Does your kitchen have a garbage disposal? If so, we don’t have to tell you how this appliance makes it easy to clean up after a meal. It also keeps food odors from permeating your home. So, when your disposal isn’t working it can be quite upsetting. If you’re in this predicament, here are the top 3 reasons why your disposal has gone on strike.

Something Is Caught in the Blades

When you turn your garbage disposal on is it making a rattling sound? Is it humming for no particular reason?

You may have something caught in the blades creating a jam. If you hear a rattling sound and the blades are moving, it’s likely that something hard fell into the disposal and is being batted around. Turn off the disposal right away. You don’t want to risk the object getting wedged in between the blades. Objects like spoons, lids, pop-tops from cans, and other kitchen trash can sometimes fall into the disposal unknown to you. With the power turned off, use your fingers or a pair of tongs to remove the object.

If the blades aren’t spinning, it could be that food particles or another object has jammed the blades. Very carefully use a flat-head screwdriver to try to remove whatever is causing the jam. Didn’t find anything? Keep reading because the problem may be something else.

Damaged Motor

When your disposal hums and you can’t find any indication that something is caught in the blades, you may have a bad motor. Another sign of a bad motor is when the unit is turn on and completely unresponsive. Because garbage disposals are relatively inexpensive to purchase (you can get a good one for under $200) it doesn’t make sense to hire a plumber to make a repair. In fact, an honest plumber will tell you to cut your losses and buy a new disposal.

Leaky Units

Is water leaking from the garbage disposal and causing a mess under your kitchen sink? There are a couple reasons this may be happening. The disposal may have come loose and simply needs to have the bolts tightened. Other reasons for leaks can be a broken drain pipe or damaged seal. These are easy fixes that can be done quickly and inexpensively. A faulty flange may also be causing seepage. In this instance, you’re better off calling a plumber to investigate. A broken flange isn’t worth the cost to repair and more likely than not you’ll be better off asking your plumbing for new garbage disposal installation.

Keep Your Garbage Disposal Working Better for Longer

The average garbage disposal will last between 5-10 years. You can get closer to the 10-year mark by being careful about what you put in the garbage disposal and paying attention to signs of disrepair. If you need garbage disposal repair or installation services, call Cypress Discount Plumbing and Drain. Our licensed, bonded, and insured plumbers in Cypress, CA, are just a phone call away 24/7.