First, the reset button
If the disposal hums but doesn't spin, it's jammed and the motor has tripped its overload. Turn the switch off. Reach under the unit and press the small red reset button. Then use the Allen wrench that came with it (or any that fits) in the socket on the bottom — turn it back and forth to free the jam.
- •Turn the power off first — never put a hand in a disposal
- •Press the red reset button on the bottom of the unit
- •Turn the Allen wrench in the bottom socket to free the jam
- •Pull out whatever caused it before running again
When it's more than a jam
If it frees up but hums and spins freely with nothing in it, the motor's likely done. If it leaks from the body, the seal's gone — that's a replacement, not a repair. Disposals don't rebuild cheaply; when the motor or the housing fails, replace the unit.
What not to put down it
The jams I see come from the same things: fibrous vegetables, grease that solidifies, and too much at once. Run the water, feed it slowly, and keep grease and bones out. Call and tell me what it's doing — I'll tell you if it's a free or a replacement before I come out.
Have a plumbing issue right now?
Call and leave a voicemail — Bob calls back during business hours. For the fastest reply (usually within the hour), email him directly.