If your garbage disposal has suddenly stopped working, don’t panic\u2014it may not need to be replaced. In many cases, a simple jam is the culprit, and you can fix it yourself using the small \u201cS\u201d-shaped hex wrench that came with the unit. Most homeowners don\u2019t realize this tool even exists until they read the manual\u2014or stumble across a helpful article like this one.<\/p>\n
As a handyman, I often get calls about \u201cbroken\u201d disposals that just need a quick turn with this little tool. So here\u2019s how you can try fixing it before calling in the pros.<\/p>\n
Before you do anything, unplug the garbage disposal<\/strong> or turn off the power at the breaker box. Never, ever reach into a disposal with your hand or tool while it\u2019s connected to power. Even if it’s off, safety comes first.<\/p>\n Crawl under the sink and look at the bottom of the garbage disposal unit<\/strong>. Right in the center, you\u2019ll see a small hex-shaped hole<\/strong>. This is where the \u201cS\u201d wrench fits. Some disposals come with this tool attached underneath, but if yours is missing, a standard 1\/4-inch Allen wrench will work just fine.<\/p>\n Insert the wrench into the hole and gently try to turn it back and forth<\/strong>. If it\u2019s jammed, it might be stiff at first, but don\u2019t force it too hard. Work it slowly until you feel it loosen up and spin freely. This movement helps dislodge whatever is stuck between the blades.<\/p>\n After you’ve freed the blades, use tongs or pliers<\/strong> (not your fingers!) to peek inside the top of the disposal. You might find a bone, a spoon, or some other item that caused the jam. Remove anything you can see.<\/p>\n Once you’re confident the jam is cleared, plug the unit back in<\/strong> or flip the breaker on. Then test it by running cold water<\/strong> and switching the disposal on. If it hums or runs sluggishly, turn it off immediately and repeat the process.<\/p>\n If the disposal still doesn\u2019t run\u2014or you hear a loud humming without the blades moving\u2014it might be time to call a handyman or replace the unit altogether. Motor issues and electrical faults aren\u2019t DIY-friendly and are better handled by a professional.<\/p>\n Always keep that little \u201cS\u201d wrench in a drawer under the sink or taped to the side of the disposal. It can save you time, money, and the headache of calling someone out for a 5-minute fix.<\/p>\n If you’re unsure or would rather let a pro handle it, I\u2019m just a click or a call away!<\/strong> I fix disposals, leaks, appliances, and more. Use the contact form right here on the site to schedule your fix today.<\/p>\n Need help fast?<\/strong> If your garbage disposal has suddenly stopped working, don’t panic\u2014it may not need to be replaced. In many cases, a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":178,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-177","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dms-handymanwebsites.com\/HM-1\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/177","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dms-handymanwebsites.com\/HM-1\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dms-handymanwebsites.com\/HM-1\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dms-handymanwebsites.com\/HM-1\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dms-handymanwebsites.com\/HM-1\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=177"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dms-handymanwebsites.com\/HM-1\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/177\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":194,"href":"https:\/\/dms-handymanwebsites.com\/HM-1\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/177\/revisions\/194"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dms-handymanwebsites.com\/HM-1\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/178"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dms-handymanwebsites.com\/HM-1\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=177"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dms-handymanwebsites.com\/HM-1\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=177"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dms-handymanwebsites.com\/HM-1\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=177"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Step 2: Locate the Hex Hole Underneath<\/h3>\n
Step 3: Insert the Wrench and Turn<\/h3>\n
Step 4: Check Inside (Carefully!)<\/h3>\n
Step 5: Restore Power and Test<\/h3>\n
When to Call a Pro<\/h2>\n
Final Tip from a Handyman<\/h2>\n
\n
\ud83d\udcde Call or Text: [Your Number]
\ud83d\udee0\ufe0f Book a Service Call Online: [Link to contact page]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"