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Garbage disposals are standard fixtures in modern Greenville, TX homes. These appliances grind up residual waste in kitchen sinks to prevent drain clogs, slow-moving drains, and more. However, the term “garbage disposal” is an unfortunate misnomer. These appliances aren’t meant to process all cooking scraps, and they don’t take the place of waste bins. If your garbage disposal won’t turn on, no longer grinds up food, or makes loud, jarring sounds, the following are five possible reasons why.
1. Electrical Issues
If your garbage disposal won’t turn on, there’s a good chance an electrical issue is present. Check for a tripped circuit breaker or ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) switch. There may be worn or frayed wiring, a nearby water leak, or another electrical hazard.
Electrical problems can cause your garbage disposal to turn on and then rapidly shut back off. When GFCI outlets detect standing or leaking water near active appliances, they block the flow of electricity to prevent electric shock and electrocution.
If you suspect electrical problems in the area, contact a licensed plumber right away. Attempting to troubleshoot the issue on your own could result in physical injury.
2. Jammed Impeller Blades
There’s a lengthy list of items that homeowners should never place inside their garbage disposals. This list includes:
- Coffee grounds
- Eggshells
- Fruit and potato peelings
- Nuts and nut butters
- Large pieces of meat
- Cheese
These and other items can dull a garbage disposal’s impeller blades, clog sink drains, or cause impellers to get stuck.
If your unit turns on and hums noisily but fails to do its job, it may have jammed impeller blades. Continuing to run your garbage disposal when its blades are stuck can cause its motor to overheat.
Attempting to loosen trapped impeller blades is risky. Never stick your hand into a jammed garbage disposal while the unit is still plugged in. You should also avoid using butter knives or forcing other objects into the unit to get things moving.
The safest way to resolve problems with stuck impeller blades is to hire a plumber. Having a plumber repair your garbage disposal is also the surest way to preserve its manufacturer’s warranty.
3. Overloaded and Overheated Motors
When jammed impeller blades and other functional problems cause garbage disposal motors to overwork, these appliances shut themselves off to prevent burnout. Your garbage disposal has a reset button, likely located at its base. If this button has popped up, you may be able to reset the unit by pressing it in. However, you cannot reset the garbage disposal until its motor has cooled down.
If you reset your unit and it shuts down again after several seconds of use, you’ll need to find and fix the underlying problem. This could mean loosening jammed impeller blades or clearing a blockage. Our plumbers can find and resolve the issue quickly and safely.
4. Worn Seals
Check under your kitchen sink for standing water or other signs of excess moisture. Heavy loads of food and the general ravages of time can wear a garbage disposal’s rubber gaskets out. When cracked gaskets lead to under-sink leaks, nearby GFCI outlets will cut the flow of electricity, or the related circuit breakers might trip. Leaky garbage disposals are always electrical safety hazards.
5. Your Garbage Disposal Has Reached the End of Its Lifespan
Worn gaskets are hardly the only age-related wear that garbage disposals can sustain. These units can develop cracks in their chambers that also lead to standing pools of water beneath sinks. Other signs of advanced, age-related wear include:
- Pungent odors that never go away
- Frequent clogs
- Dull impeller blades
- Recurring backups at kitchen sinks
Even with proper use and regular maintenance, all garbage disposals have finite lifespans. The average lifespan of a garbage disposal is 8 to 15 years. If your current unit was installed more than a decade ago, its functional problems are likely age-related.
Factors that affect the longevity of garbage disposals include:
- Quality of installation
- Frequency of use
- Water quality
- Materials
- Design
If you have untreated hard water in your home, hard water minerals will take a toll on all your plumbing-connected appliances. High concentrations of dissolved calcium and magnesium wear metal components down and can lead to garbage disposal leaks, loud grinding noises, jammed impeller blades, and more.
We help homeowners in Greenville, TX maintain safe, efficient, and high-functioning garbage disposals. Our residential plumbing services team offers expert drain cleaning and drain repair, new garbage disposal installations, and garbage disposal repairs. To schedule an appointment, get in touch with Patterson Plumbing today!
