Garbage disposals can come in extremely handy, but have you ever had the experience of turning on the switch and hearing silence in place of whirring blades? Before you run out and buy a new garbage disposal, make sure that yours is not just jammed. Our Lennar team has put together a how-to on dealing with this situation, as well as some other tips on caring for this small appliance. Garbage disposals can be very sensitive and sometimes, pieces of food or other items can cause them to jam. The garbage disposal is not meant to be used with large amounts of leftover food, especially items like potato peels or eggshells. Large bones and fibrous materials can actually damage the disposal. Make sure to refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for information on exactly how to use this appliance. When using the disposal, run cold water to wash down materials, letting it run for a sufficient amount of time to carry the particles down and into the main line, this will help prevent buildup on the transit pipes. If your disposal does not appear to be functioning properly, there is a method for working the gears free. Before you do this, make sure you turn the switch to the garbage disposal off and unplug it from the wall. Never place your hand into your garbage disposal. Take the special tool (it looks somewhat like an Allen wrench) that comes with your disposal to work the gears free. Remove the jammed item. Once the unit is cleared, put it back together, press the reset button on the bottom and plug it in. You may have to try a few times before the gears are freed. Once this is done, it should work properly. See below for a video demonstration about garbage disposals.
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