Give your garbage disposal a fast reboot
Garbage disposals are intuitive little appliances—if they overheat, are clogged, or have faulty wiring, they’ll automatically shut off. Luckily, if you know how to reset a garbage disposal, a button helps you determine the cause of a shutoff. Before you call in a pro, try these quick and effective ways to reset your garbage disposal and get it back up and running in no time.
If your garbage disposal requires resetting, it typically indicates a larger problem with your appliance. You’ll have to troubleshoot your garbage disposal issue, which could include:
Overheating
Clogging
Dull grinder blades
Motor malfunctions
Leaky hose or pipes
A leaky seal or flange
Electrical issues
Unit completely burned out (requires replacement)
The garbage disposal reset button will automatically pop out when one of these issues occurs. You’ll need to inspect your garbage disposal right away—the last thing you want to do is leave your unit open to electrical issues, serious clogs, leaks, or foul odors.
Nip the problem in the bud and avoid having to replace your garbage disposal by quickly and efficiently resetting your appliance.
If your garbage disposal stops working, these are the signs that you need to reset your unit:
The garbage disposal doesn't turn on.
You check underneath the garbage disposal, and the little red reset button has popped out 1/4 of an inch.
Your unit hums but doesn’t grind.
Your unit has overheated.
There’s waste clogging your garbage disposal.
You notice a tripped circuit breaker (the circuit breaker box is hot to the touch, and you smell something burning).
There are several ways to reset and repair your garbage disposal. With a little determination, handy homeowners can find a solution.
The simplest fix is to grab a flashlight, get beneath your garbage disposal, and press the popped-out red reset button. Wait 10 minutes, turn on the water, and try running the garbage disposal. If everything works, the red button will stay flush underneath the unit. But if it’s popping out again, it’s an indication of another problem.
If your garbage disposal doesn’t turn on after resetting the garbage disposal reset switch, it might be overheated or have an electrical issue. Before you call a local electrician, try these methods:
Look at your wall outlet, and see if your unit is plugged in. If it is, check to see if the outlet has power. You can test it by plugging in another appliance and seeing if it works.
After checking the plug, locate your circuit breaker if there's still no power. Turn off all appliances, find the switch for your garbage disposal outlet, and check to see if it's flipped to "off." If so, flip the switch from "off" to "on" and check to see if the garbage disposal works.
If your garbage disposal works but continues to trip the circuit breaker, you may have an electrical problem, such as a fault (when appliances short circuit due to aging electric or wiring issues). For this issue, it’s best to call in a pro.
If the circuit breaker switch wasn’t flipped from “on” to “off,” there may be a problem with your outlet’s wiring. Check your outlet for burning smells or burn marks. You should also check to hear if it’s buzzing or hot to the touch. Again, in this case, we recommend calling in a pro to diagnose the issue.
If wiring isn’t the issue, the switch itself may have gone bad. If your switch makes snapping, crackling, or popping noises when you turn it on, it’s a sign that you need to replace your switch. You can expect to pay between $100 and $200 for the cost of replacing a switch.
If the issue isn’t electrical, the next likely culprit is a blockage. To check, press the reset button and turn on your disposal. If it starts to hum but doesn’t grind, it’s time to troubleshoot it:
Turn off all power, including the garbage disposal power switch and the circuit breaker switch.
Locate the hole beneath the garbage disposal that turns the flywheel. The flywheel is a rotator that spins the impellers—and the impellers shred garbage disposal waste. If the flywheel doesn’t rotate, food will get clogged in your disposal.
Look next to the red reset button. Take a garbage disposal wrench (these typically come with your unit), or you can use an Allen wrench and turn the flywheel clockwise.
Move the flywheel back and forth to free up any excess debris. This movement should unclog your garbage disposal.
Grab your flashlight, and look down into the unit to see if everything’s clear. Run the water, turn the power back on, press the red button, and test it out.
If testing the flywheel doesn’t clear up a blockage, you’ll have to try a more invasive method.
Same as above. Turn off all power, including the garbage disposal power switch and the circuit breaker.
Grab a flashlight and look down the garbage disposal. If you see the blockage, try dislodging it with a wooden spoon, kitchen tongs, or a pair of pliers. Never put your fingers or hand inside the garbage disposal near the shredder ring.
Once the blockage is clear, run the water, turn the power back on, press the reset button, and test out your garbage disposal. Test it out a few times to ensure it’s working properly.
To reduce the likelihood of a clog, always avoid putting these items down your garbage disposal:
Bones
Fruit pits
Potato peels
Coffee grounds
Expandable foods (pasta, rice, and oatmeal)
Nuts
Eggshells
Fibrous foods (celery, pumpkin, corn husks, artichokes, and asparagus)
Seafood shells
Large quantities of food
Trash
Paint
Harsh cleaning chemicals
In addition, you should always run cold water down the drain to prevent sludge buildup. And always run the water before running the garbage disposal and for 15 seconds afterward.
DIYers comfortable with checking the electrical and dislodging waste can save between $90 to $250 in labor costs. However, if you’re uncomfortable checking it out yourself, call a garbage disposal repair company near you to diagnose the issue and provide solutions. The average cost of repairing a garbage disposal is $250. If you need to replace your garbage disposal entirely, you can expect to pay between $150 and $950.
The garbage disposal reset button is a red button located at the bottom of the garbage disposal. If the switch is flat against the unit, everything is working correctly. If the red button sticks out 1/4 of an inch, you know there's a problem.
When it comes to best practices for garbage disposal maintenance, never stick your hands or fingers down the shredder ring, even if all your power is off. There is still a chance the unit can kick on and cause serious injury. Instead, always use a wooden spoon, a pair of pliers, or kitchen tongs.
