Main reasons for garbage disposal malfunction

Published On: April 21, 20174 Comments on Main reasons for garbage disposal malfunctionCategories: AppliancesTags: Last Updated: February 13, 20243.2 min read

Every garbage disposal gives signs of malfunction before it actually brakes down. Most people don’t pay attention to this signs and they keep using the garbage disposal until it stops functioning completely. In most cases garbage disposal are just clogged and that problem can be easily solved if you read our guide on How to fix clogged garbage disposal. If your garbage disposal isn’t clogged and if it  isn’t functioning as before then you then to follow up on this article and find out what is the problem with your garbage disposal.

putting leftovers in garbage disposal

Garbage disposal won’t start

If your garbage disposal won’t even start there are three possible problems: no power, popped reset button or worn out motor. You need to first check your fuse-box or circuit breakers and if you have power there, look on the bottom of the disposer unit. On most disposers there’s a small red button, located underneath the unit or near the bottom, called the reset button. If this button is popped out, the disposal motor has probably overloaded or it has gotten too hot. The most common reasons for that are jam in the disposal or you’re leaving the disposal turned on too long. If you noticed a jam, clean it and reset the overload safety by pressing in the red button. You must hear a little clicking sound as you push the reset button, if you don’t hear it, you probably didn’t push it strong enough. Try to turn on the disposal and if it pops again your motor is probably worn out. Your best bet is to contact garbage disposal professionals and just replace the disposal.

Garbage disposal is leaking

Garbage disposals aren’t supposed to leak not even a little, don’t mind those “experts” who say that small leaks are normal, it isn’t! The most common leak is from the drain connections, check them first. If you see that leak is coming from the drain pipe, you can replace the rubber gasket. Mostly the leaks appear in the new installations, you should check the ring near the sink flange and make sure that it is tight. Spare seals between the sink and the disposal are available, but if the leak is coming from the body of the disposal, you’re going to have to replace the garbage disposal.

Garbage disposal makes strange noises

Garbage disposal isn’t intended for solid objects and when a solid object like piece of metal, glass, bone, or other object enter the disposal it can cause quite a racket when you turn on the unit. If it doesn’t jam the unit, it may work its own way through the drain system. That is the most common reason for strange noise and you don’t have to worry about that.

garbage disposal exploded view

Other reasons are far more serious and you should try to identify the reason as soon as possible. Reasons for strange noise are usually loose mounting screws, worn bearings, broken flyweights, or the lugs or blades are worn out. Tighten mounting screws if they have become loose and check the condition of the bearing. The vibrations of the unit could cause the screws to become loose, or the seals may leak water into the motor and bearings. The water washes away the bearing grease away and the bearing wears out much quicker. If you have that problem, simply replace the seal and the bearing, tighten the screws and your disposal is good as new.

The broken flyweights are much bigger problem and they’re much harder to replace. Some cheaper models don’t even have the option for replacing flyweights. You must keep in mind that lugs or blades do wear over time and work less and less efficiently.

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Leave A Comment

  1. Ryan Adler September 15, 2018 at 10:02 pm

    Sometimes all that’s wrong with your disposal is that there’s something hard wedged somewhere down in the disposal. One time I had a piece of aquarium gravel stuck in it and it made the entire thing stop working. Got that little rock out and it started working again. Thought I was going to have to replace the whole thing and it was just a tiny piece of gravel the entire time!

  2. Matthew December 10, 2017 at 11:25 am

    Move the shower head over to the side and remove the basket. Then empty the pitcher with your desired amount of water into the reservoir. Fill the pitcher with the appropriate amount of ice for the amount of water you’re using (see the ice cube markings on the container). You may add sugar or lemon to the filter basket for additional flavoring. Put the lid on the wide opening and slip it directly under the steep/brew control. Press the On button (which includes an indicator light); the Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Maker will automatically shut off when brewing is complete. This process should take approximately 10 minutes.

  3. Jack Morgan November 22, 2017 at 7:49 am

    Garbage disposals can be a great tool in your kitchen if used properly. They make cleaning up after dinner and rinsing dishes off a breeze. But they are all somewhat prone to getting clogged if some basic guidelines aren’t followed.People often wonder what is the best garbage disposal to get to avoid these problems. Without going into a full blown garbage disposal review, a good plan is to choose a model with the highest horsepower rating your budget allows. And make sure the model you select has a way to manually turn the shaft if it gets stopped up.

  4. Ryan Brandon May 20, 2017 at 10:06 am

    Thanks for this great and informational reviews . I think a garbage disposal is one of the essential gadget for kitchen . A garbage disposal is a food waste discarding unit, which is installed under the kitchen sink and electrically powered. Once it is fitted between the trap and drain, the user can shred waste materials into small particles that can pass down the drain without clogging the pipes. The waste is mixed with water, grinded, and then directed to the sewers and water treatment plants where the liquid waste can be managed efficiently.
    If the waste is put into a landfill instead, it decomposes and produces harmful methane gas. The unit makes household waste management easier as well as protecting the environment in general. Having a garbage disposal not only makes your kitchen life easier but also allows effective processing of organic materials into biosolids.We often have some problems about it . Most common problems include Loss of power due to loss of electricity ,Jams and clogs ,Need for a manual reset ,Leaks ,Musty smell and you explained everything clearly