Why Will the Bodies Exhibit Make You Think about that Garbage Disposal Repair You Need?

Avoid injury and learn more about safe DIY garbage disposal repair.

At first, it’s hard to see how the Atlanta stop on the Bodies Exhibition ties in to your desperate need for garbage disposal repair in Atlanta. One is a switch-operated mystery machine encased in a gray plastic and metal thingy under your sink. The other one is an “intimate and informative view into the human body… the Exhibition allows you to see and celebrate your body’s inner beauty in ways you never dreamed possible.” Completely unrelated, right? Wrong!

How does a garbage disposal work?

It literally eats my garbage; what more do I need to know? Much like your body, garbage disposals are complex mechanisms housed in a simple skin. While the outside can look uniform and pristine, many mechanical pieces have to work in perfect harmony in order for your garbage disposal to keep on doing its job. And, much like your body, basic self-diagnostics can be accomplished by you…but it’s best to leave the tricky stuff to the trained professionals.

Why isn’t my garbage disposal working?

If your disposal isn’t working at all, the first thing you should do is check the overload protector, and hit the reset button. Just like the outlets in your bathroom, your garbage disposal is equipped with what essentially amounts to a surge protector. When something goes wrong, the overload protector will automatically turn off your disposer. For example, if the disposer is jammed, or if you somehow forget it’s on and it overheats, the overload protector kicks in and shuts everything down. The switch on the wall might still be in the “on” position, but nothing will work.

Generally, the reset button for the overload protector is located under the sink, on the bottom of the disposer. Look for the red button sticking out by a quarter inch or more. Once you see it, go ahead and gently push it back in. If it refuses to stay in place, wait for ten minutes and try again.
If it still refuses to stay in place, or if the disposer continues to trip the overload protector, your disposer may need the help of the trained professional.

My garbage disposal runs okay, but there’s a weird noise.

If your disposer is making a clicking or rattling noise, chances are good there’s something stuck in it. Turn your disposer off, and grab a flashlight. Shine the light down in to the disposal chamber, gently pushing aside the black apron around the drain. Look at the chamber from different angles, paying special attention to the area around the outer edge. You should see the shredding disk(s) that look like little teeth. If you see anything in there that doesn’t look like it belongs, use a pair of tongs or pliers to pull it out. Do not reach into the disposer with your hand.

Once you’ve removed the foreign object (and avoided your own homemade version of the Bodies exhibit) turn on your water and run the disposer again. It should run quietly. If it doesn’t, or if the noise sounds more like a shrieking squeal, contact a professional. They can come diagnose any problems relating to the motor, or other parts not easily seen without taking the whole machine apart.

Think your garbage disposal is dead?

These things happen. Sometimes your spouse tries to grind up an entire bunch of celery. Sometimes your friend dumps old coffee grounds into your disposal. And sometimes your trusty disposal just up and quits. If you’ve done all of the above, and checked to make sure you didn’t trip the entire breaker to your kitchen, then it’s time to call for help.

If you happen to be in the Atlanta area, the pros here at Morningside Plumbing are definitely the ones to call. We have over 75 years of combined experience, and we can get you back to shredding leftovers in no time. Whether it’s a simple repair or full replacement, we’ll get your kitchen back to operational.

Click this link or call us today at 404-873-1881 and we’ll take care of all of your garbage disposal repair in mid-town Atlanta.