbage disposals are wonderful, they are not miracle workers. You can’t just stuff everything down your drain and expect it to work properly. There are types of foods that will cause the problems (jams & overheating) we talked about earlier. Here are some disposal tips:

• Limited amounts of stringy & fibrous foods (celery, pumpkins & rhubarb)

• No coffee grounds or eggshells

• No glass, rubber, or metal

• Limited rice, pasta & oats (starchy foods can turn to paste when ground up)

• Do not overfill

• Fats & oils are bad for disposals & your pipes

You should always run cold water while using the disposal and if there is a clog do not use caustic chemical drain cleaners. Chances are they won’t work, and you’ll be left with a sink full of toxic water. If the disposal starts smelling, grind up some lemon peel and ice cubes while running warm water.

Just a phone call away

If your garbage disposal stops working make your first call to Kotz Heating, Cooling & Plumbing. Our professional plumbers can handle any problem you might have. All plumbing repairs are fully guaranteed for one year.