What’s the best way to extend the life of my garbage disposal?
Always use plenty of cold water when running your disposal, and avoid overloading it. Never dispose of very hard items like bones or corn husks. And never use a caustic drain opener. You can extend the life of your hands by never using them to remove items dropped inside – use tongs instead!
What should I do if my garbage disposal stops working?
Before calling, be sure to try the reset switch located on the bottom of most disposals.
My garbage disposal vibrates more than usual.
A garbage disposal vibrates under normal use. If it vibrates when it is EMPTY, though, you have a problem with either a broken impeller, which creates an unbalanced flywheel or with the mounting bolts becoming too tight.
My garbage disposal just hums and does not work.
This is usually from a stuck flywheel or a seized motor bearing. The sound will not last long as the disposal’s reset button or the circuit breaker fuse will trip to protect the circuit.
REMINDER: Never put your fingers into the garbage disposal.
