Why is my garburator humming but not spinning?
A garburator that hums but does not spin is almost always jammed. Something hard such as a fruit pit, bone, bottle cap, or cutlery is stuck between the flywheel and the grinding ring, so the motor gets power but cannot turn.
Switch the unit off and unplug it or turn off the breaker first. Never put your hand inside. Most models have a hex socket in the centre of the bottom of the unit. Turning it back and forth with the matching Allen key can free the jam. Remove the object with tongs, wait a few minutes, press the red reset button, and test with cold water running.
Garburator will not turn on at all
If there is no sound at all, the motor's overload protector has likely tripped. Press the red reset button on the bottom of the unit. If that does not work, check the wall switch, the plug under the sink, and the breaker or GFCI outlet.
If the reset button keeps popping, the motor is overheating or failing. Repeated resets can burn out the motor, so it is time for a professional look at our garburator repair service.
Why is my garburator leaking?
Where the water comes from tells you the cause. A leak at the top usually means the sink flange plumber's putty or mounting gasket has failed. A leak at the side points to the dishwasher hose connection or the drain pipe gasket. Those are usually fixable.
A leak from the bottom of the unit usually means the internal seals have failed or the housing has corroded. That type of leak cannot be repaired, and the garburator needs to be replaced.
What should never go down a garburator?
Grease, fats, and oils harden in the drain line. Fibrous food like celery, corn husks, and onion skins wraps around the parts. Expanding starchy food like rice and pasta, coffee grounds, eggshells, and bones cause jams and clogs further down the line.
Always run cold water before, during, and for about 15 seconds after grinding. Repeated slow drains after using the garburator can mean a buildup in the kitchen branch line, which needs drain cleaning.
Repair or replace your garburator?
Most garburators last about 8 to 12 years. A jam, a tripped reset, or a loose flange is usually a simple repair. Replace the unit when the bottom is leaking, the motor keeps overheating, it grinds poorly even after clearing, or it is noisy and older than 10 years.
When replacing, matching the horsepower to your kitchen use and confirming the dishwasher connection and drain height prevents future leaks and clogs.