How to unclog the garbage disposal
Some of the reasons a garbage disposal clogs include food or debris getting stuck and preventing the flywheel from moving and doing its job. The flywheel is the mechanism that rotates and grinds the food inside the disposer. Here are some tips on how to unclog your garbage disposal.
1) First of all, you need to make sure you have all the necessary materials and equipment to do the job. You need a hex key, a flashlight and a broomstick or wooden spoon.
2) You must turn off the disposer before you start working on it. This is for both ease and security purposes.
3) Often the problem lies with the garbage disposal blades being blocked or something. So, using a flashlight, take a good look through the sink drain to see if there is an object or objects blocking the blades. If there is indeed such an object in there, use a pair of pliers, tweezers, or any suitable tool to grasp the object, then remove it to unclog the garbage disposal.
4) A hex head wrench usually comes with a garbage disposal. However, in cases where you can’t seem to find it, a hex head wrench that fits into the hole at the bottom will suffice. Now you need to insert the hex key into the hole and turn it back.
and on way. Continue to do this to manually move and rotate the flywheel so it can clear of any obstructions.
5) Now, take a wooden broom handle or wooden spoon or fork handle and feed it back into the disposal through the sink drain. Use it to manually turn the steering wheel until you feel and feel that you can move as freely as possible.
6) Pull the broom handle or bucket out of the disposer and then turn it on to test if your efforts worked to resolve the issue.
One way to determine if a garbage disposal is clogged or not is to turn it on and off. If it is clogged, you can easily hear a buzz, but it does not work and the blades do not turn. If you can’t hear a buzz even if the power is on, then the problem is more than just a clog.
Always remember also that you normally have a reset button. It can be found at the bottom of the disposer and is usually a red button. Always attempt to reset your garbage disposals before performing any other repair or unclogging procedures.
And never put your bare hands inside any garbage disposal. The blades there are sharp and even if the power is turned off and the blades are stationary, they can still easily cut your hands.
Always save these tips on how to unclog your garbage disposal to stay safe and get the job done as efficiently and quickly as possible.