Make it safe
Turn off the breaker and verify the unit cannot start.
All guides
Greg’s field guide
Garbage Disposals
Unjam, reset, maintain, or replace the machine under the sink.
08
First, understand the job.
A humming disposal often needs a careful unjam, not a funeral. Keep hands out of the grinding chamber.
Greg’s stop sign: Treat the disposal as live until you have verified power is off at the breaker.
Step by step
Do it in this order.
Find the actual problem
Use the manufacturer wrench below the unit to rock the motor free.
Make the repair
Remove visible debris with tongs, never fingers.
Test your work
Reset the overload, restore power, and test with cold running water.
One last check
Dry everything, run the fixture more than once, and look again in ten minutes. A tiny drip now becomes cabinet damage later.