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Jammed Garbage Disposal

When you go to use your disposal and you hear a humming sound without the unit turning on, that's letting you know that something is stuck and it's jammed.  The humming sound is a good sign because that means the motor is working on the disposal.  The first thing you want to try is the reset button under the sink on the disposal (it will be a red button).



Push and hold for about one minute, then switch the power on to see if it works. You will need a flash light to see what is stuck inside the chamber; it could be something very small next to the walls of the disposal.  Never put your hand inside and make sure the power is off. There is no one way to get whatever it is that's stuck inside out of the disposal so try several ways, like maybe duck tape at the end of something long or a thin flat head screw driver etc. Sometimes a broom stick will work to help un-jam the disposal (put the end of the broom stick inside the sink hole and try to get the bottom or the blades of the disposal to turn then remove what was stuck with tongs of something else. If you can turn it with the broom stick most likely the problem is fixed.

Call Smart Plumbers and Rooters to schedule a appointment to have one of our professional plumbers take care of all your plumbing needs.

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