Troubleshooting Garbage Disposal

If there is water coming out of the bottom of the garbage disposal, please immediately put a bucket or dish underneath to capture the water and dry the cabinet to ensure it is not damaged.  Please stop using the sink and enter a work order into the Grey Falcon Portal immediately.

CAUTION: Do not put your hands into the disposal with power to the disposal EVER. Ensure the disposal is unplugged before putting your hands inside the disposal. If you are uncomfortable with that, it is understood and we wish for safety first.  We will send a technician, but if we determine it is caused by tenant action the cost of sending the vendor will be the tenant’s responsibility.

If you do anything with the garbage disposal, make sure you do not turn on the disposal with your hand inside the drain and if there are exposed wires, please do not troubleshoot and inform Grey Falcon Properties.

Without putting your hands in the disposal, and the disposal plugged in, switch it on and if you hear a humming, but the disposal is not “working” then please turn off the switch and find the disposal key (pictured below). It fits in the center of the disposal at the very bottom. The tool fits into the hole on the bottom until the hex head fits the hex indentation. Pull the key horizontally towards you to move the inside wheel and break it loose. Ensure to take the key off the disposal and turn on the disposal to see that it works.

If the switch doesn’t do anything, either after being stuck and unstuck or just normally nothing happens when the switch is flipped. Underneath the disposal there is a button, this is the reset switch. You need to push this button and if power is to the unit it should restart.

If there is still no power to the unit, please check the breakers to see if any have been “tripped”, meaning they are in the off position or the half off position.


Taking Care of Your Garbage Disposal

What Causes a Garbage Disposal Drain Clog

Your garbage disposer is a key appliance in your kitchen and one often taken for granted. Your disposal will have no problem grinding most food waste, but that’s not where the problems with a “clog” lies. Clogs are most often caused by how the ground food waste reacts to water or lack of water after the disposal unit has ground it up and sends it on its way into drain line. When a garbage disposer clogs you will often find the problem in the trap found on the waste discharge side of the disposal.

Here is a quick rundown on the most common causes of clogs:

Lack of Flushing Water

Not putting enough water down the disposal when it’s grinding is a sure way to clog the line. Over time the lack of flushing water does not carry the waste material fully through the drainage system and it builds up in the drain lines.

Grinding Egg Shells or Coffee Grounds

These items may not seem like a problem but are a big problem. Grinding egg shells or coffee grounds will create very tiny granular waste that will stick to any sludge in the pipe and quickly create a clog.

Grinding Potato Peels

Potato peels are notorious clog makers. Once ground up they form a starchy paste similar to mashed potatoes and quickly clog the drain. 

Grinding Banana Peels

These are a similar problem to potato peels except they also add stringy fibers to the mix.

Simple Fix

The simplest way to avoid a clog is to make sure you flush the disposal with plenty of water when it is grinding and for 30 seconds afterward. Then occasionally maintain your disposal by regularly grinding up pieces of lemon peel and ice cubes.

Follow these simple guidelines to keep your garbage disposal running well.