DO-IT-YOURSELF : Some Basic Maintenance Problems Are Disposable

The care and feeding of your waste disposal unit requires more than simply throwing garbage down the drain. A regular maintenance program will extend the unit’s life and reduce the chance of a breakdown.

Of course, sometimes problems will occur, but often you can make these simple repairs yourself.

Maintaining the Disposal

* Do not pack waste material into the disposal unit. Let an abundant stream of cold water from the faucet wash the material away with it. Cold water congeals grease and aids in its removal.

* Do not put materials containing metal, china, glass, rubber, cloth or leather into the unit, unless the owner’s manual specifically states the unit can accept such materials.

* After the grinding is completed, let the cold water run for a minute or so to clear the line.

* Never put chemical drain cleaners into the disposal unit. They can cause serious damage.

* Never put your hand in the unit, even if it’s turned off. Someone could turn it on, and you could suffer serious injury.

Handling Problems

If the disposer jams, posing a very common problem often caused by putting material into the disposal that cannot be easily ground up:

* Turn the power off, either by unplugging the unit or by setting the circuit breaker to “off” or by removing the fuse that controls the unit.

* Free the flywheel by jogging it with a broom handle. If the problem persists, use pliers to remove the material that is jamming the disposal.

* Some disposals are equipped with a reverse switch; in such units a jam can often be cleared by running the unit briefly in reverse.

* After unjamming the disposal, drop a handful of ice cubes into it and grind them up to remove any residue.

* If the overload protector has turned off the disposal, wait 15 minutes for the motor to cool before resetting the button. (Some disposals do not have a reset button. Instead, the protector reset switch turns on automatically. If it does not, then the protector switch is defective.)

When the disposal doesn’t run at all:

* If the disposal plugs into a wall outlet, use a lamp to check the outlet to be sure it has power. If the disposal is wired directly to the service panel in its own circuit, check the fuse or circuit breaker. If necessary, replace the fuse or reset the breaker.

* If the problem appears to be something else, press the overload protector reset button, or let the unit automatically reset itself.

* If the problem persists, you may have to check your wall switch and replace it if defective, or call for service.