Disposals

At Isley’s, we get calls all the time for Clogged and Jammed Garbage Disposals. Here you will find a few tips that that may help, and keep you from spending a handful of cash on what may be an easy fix!

    1.    Not a Trash Can

• Your Disposal is NOT a trash can!! A disposal is designed for small bits of leftover food that may clog your pipes. Don’t put bones, plastic or anything hard into the Disposal that could jam it up.

    2.    Un-jam Me!

• If your Garbage Disposal just hums when you turn it on it is probably jammed. Most of the time it can be freed by using a ¼” allen wrench as a hand crank. Put it in the hole on the underside of the disposal. ALWAYS unplug the disposal before doing this.

    3.    Hit the Reset Button

• If the Garbage Disposal won’t do anything when you turn it on, it may be the reset button. Normally this is located on the bottom of the Disposal. If the Garbage Disposal becomes jammed or over amps, it may trip this overload switch. Simply push in the button and retry the switch. If it just Hums return to the “Un-jam Me” section of this page.

    4.    Always Run Water

• When using a Garbage Disposal you must always have the water running! Run the water before, during and after using the disposal. The water acts as a lubricant, Lubricating the teeth and pushing the ground up disposables through the drain.

    5.     Don’t Leave Food in Your Disposal!

• If food goes in the Disposal you should run it. Leaving food sit inside the disposal may corrode the inside of the unit if it isn’t disposed of immediately. You should always run the disposal after washing the dishes.

    6.    Keep it Clean

• Keep your Garbage Disposal clean. To keep it running effectively, try putting some ice cubes in side the disposal and running it. This will help clean and remove odors. You can also try running your favorite citrus peels through the unit. This will help clean the side walls and smells good too!

With the proper care, your disposal should last at least five years. And remember, You should ALWAYS unplug your Disposal before trying to service it in any way!