Even with the switch off, you can seriously injure yourself. If something is stuck, turn off the disposal at the wall switch AND the breaker in your electrical panel. Then use tongs, pliers, or a wooden spoon to remove obstruction. Better yet, call us.
The most common disposal problems
Disposal hums but won't spin
Almost always a jammed impeller — something (a bone, a fruit pit, a piece of silverware) is wedged and preventing the motor from turning. You can usually fix this yourself:
- Turn off the disposal switch AND the circuit breaker
- Look under the sink for a small hex-shaped hole on the bottom center of the disposal
- Most disposals come with a 1/4" hex wrench (often clipped to the underside). If yours is missing, any 1/4" hex wrench works
- Insert the wrench and rotate back and forth to break the jam free
- Remove any obstruction from the top with tongs or pliers — NEVER your hand
- Restore power and test
If the humming persists, the motor may be burned out and the disposal needs replacement.
Disposal is completely dead
Check three things in order:
- Wall switch — did you or a family member accidentally turn it off?
- Reset button — small red button on the bottom center of the disposal. Motor overload trips this. Press to reset.
- Circuit breaker — check your panel; the disposal may share a breaker with dishwasher or kitchen outlets
If all three check out and the disposal is still dead, the motor has failed. Replacement is the answer — motor replacement isn't practical on residential disposals.
Disposal is leaking
Three common leak points, each with a different fix:
- Top, around the sink flange — the plumber's putty seal has dried out. We remove the disposal, clean off old putty, apply new, and reinstall.
- Side, where the dishwasher hose connects — clamp is loose or hose is deteriorated. Replace the clamp or hose.
- Bottom of the housing itself — the disposal has failed internally. Replacement required.
Slow drain from the disposal
Usually the disposal is working fine, but the drain line below is partially clogged. Common cause: grease buildup over months or years. Cleaning the P-trap under the disposal often solves it; more stubborn clogs need drain cleaning.
Loud grinding or metallic sound
Something is inside the disposal that shouldn't be — silverware, coins, small utensils. Turn off power immediately and remove the object. Running the disposal with foreign objects damages the impeller and can destroy the motor.
When to repair vs. replace
Replace if:
- The disposal is over 8-10 years old and having any problems
- The motor has burned out
- The housing is leaking
- You want a quieter or more powerful unit
- Multiple issues in a short period
Repair if:
- The unit is under 5 years old and the issue is a simple jam or reset
- External connection issues (dishwasher hose, drain line)
- The disposal is a premium model still under warranty
What we install
Disposal horsepower — what to pick
- 1/3 HP — Entry-level. Fine for households of 1-2 people who don't cook much. Louder and less powerful. Often what came in your home if it's a rental or budget build.
- 1/2 HP — Standard for most homes. Handles typical daily kitchen use.
- 3/4 HP — Better sound insulation, more powerful. Handles tougher food scraps. Our most-installed size.
- 1 HP — Premium tier. Very quiet, very powerful. Good for high-use kitchens or if you cook and entertain frequently.
Continuous feed vs. batch feed
- Continuous feed — Standard. Runs while you feed food in. Wall switch controlled. What most people have.
- Batch feed — Requires a magnetic stopper in the sink drain to engage. Safer for households with young children. More expensive.
Brands we install
- InSinkErator — Made in USA, dominant market share, wide model range, best parts availability. Our default recommendation.
- Waste King — Solid value alternative, faster RPMs than InSinkErator equivalents.
- Moen — Newer to disposals but making good units, especially in the higher HP ranges.
What to never put down a disposal
Even the best disposal can't handle everything. Avoid:
- Grease and cooking oil — solidifies in your drains further down and causes major clogs. Wipe pans with a paper towel and trash it.
- Fibrous vegetables — celery, corn husks, artichoke leaves. The strands wrap around the impeller.
- Starchy foods — potato peels, rice, pasta. They turn to paste and stick to pipes.
- Bones — except tiny fish and chicken bones. Larger bones destroy impellers.
- Coffee grounds — accumulate like sediment in your P-trap and drain lines.
- Eggshells — the myth that they sharpen blades is wrong (there aren't blades, there are impellers). They just add to buildup.
- Fruit pits and seeds — cherry pits, peach pits, avocado pits. Too hard for the impeller.
- Onion skins — the papery outer layers slip past impellers and clog drains downstream.
What IS OK
Soft food scraps, small vegetable trimmings, coffee grounds occasionally (with lots of water), citrus peels (they actually help clean and deodorize), and small meat scraps. Always run cold water while grinding and for 15-20 seconds after to flush everything through the drain line.
Common questions
Depends on age and issue. Motor failure in a disposal over 8 years old — replace. Jammed impeller in an otherwise working unit — usually repairable. Corroded housing or leaking body — replace. Disposals are relatively inexpensive to replace, and modern models are noticeably quieter and more powerful than 15-year-old units.
1/3 HP is the base entry-level model — fine for light use in a household of one or two people. 1/2 HP is the standard for most homes. 3/4 HP handles heavier use and tougher food scraps quietly. 1 HP is overkill for most homes but great for high-use kitchens or if you cook a lot. Bigger is quieter, generally — the extra motor capacity means less strain during grinding.
Grease and cooking oil (they solidify in your drains further down), fibrous vegetables like celery and corn husks (the strands wrap around the impeller), potato peels (they turn to paste and stick), bones (except tiny chicken and fish bones), coffee grounds (they build up like sediment), eggshells (contrary to popular belief, they don't sharpen blades — there aren't any — and they contribute to buildup), rice and pasta (they expand in water).
The motor is trying to run but the impeller is jammed. You can usually fix this yourself: turn off the disposal at the wall AND at the breaker for safety, find the hex-shaped hole on the bottom center of the disposal, insert a 1/4" hex wrench (comes with most disposals — try under the sink), and manually rotate the impeller back and forth to break free the jam. Remove any obstruction from the top. If the hum persists after this, the motor may be burned out.
Three common leak points. From the top around the sink flange — old plumber's putty has dried out and needs replacement. From the side where the dishwasher hose connects — clamp is loose or hose is worn. From the bottom of the housing — the disposal itself has failed and is leaking through the motor housing (replacement required).
If your disposal has stopped working and isn't jammed, try the reset button — a small red button on the bottom center of the disposal. Motor overload triggers automatic shutoff, and the reset button re-engages the circuit. If it trips again immediately, there's a bigger problem (usually a jammed impeller or failing motor).
Call the family
Disposal problems are usually quick fixes but they can turn into bigger drain issues if ignored. Same-day service across the OKC metro. Give us a call.