Rental Maintenance FAQs

Garbage Disposal Not Working

If your garbage disposal is not working, usually it's because an object is jammed inside the gears. This will also cause the sink to back up and drain very slowly. If you turn on the power switch and hear the hum of the motor, the garbage disposal is likely jammed. To resolve this, press the reset button on the bottom of the disposal. 

If that does not work, often there's a wrench provided with the disposal that can be used to turn the disposal gears. Use the wrench only after you unplug the unit from the wall (under the sink). Turning the gears manually will usually free the lodged item and then it can be removed with pliers from the top of the disposal. You may need a flashlight to see the item to remove it with pliers (often you can remove the item with pliers even if you don’t have the disposal wrench).

Once the item is removed, plug the disposal back in and run it for 15 to 30 seconds, flushing with water. 

If your disposal jams without something stuck in it, the gears may be freezing due to lack of use. To avoid this, just run the disposal daily, even if there is nothing in it.