What To Do When Your Garbage Disposal Stops Working

Picture this: you’ve just finished up a wonderful holiday feast and you’re in the kitchen rinsing off the dishes. You go to flip on the garbage disposal to grind up the scraps and nothing happens. Panic mode, commence. Not so fast…

First, Check The Power Supply

Oftentimes when an appliance isn’t working, the issue is with the power supply. Check to make sure that it’s plugged in. This may sound obvious, but think about how many things you have underneath the sink - there’s a good chance something knocked into the plug and caused it to come loose.

Then, Press The Reset Button

After you’ve made the sure the disposal is plugged in, press the reset button. They’re usually located on the side or on the bottom of the under-sink part of the disposal, but if you can’t find it in either of these places it might be located on the back.

Next, Check The Breaker Panel

If too many appliances are running at the same time and are drawing power from the same electrical circuit, it could cause the breaker to trip. If this is the case, we recommend only running the garbage disposal while no other appliances are turned on in the future.

Finally, Call An Expert

If none of the above solutions seem to work, it’s time to call in a professional. It could be a more serious issue involving the motor or another more intricate component that requires the knowledge and expertise of somebody who is well-trained. That’s where we come in!

At Uptown Plumbing, we offer professional installations of all kitchen fittings, fixtures and appliances including sinks, faucets, dishwashers, washing machines, and garbage disposal units. Call us today at (612) 324-1004.