disposals **sink**

[Fanatical Meat]

Mine has stopped working, we barely use it. Some soil spilled into it.
It makes an electric hum like its trying to work but no blade spinning. Any suggestions to attempt to repair it? I'd prefer not to replace it at this point.

 

[twinrider1]

How much dirt?
Get under the sink. Does yours look something like this?
Press the reset button.
You can insert an allen wrench and turn back and forth, see if you can work it free.
If it doesn't have a spot for an allen wrench, you can use a broom or plunger handle to spin the grinder from above. I'm not a big fan of that, but if that's the only option...

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Thanks Captain. I'm not near it now, I'll look late this afternoon and let you know.

 

[CPA]

And make sure to turn the power off before you start using the allen wrench.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

No luck yet Gentlement, Although I put very little effort into it yesterday. I was kind of busy. Turning the allen wrench is to dislodge any junk correct?

 

[twinrider1]

Correct.

Will the water still flow through?

 

[EagleKeeper]

Try the broomstick trick

Because you sent soil down; some bearings may be gummed up.

Better to just replace it on the assumption that you actually use it.

It you do not use it, either leave it as is (as long as water will still flow) or remove it and put in a PVC connector in its place

 

[HardcoreRobot]

my wife once dumped a ton of peppercorns into the disposal, they wedged themsevles all in the holes/teeth along the edge. disposal exhibited the same symptoms. once i picked them all out, it was good to go.

if you try to spin it for too long while its jammed, it will turn itself off. thats when you have to use the reset button.

allen wrench hole lets you manually turn to dislodge. but you still may need to remove anything that has jammed it

 

[steppinthrax]

The broomstick trick never works for me, you also need a broom with a wooden handle (something that doesn't really exist anymore).

 

[EagleKeeper]

The broomstick trick never works for me, you also need a broom with a wooden handle (something that doesn't really exist anymore).

Get a 2" diameter wooden dowel from local lumber store