My garbage disposal won't work. What to Do?

Question

My garbage disposal has been working fine and is about 2 years old. Suddenly it will not start when I switch it on. It "whirred" for a second and turned off like it lost power. Is the motor dead? How can I check?

Just hit the reset button and it works...problem is now it won't turn off. I unplugged it but how do I get the reset button to "reset"?

I switched outlets with the dishwasher and it works fine now. Now to see if the dishwashwer works...

Answer 1

Sounds like an obstruction of some sort. When the unit is jammes by an object, the amperage increases and the unit employs a safety feature "overload switch" preventing the motor from burning up. After you wait for a while, then the unit starts again or "whirls" and repeats your problem, then you probably have an obstruction. Disconnect the unit from the power source and probe into the unit from the sink with a flashlight and try to locate the object that is jamming the unit and remove it. The unit should have reset itself by then providing the overload protector is still working. Power up. Hope this helps. Be careful and remember to shut the power off and consider using gloves to probe your disposer.

Answer 2

This happened to me twice. Both time I had to call a repairman to fix it. His suggestion was to be careful what you put in it and it will last much longer. He said to never put corn in it because it will mess up the garbage disposal. Also he said to occasionally put baking soda and vinegar in it and let it set for about ten minutes and than run cold water for a few minutes. The best suggestion is to get a repairman and when he comes, ask his professional opinion on how to take care of your garbage disposal. Good Luck!

Answer 3

If it's still running when the switch is off, you have a bad switch.