InSinkErator Garbage Disposal Not Working [FIXED]

Garbage disposal is one of the most useful appliances that help keep our kitchens clean and tidy. It grinds up all food waste and other stuff that we throw in the sink, making it easier for us to dispose of them when we wash our dirty plates.

If your kitchen has an InSinkErator garbage disposal, it’s more than likely that you’ve come across a situation where it got jammed or broke down.

Below you will find some ways to fix a garbage disposal that won’t work. Using these tips and tricks, you will be able to get your disposal working again.

InSinkErator Garbage Disposal Not Working – Troubleshoot And Diagnosis

For a garbage disposal, an InSinkErator Garbage Disposal is the perfect kitchen appliance that can help you get rid of all of those unwanted food scraps and reduce your kitchen waste down to nothing. This powerful machine is able to grind just about any food you throw at it with ease, letting you dump your garbage as quickly and as efficiently as possible.

But like all appliances, even the most reliable machines can malfunction occasionally.

InSinkErator garbage disposals can experience many malfunctions, but a number of common issues can be fixed with ordinary household tools. Although you may be able to fix some problems yourself, there are times when you’ll need the help of a professional like a licensed plumber.

InSinkErator Is Clogged

When you turn on your garbage disposal, a spinning metal plate grinds food waste into tiny particles and pushes it down a drain. When the food gets jammed in the drain, that’s when things get ugly. In fact, it can result in an expensive plumbing bill. What happens is water backs up into the sink as raw sewage overflows from the drain pipe. Yuck! This must be why nature created plumbers.

If you try to dispose of solid food waste, a common problem is that it can clog the drain. This is because solid materials like hard shells of eggs, nuts, chicken bones and fruit pits are harder to grind down than liquids. Solid food waste tends to collect in the drain pipe and block any water from flowing through. It’s not an issue unique to Insinkerator disposers — all brand name models have this issue.

Not everything can be broken down by your disposal. Some foods, like rice and pasta, may cause the disposer to clog. Grease buildup will also impede the disposal from functioning properly, as well as any other bits of trapped food debris that may have fallen in.

Food waste clogs drain pipes in disposals, but luckily the right tools can help to unclog an InSinkErator. Pour water into the sink to cover the plunger and secure the plunger over the sink’s drain. Gently press down on it and also up with force. Don’t turn on the disposer just yet; give it some time to go through the plumbing.

If you’ve got a double bowl sink, this is the time to place a stopper into the non-disposal drain to avoid having water rush out. If the plunging doesn’t produce results this time, you may need to call a plumber in, but you can first try and see if there’s something in the disposal that can be pulled out.

InSinkErator Is Noisy

Once you turn on a garbage disposal, it should run almost silently. If you hear a loud buzzing sound or grinding, it is likely that something is stuck in the blades. A quick inspection usually does the trick.

If you hear rattling or banging when you turn on the garbage disposal, a foreign object may have gotten stuck in the device and could cause greater damage down the road. In most cases, water can’t get through because it’s being jammed by an object that has made its way into the garbage disposer.

If your garbage disposal smells like a sewer or makes weird noises, there are a few things you can do to fix the problem. First, don’t put your hands in the disposal — you never know what could be the cause of the smell or sounds and you’ll only sink your hands into danger without fixing any problems. Instead, power down your disposer by turning off the circuit breaker or unplugging it from its electrical source.

Then reach it with a pair of tongs or pliers and remove any obvious objects that may be stuck in the blades.

When rattle sounds are associated with the garbage disposal, it means that the blades of its impellers (metal “blades” connected to the spinning plate) have loosened up. It also means that your current garbage disposal system is not doing a good job at clearing your food waste from the chamber.

Rattling sounds from the garbage disposal can be an indicator that it’s time to call a plumber, especially if they’re accompanied by other signs of trouble like leaks or odd smells. When the metal blades inside the disposal wear down and can’t do their job properly, they cause it to vibrate as they spin — often making audible noises. If you notice that your disposal is rattling, it’s time to contact a plumber to make sure everything is OK.

Garbage Disposal Is Leaking

Tracing a garbage disposal leak is a vital step that homeowners should take when troubleshooting the issue. The source of the leak can be traced to the top of the disposer, the bottom of the disposer, or one of the connections. By understanding how these areas interact to help control any leaks, homeowners can properly address an issue and prevent it from happening again.

Below the sink water can come from either the junction between your disposal and drain line or from below the P-trap under your sink. Above the sink the leak could be coming from the top of your machine where it meets with your sink or a faulty connection to your dishwasher or dishwasher drain hose.

A leak from the top of your garbage disposal means that the sink flange isn’t properly sealed around the disposal. You can fix this by removing the basket, scraping out the old plumbers’ putty, and applying a new bead of it around the edge of the flange. This job will take less than ten minutes, and you’ll be able to resume using your trash compactor right away.

You might have a leaky garbage disposal, which means the bottom of it is leaking. This can result in flooding and a bigger problem than just a leaking garbage disposal. If your garbage disposal starts to leak from the bottom, this can mean you will need to replace the entire unit.

You can check for leaks by simply tightening the clamp that connects the drainpipe to the disposal unit, or by flushing your garbage disposal and putting a small amount of food coloring in it. If you find a leak coming from the casing, there are commercial garbage disposal repair kits that you can buy online or at any hardware store.

Don’t try to fix your leaky garbage disposal yourself: it’s a difficult task! You need to turn off the water, drain the system, and most importantly — do not try to repair a leaking garbage disposal unless you’re very familiar with how they function. Contact your local plumber as soon as you notice your garbage disposal giving off strange sounds or leaking.

Disposal Is Jammed

When you turn on the garbage disposal and it does not work, the most likely culprit is a tripped safety switch. All garbage disposals have a red button on the bottom that resets this switch. This simple fix can solve the problem immediately and prevent damage from overheating or motor burnout.

If that doesn’t solve the problem, wait 10 minutes and try again.

Garbage Disposals jam for a number of reasons, but all of them require the help of a tool called a Garbage Disposal Wrench. If you turn on your garbage disposal and immediately hear a humming noise but it’s not turning, you will need to use the wrench to figure out what the problem is and how to fix it.

To correct this issue, try turning off the disposal and using a garbage disposal wrench to make sure that nothing is stuck in the blades.

Fit one end of the wrench into the opening under your sink. Use your wrench to twist and turn the disposer until you can remove it from its place. Keep an eye out for the red overload protector button — if it pops out, your disposal is jammed and you’ll need to try again. Once off, run some water through the disposal, turn it on, and turn on your faucet at the same time.