Stay Safe During Severe Weather - Aztec Plumbing & Drains Has Plumbers Ready to Help!

My Garbage Disposal Hums But Doesn't Work

new sink and pipes

Why Is My Garbage Disposal Humming But Not Working?

Have you turned on your garbage disposal only to hear a faint humming and not the blade-turning and food processing you’re used to? There are a few reasons this may be happening.

If the disposal is humming, you are still getting power to the device, which rules out any electrical supply problems. Something else, usually a jam or a bad motor, is preventing the unit from working.

A Jammed Disposal

Jammed blades are often to blame when your garbage disposal is humming but not working properly.

Determine whether your disposal is jammed by following these steps:

  1. Turn off power to the disposal. You can simply flip the switch to the OFF position, but we suggest also unplugging the disposal.
  2. Visually check for food or foreign objects in the disposal. If there’s anything inside, remove it and try running the disposal. If you don’t see any blockage or if you clear the disposal and it still doesn’t work, move on to step #3.
  3. Use a wooden spoon to push and rotate the blades gently. After a few rotations, check to see if the disposal runs correctly. If not, continue to the next step.
  4. Use an Allen wrench to rotate the flywheel manually. Stick a ¼ inch Allen wrench into the hole at the bottom of the disposal.
  5. Turn the Allen wrench back and forth. Then check to see if the disposal runs normally. If the disposal still only hums and water doesn’t drain well, have a professional check for a clog in the P-trap under your sink.

Always run water while you are testing the disposal. Also, avoid keeping the disposal on for more than a minute at a time to prevent damage to the motor.

A Faulty Motor

If you’ve determined that your disposal isn’t jammed, you most likely have a disposal motor that needs to be repaired or replaced. If your disposal motor is at fault, it’s probably more cost-effective to just replace the garbage disposal altogether instead of repairing it.

If your disposal motor needs to either be repaired or replaced, consult with a professional plumber to get a quote so that you can make the right decision for your home.

Garbage Disposal Humming? 24/7 Emergency Repairs

If these DIY solutions didn’t work, there may be a deeper issue in your drains or with your disposal. Contact the Aztec Plumbing & Drains team today at 239-932-2959 for expert advice and service.

Learn More in Our Garbage Disposal Series:

Our Protection Care Plan Prevent “Middle of the Night” Plumbing Emergencies for One Low Cost!
Our Promotions
$950 Off a Whole Home Repipe
and a FREE 30, 40 or 50 Gallon Electric Water Heater!
Not valid with other offers, exclusions may apply. Residential customers only. Contact Aztec for details.
Expires 12/31/2024
$1450 Off a Whole Home Repipe Not valid with other offers, exclusions may apply. Residential customers only. Contact Aztec for details.
Expires 12/31/2024
Any Aztec Supplied Water Heater $100 OFF Offered for a Limited Time! Not valid with other offers, exclusions may apply. Residential customers only. Contact Aztec for details.
Expires 12/31/2024
Plumbing Service $50 OFF Not valid with other offers, exclusions may apply. Residential customers only. Contact Aztec for details.
Expires 12/31/2024
Drain Clear w/ Accessible Clean Out $35 Off Not valid with other offers, exclusions may apply. Residential customers only. Contact Aztec for details.
Expires 12/31/2024

Contact Us

Contact Us

  • By submitting, you agree to receive phone, email, or text communication from us per our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, which state that we will never share your personal information or spam you. Message/data rates apply. Consent is not a condition of purchase.

Our Services The Most Trusted Name Under the Sun
Plumbing
Drains
Water
Heaters
Repiping
Water
Filtration
Blog Service Image