Homeowners don’t realize how much we rely on our garbage disposal until it stops working completely. If you think about it, you probably use your garbage disposal several times a week to dispose of food waste. Garbage disposals can encounter several problems over time. Knowing how to repair a clogged garbage disposal can really save the day. Here is our step-by-step guide to repairing a clogged garbage disposal.
First, Turn It Off
Before you do anything else, turn the garbage disposal off. It’s important to remember to never place your hands inside the garbage disposal at any time – even if it’s turned off.
Use The Correct Size Wrench
Under the sink, there is a hole at the bottom of your garbage disposal. Insert the wrench into hole and move it back and forth in both directions. The goal here is to hopefully dislodge whatever it is that’s clogging your pipes. You’ll want to keep doing this step until the wrench is able to turn more easily and freely in complete circles with no issues.
Remove The Wrench And Turn On Your Garbage Disposal
You want to make sure your wrench is removed before you turn on your garbage disposal. Once it is, go ahead and turn it on. If you notice the garbage disposal is humming but not grinding, turn it off again. Leaving it on could cause the motor to burn out.
Still Not Working? Call The Pros at OnTime Service
Sometimes DIY projects aren’t enough to do the trick. Your garbage disposal is a complex machine that the professionals at OnTime Service are trained in handling. Call us to repair your clogged garbage disposal and we will bring with us the proper tools and expertise to get the job done for you.
How To Prevent Garbage Disposal Clogs In The Future:
Once you’ve dealt with the inconvenience of a clogged garbage disposal once, you never want to deal with it again. There are preventative measures you can take to ensure your garbage disposal remains clog-free in the future.
Watch what you put down your garbage disposal: Items such as fibrous foods, oils and grease, eggshells, rice and pasta, potatoes and potato peels, coffee grinds, bones, and non-food items don’t belong down the garbage disposal.
Add food waste in small amounts vs. all at once: The food that you are able to put down your garbage disposal, should be put down in small batches. Putting large amounts down at once could lead to clogs.
Run cold water when the garbage disposal is on: It’s inevitable that small amounts of fats and grease will make their way into your disposal since items like salad dressing and macaroni and cheese have fat in them. Running cold water when the disposal is on will keep the fat from hardening and clogging your drains.
Don’t turn your garbage disposal off right away: Keep it running for a little while to allow all the food to go all the way down.
Routinely clean your garbage disposal: Keeping your garbage disposal clean will ensure it operates at peak efficiency and reduce the chance for clogs.
Are you having garbage disposal problems? Give our team at OnTime Service a call today or contact us online. We are here for all your garbage disposal needs.
