Garbage disposals help to maintain a kitchen and keep it clean. Leftover food waste from plates, vegetable trimmings and other organics are mulched within the disposal, and passed on through the sink drain pipes. With proper care, garbage disposals work efficiently and last for a long time. When performance issues do arise, troubleshooting procedures can be taken to discover the source of the problem. Conduct an inspection of your inoperative garbage disposal with the proper tools and basic home maintenance skills.
Never place your hand into a garbage disposal with the electric power supply connected to it. Disable the electrical supply and tag or otherwise mark the switch or circuit breaker to alert others of the work being done.
Check the circuit breaker for the disposal at the main panel to see if it has been tripped. Reset the breaker if necessary.
Turn power back on at the main electrical panel and check the garbage disposal for operation. If the disposal still will not turn on and makes no noise, the disposal will need to be replaced.