| Virtually Every Garbage Disposal Clogs Up At Some | | | | the shaft and manually turn the shaft to free it up. |
| Point | | | | Sometimes the wrench is included with the disposal. |
| Garbage disposals can be a great tool in your kitchen | | | | If not a standard "Allen" wrench will get the job done. |
| if used properly. They make cleaning up after dinner | | | | How To Unclog A Garbage Disposal With A Wrench |
| and rinsing dishes off a breeze. But they are all | | | | Make sure the power switch is off before going to |
| somewhat prone to getting clogged if some basic | | | | the next step! If you're not sure, or if you have an |
| guidelines aren't followed. | | | | air switch, turn off the breaker serving the disposal. |
| The Best Garbage Disposal | | | | Turn the faucet on and stick the wrench into the |
| People often wonder what is the best garbage | | | | bottom of the shaft. The opening for this should be |
| disposal to get to avoid these problems. Without | | | | in the middle of the bottom of the garbage disposal. |
| going into a full blown garbage disposal review, a | | | | Now turn the wrench back and forth a couple of |
| good plan is to choose a model with the highest | | | | times until you can turn the wrench all the way |
| horsepower rating your budget allows. And make | | | | around freely. |
| sure the model you select has a way to manually | | | | The Broomstick Method |
| turn the shaft if it gets stopped up. | | | | If your disposal has no hole for a wrench at the |
| It Makes A Difference How You Use It | | | | bottom you can always try using a broomstick. Take |
| No matter what kind of garbage disposal you have, | | | | about a 2 foot long piece of broom stick, stick it in |
| how you use it has more to do with how well it | | | | the top of the disposal and pretend you are stirring a |
| works than what brand or model it is. Even the best | | | | big pot of stew while bearing down on the stick. |
| garbage disposal clogs up sometimes, especially if it | | | | While not nearly as effective as the wrench method, |
| gets a lot of heavy use. | | | | on some models it's your only choice. |
| Remember To Always Turn The Faucet On First | | | | I Thought I Left My Rings On The Counter |
| So how should you use your garbage disposal? The | | | | Once you've got the shaft turning, turn the switch |
| first rule is to always turn the faucet on when you | | | | back on. The disposal should drain now. If not, or if |
| are using a garbage disposal and let it run for several | | | | you weren't able to get the shaft unstuck, there |
| seconds after you turn the disposal off. Remember, | | | | may be something (hopefully not an expensive ring) |
| everything that you put in the garbage disposal goes | | | | causing the jam. Making sure the switch is off, look |
| right into your plumbing system so it takes a little | | | | down inside the disposal. It will probably help to use a |
| water to wash it down the pipes. | | | | flashlight. If you can see anything inside, try to get it |
| Take It Easy | | | | out with a pair of needle nose pliers. |
| Another tip is that it is not a good idea to try to put | | | | The Last Option |
| too many large pieces of food through the disposal. | | | | If you can tell there is something inside but it won't |
| I've seen garbage disposal clogs caused by someone | | | | come out with the pliers it may require removing the |
| trying to grind big pieces of carrots. All of the drain | | | | disposal. If the shaft won't turn at all, then the next |
| piping under the sink was full of grated carrot. | | | | step is learning how to unclog a garbage disposal. |
| Asking For Problems | | | | Removing A Garbage Disposal |
| It is certainly tempting to just dump everything into | | | | The key to removing a garbage disposal is to not |
| the big hole in the sink and flip the switch, but that is | | | | get in too big a hurry. The drain connection usually |
| asking for trouble. I actually know of one situation | | | | attaches to the disposal with a clamp that just needs |
| where a guy was dropping eggshells down his | | | | to be unfastened, so take this apart first. If the sink |
| disposal. He must have eaten a lot of eggs because | | | | bowl is backed up and full of water make sure you |
| the crushed up shells coated the inside of his kitchen | | | | have a bowl ready to catch the water. |
| drain pipe and finally stopped it up entirely. The entire | | | | Disconnect The Garbage Disposal From The Sink |
| drain pipe wound up having to be replaced. | | | | Once the drain is disconnected remove the mounting |
| Put The Big Chunks Somewhere Else | | | | assembly that connects the disposal to the sink. This |
| Hopefully that story shows how important it is to be | | | | will be either a big nut, a bracket held in place with |
| careful how you use your garbage disposal. Put | | | | screws or, on Insinkerator disposals, a clamp ring that |
| bigger scraps and trimmings in either the trash or a | | | | twists down. Once you have this loose you should be |
| compost pile and use the disposal for the small stuff | | | | able to remove the disposal from the sink, take the |
| that would otherwise get rinsed down the drain. Your | | | | rubber splash shield off and peek inside. |
| drain pipes will be better for it. | | | | Remove The Foreign Object And Reassemble |
| Garbage Disposal Clogs | | | | Everything |
| Sometimes even if you have followed all of these | | | | Now you can get whatever is jamming the blades |
| guidelines the garbage disposal clogs up anyway. No | | | | out and then, before you put everything back |
| problem, it's pretty simple to learn how to unclog a | | | | together, turn the switch on for a minute and make |
| garbage disposal. There are just a couple of basic | | | | sure the blade spins now. If it spins freely now, put it |
| steps to follow. | | | | all back together. Be careful and get all of the |
| Does The Motor Need To Be Reset? | | | | gaskets back where they go and then test |
| First, find out if the motor is jammed. If you flip the | | | | everything for leaks. Try the switch a few times to |
| switch and the disposal just hums, it is most likely | | | | make sure it works and put everything back in the |
| locked up. If the power stays on to the disposal this | | | | cabinet. |
| usually results in the motor cutting off, so lots of | | | | That's How Easy It Is To Unclog A Garbage Disposal |
| garbage disposals have a reset button (usually on the | | | | You now know how to unclog a garbage disposal. If |
| bottom). Turn the switch off, wait a few seconds | | | | your garbage disposal is working fine right now you |
| and push the reset button. | | | | may be thinking "so what?". The odds are that |
| Find For The Wrench Hole | | | | sometime you will need this information. When the |
| The next step is to unjam the disposal. Most garbage | | | | day comes to fix your garbage disposal, review this |
| disposals have an opening in the bottom that allows | | | | article and it will be a piece of cake. |
| you to insert an "Allen Wrench" into the bottom of | | | | |