| Garbage disposals offer homeowners and renters | | | | needed is to flip the switch and reset the disposal. |
| alike, the convenience of ridding themselves of | | | | 4. Freeing the Flywheel |
| unwanted items, quickly and easily. It's a simple fix | | | | The flywheel is the piece of the disposal that spins |
| for various types of waste and a staple in most | | | | the impeller, which cuts up the waste. This piece may |
| every home. But what happens if this handy device | | | | have become stuck, in which case you'll need a hex |
| breaks down? In this article we will outline some | | | | wrench to free it. Find the hex hole under the unit, |
| simple plumbing tips and techniques to help you | | | | apply the wrench, and rotate it until the piece is |
| potentially fix your garbage disposal before deciding | | | | loosened. |
| whether to call in a professional. | | | | 5. Maintaining the Impellers |
| 1. Keep Your Hands Out of the Drain | | | | If you suspect the issue lies with the idea that the |
| Fixing a broken disposal is not worth losing a hand | | | | trash is not being properly shredded, you may need |
| over. Keep in mind that there is a motor and a blade | | | | to sharpen the impellers. In this case, you'll need to |
| underneath the drain which can cause serious injury if | | | | remove the entire unit. Once this is accomplished, |
| you're not careful. Be sure to unplug all parts prior to | | | | remove the flywheel and take the impellers out the |
| attempting any sort of repair. | | | | sharpen them. Based on the type of unit, you may |
| 2. Tighten All Connections | | | | even be able to leave the impellers in place while |
| Check for leaks by running water through the | | | | sharpening. |
| removal and tighten any connections where leaks are | | | | 6. Clog Removal |
| apparent. You may also try taking the entire unit | | | | Remove the bolts on the drain pipes and inspect for |
| apart and replacing the seal. If the leak persists, you | | | | any readily apparent clogs. Remove anything that is |
| should replace the drain gasket. If all of these | | | | stopping the passage of waste and replace the pipes. |
| methods fail, it's time to take the unit in for servicing. | | | | If you've tried each of these possible solutions and |
| 3. Check Breakers | | | | still find you have a problem on your hands, if just |
| As the garbage disposal is an electrical device, it has | | | | may be time to call in a professional. The damage |
| been known to trip circuit breakers in some instances. | | | | you could potentially do by experimenting may end |
| Thus, it's a good idea to check and see whether the | | | | up costing you more in the long run. Play it safe, and |
| panels have been turned off. In this case, all that is | | | | when in doubt, ask for help. |