If your garbage disposal hums but does not spin, it is likely jammed; if it is silent, it may have tripped its reset button or lost power. Never put your hand in the disposal. For a jam, turn it off, then use the hex wrench in the bottom (or a wooden spoon handle from above) to free the blades. For a silent unit, press the red reset button on the bottom and check the breaker. If it still will not run, call a plumber.
Garbage disposals fail in a couple of recognizable ways, and the sound it makes tells you a lot. The single most important rule before anything else: never put your hand into the disposal, even when it is off. Use tools, not fingers.
If the disposal hums but the blades do not turn, it is jammed — something is stuck. Turn the switch off. Most disposals come with a small hex (Allen) wrench that fits a socket on the bottom of the unit; turning it back and forth frees the jam. Alternatively, from above (with the power off), the handle of a wooden spoon can be used to nudge the blades free. Then remove whatever caused the jam.
If the disposal is completely silent when you flip the switch, it has likely lost power. Look for the red reset button on the bottom of the unit and press it — disposals trip this overload protector fairly often. If that does not work, check whether the circuit breaker has tripped.
If it still will not run after freeing any jam, pressing reset, and checking the breaker, the motor or switch may have failed, and it is time for a plumber — who can repair or replace the unit. Leaks under the disposal are also a reason to call, as those usually mean a worn seal or a failing unit.
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My disposal hums but won't spin — what's wrong?
It's jammed. Turn it off, then use the hex wrench in the bottom of the unit (or a wooden spoon handle from above) to free the blades. Never use your hand.
My disposal is silent — what should I check?
Press the red reset button on the bottom of the unit, and check whether the circuit breaker tripped. Disposals trip their overload protector fairly often.
When should I call a plumber for a disposal?
If it won't run after freeing a jam, pressing reset, and checking the breaker — or if it's leaking underneath, which usually means a worn seal or failing unit.