Garbage Disposal Won't Turn On

When the garbage disposal cannot clear itself normally and runs into resistance, check to see if it's thermal fuse has tripped. This will look like a red reset button on the bottom of the machine. To reset the thermal fuse:

• Push in the button and listen for a tactile click.
• Test the switch again.

If your unit has a switch, verify it’s in the ‘on’ position. This is usually on the bottom of the machine. While under the sink, inspect the toggle switch housing for loose wire. Vibration can shake connections loose, and wires aren't exempt from this vibration.

Verify the electrical plug still connected, and that the plug isn’t wet. The GFCI outlet can be reset directly on the outlet in the event that it was tripped and no longer glowing. Test another device — like a lamp — in the outlet or test the garage disposal in another outlet with an extension cord to verify the outlet isn’t the issue.

If the circuit breaker has tripped, your garbage disposal won’t turn on due to a lack of power. Find your breaker box and see if any of your kitchen switches are in the ‘off’ or half tripped position. Switch them off and on again. This is an indicator of too much power draw and may suggest your garbage disposal is jammed.

Some household electrical systems use fuses instead of circuit breakers. Locate and identify the if the fuse is blown. Again, this is an indicator of another issue, and should be investigated in the event of another fuse blowing.

The flywheel is the part that rotates and performs the disposing once the switch is flipped. In the event of a jam, the flywheel may hum, won’t spin, and eventually trip the breaker. Shine a light down the disposal to see if a utensil or other hard or large object has fallen down. If so, unplug the unit remove the foreign objects stuck in the blades. This could look like a spoon, plastic toy, or produce stickers.

Another method is to use a large wooden object to reach into the disposal to use as a lever. This may also free the stuck flywheel.

If there’s no visible jam, then the motor itself may have jammed. Some units come with an offset allen key just for this fix. If you don’t have the correct allen key, the standard size is around 1/4 inch. Insert the wrench into the bottom of the machine, and turn the wrench a back and forth, noting any resistance. In the event of too much resistance, attempt the unjamming with a specialty wrench from the sinkside for more leverage in turning the motor. Plug the machine in, and try turning on the garbage disposal unit.

Specialty wrench

Offset Allen Key

The workhorse of your garbage disposal unit is your motor. In the event of excessive rust buildup in the flywheel, or cracked o-rings, water infiltration can rust or destroy the internals, creating a non-functioning unit. The garbage disposal will have to be replaced.