Garbage Disposal Humming But Not Working? Diagnose and Fix Humming Garbage Disposal Issues

51

A humming garbage disposal that won’t grind up food waste is a common problem many homeowners experience. While a humming noise means the garbage disposal is getting power, it often indicates the unit has become jammed or clogged. This prevents the blades inside from turning and grinding up debris as they should.

There are a few reasons why your garbage disposal may be humming but not actually working. Identifying the specific cause will help you troubleshoot the issue and get your unit functioning properly again. In some cases, a jammed garbage disposal can be easily fixed by freeing up whatever object is obstructing the blades. Other times, a full unit reset or replacing certain parts may be needed to stop the humming and get your garbage disposal grinding again.

Common Reasons for a Humming Garbage Disposal: Blade Clogs and Tripped Breakers

There are several likely reasons a garbage disposal might be humming but failing to operate normally:

1. Jammed Flywheel

The flywheel is a large, heavy disk inside the disposal unit that spins along with the blades to crush up food particles. If the flywheel becomes jammed and unable to spin, the motor may still function, resulting in a humming noise, but the blades won’t turn to grind up the waste. Jamming is often caused by spoon, bones or other very hard objects falling down the sink drain.

2. Stuck Impeller

The impeller is a rotating plate that helps push debris toward the garbage disposal blades. Like the flywheel, if the impeller gets stuck and cannot spin freely, the blades will not be able to properly grind up the waste in the unit despite continued humming from the motor. Bottle caps, corn husks and bits of glass are examples items that can obstruct the impeller.

3. Tripped Circuit Breaker

Many garbage disposals operate on a dedicated electrical circuit with a reset button that trips if the unit overheats. A tripped circuit breaker cuts power to the disposal, which is why you may hear humming but no grinding. It’s an important safety feature that prevents damage, but often indicates an underlying issue causing excessive strain.

4. Blocked Discharge Channel

Even if the flywheel, impeller and blades are all spinning correctly, a clogged discharge channel can prevent waste from exiting the disposal properly. Without open drainage, debris continues swirling around the grinding chamber. This puts strain on the motor with no productive outcome besides a humming noise.

5. Bad Motor

In some cases, a humming garbage disposal means the motor has become worn out or damaged and can no longer generate sufficient power to crush and drain debris. Motors on lower quality or older disposals typically last 5 to 10 years before needing replacement. Signs include loud humming with no spin as well as occasional smells of overheating from electrical strain.

What to Do if Your Disposal is Humming But Not Working

If your garbage disposal hums but won’t grind, try the following basic troubleshooting steps before calling a plumber:

1. Flip the Reset Switch

If your garbage disposal has a small red reset button (often located on the bottom), flip it completely off and then back on again. Much like a circuit breaker tripping, this reset switch helps prevent damage from overloads but cuts power in the process.

2. Check and Reset the Circuit Breaker

Check your main electrical panel for any tripped switches and carefully reset them if needed. The circuit breaker may have flipped from sudden spikes in electrical load. If it won’t reset or quickly trips again, contact an electrician to diagnose the cause.

3. Remove Objects with an Allen Wrench

Use an Allen wrench or hex key to detach the bottom plate underneath your garbage disposal (this lets you manually spin the flywheel to dislodge jammed objects). Carefully remove any foreign items obstructing the flywheel, impeller or blades.

4. Test with Cold Water On

Cold water lubricates and powers your garbage disposal unit. With any jam cleared, try turning the disposal on again while running cold water. The added liquid should help flush any remaining particles obstructing normal grinding.

5. Press Reset Button Multiple Times

If your disposal has a small red overload protection button, press it multiple times in succession while attempting to activate the grinding process. This may clear any stuck mechanisms and get the motor or blades working again.

6. Power Off then On Again

Unplug the garbage disposal from the electrical outlet or turn off power via the unit’s switch if it has one. Leave it powered off for 2 to 5 minutes before restoring power. If humming persists with no grinding, a outage may help overcome anything preventing normal operation.

7. Remove and Clean Disposal Blades

As a last resort before replacement, detach the garbage disposal unit from the sink drain and thoroughly clean all grinding components. Use an Allen wrench to remove and inspect the stainless steel blades inside, clearing any stuck food particles. Removing and resetting the unit may get it working again with normal grinding instead of just humming.

When to Replace a Humming Garbage Disposal

The following signs indicate a persistently humming unit likely requires full replacement:

• Loud humming combined with failure to grind debris after multiple reset attempts
• Strong, foul burning smells coming from unit
• Visible leaking grease or deterioration around the mounting sleeve
• Over 10 years old with no prior major service
• Need to constantly press reset to temporarily regain function
• Tripping the electrical breaker whenever activated
• History of corrosion due to lack of proper maintenance

Given the repairs often exceed costs for a newer, higher efficiency unit, replacement becomes the smart option when your garbage disposal stays humming and struggling to operate smoothly after troubleshooting efforts.

How a Garbage Disposal Works – Key Components

Understanding the internal parts responsible for grinding up food waste in your sink drain helps troubleshoot why a disposal may hum while failing to work properly. Key components include:

• Motor – Powers the spinning turbine and blades to pulverize debris.
• Grinding Ring – Ridged metal plate affixed to the spinning turbine. The edge pulverizes waste against the stationary shredder ring.
• Shredder Ring – Metal ridges lining the grinding chamber wall that the spinning ring uses to grind particles.
• Turbine – Metal plate with lugs mounted to the motor drive shaft. Rotates at high speeds to grind up sink debris against the shredder ring.
• Flywheel – Massive weighted disk mounted under the turbine and motor. It provides inertia for smooth operation.
• Impeller Blades – Angled blades extending down from the turbine into the disposal chamber to direct falling debris into the grinding path.
• Inlet Channel – Opening at the top/neck where food waste enters the unit. Contains a splash guard.
• Discharge Channel – Exit tunnel below the grinding chamber where ground up sink particles flow to the drain pipe.
• Reset Button – Releases motor circuit overload protection following temporary disposal faults. Often lets users reset the unit without cutting all electrical power.

Troubleshooting Chart for a Humming Garbage Disposal

Use the following helpful chart to identify common issues causing a humming noise combined with failure to grind properly:

As shown, basic problems like something stuck in the flywheel or a tripped circuit breaker often lead to a humming garbage disposal. Clearing obstructions and pressing reset buttons may resolve these simpler issues.

However, continual activation of the overload protection, strange smells or leaking grease indicates more significant problems requiring replacement parts or full unit replacement. If you hear humming combined with no grinding after multiple tries, it likely means a bad motor or severely worn components.

DIY Garbage Disposal Repairs When Humming But Not Working

Here are tips to troubleshoot and complete basic garbage disposal repairs yourself when safe:

Remove and Clean Spinning Components

Detach the bottom housing plate securing the grinding components (use an Allen wrench in the attachment point). Carefully remove the turbine, flywheel, impeller and blades. Rinse under water while wearing gloves to dislodge compacted waste material. Reset the parts in place and reassemble disposal unit.

Drain Clogged Discharge Channel

Place a sink stopper and fill chamber with 2 gallons of cold water. Activate disposal to flush downward through discharge tunnel thoroughly into household plumbing, clearing any chunky debris clogging drainage. Test disposal grinder afterwards.

Replace Grinding Rings

The spinning grinding ring gradually wears down with longterm use as sedimentary minerals erode the cutting edge. Listen for metal on metal screeching – a sign it’s time to swap in new garbage disposal grinding rings. Marks on inside housing also indicate excess wear.

Swap Electrical Wiring

Faulty or damaged wiring causes many garbage disposal electrical issues. Feel for hot spots on outside casing after extended humming, indicating loose wires not designed to handle disposal power demands. Replace wiring with thicker gauge, high strand copper components.

When to Call a Professional for Garbage Disposal Repairs

While the steps above can fix many basic humming issues, the following scenarios require contacting a professional plumber or appliance repair technician:

• Persistent tripping of the electrical breaker immediately upon activation
• Visible cracks in the plastic outer casing or white smoke emerging
• Signs of water leaks at base, faulty drain connections or missing splash guard
• Loud screeching sounds from metal grinding or impeller parts rubbing
• Discolored water backing up from household drain pipes into sink basin
• Inability to remove spinning turbine parts once bottom plate is detached
• Missing essential safety components like a properly functioning reset button
• Major difficulty detaching electrical supply wires during repairs
• Reoccurring issues shortly after DIY repairs or part replacements

When in doubt, call a professional plumber or appliance specialist to properly diagnose why your garbage disposal hums but won’t grind debris despite troubleshooting efforts on your part. Continuing to run a damaged unit likely worsens issues over time – leading to permanent motor failure, electrical shorts or water damage risks.

Signs It’s Time to Replace a Garbage Disposal

While repairs and resets often return function to a humming, struggling disposal, units more than 9 or 10 years old likely need full replacement. Ongoing problems grinding waste combined with the following likely means replacement makes sense:

• Constant Humming with Little to No Grinding – Despite removing jams and blockages, the unit continues producing loud humming/buzz noises with minimal grinding success. This typically indicates worn out internal parts or permanent issues like a damaged flywheel, impeller or defective motor windings.
• History of Frequent Repairs – If you’ve already replaced the flywheel, reset button, motor or multiple components in recent years, excessive repairs indicate overall unit decline. It becomes more cost effective to replace everything.
• Strange Odors or Visible Corrosion – When burning smells persist or water leaks reveal rust buildup, smaller repairs won’t address deterioration corroding key components from the inside. Replacement is recommended.
• Outdated Parts Hard to Find – Older garbage disposals use obsolete designs or unique parts difficult to locate from third party suppliers. Function may decline further once certain pieces fail requiring custom fabrication at high expense. Newer disposal models feature standardized, readily available components.
• Higher Energy Efficiency Options – Buying a newer unit takes advantage of large motor efficiency improvements over the past decade. Even if technically repairable, higher utility costs usually justify upgrading an older garbage disposal to contemporary standards.

Where to Buy Garbage Disposal Replacement Parts

For minor garbage disposal repairs, the following retailers offer reliable replacement parts like grinding rings, turbines, impeller blades and reset buttons:

• Amazon – Fast access to reasonably priced components compatible with most disposal brands and models. Prime shipping includes returns if parts don’t properly fit upon arrival.
• The Home Depot – Convenient local pickup of common garbage disposal repair parts like grinding rings/blades, though selection is somewhat limited.
• Appliance Parts Pros – Large online catalog of specific garbage disposal components searchable by individual manufacturer model numbers.
• Repair Clinic – User friendly disposal replacement parts lookup with how-to videos for many garbage disposal brands and DIY repairs. Includes useful troubleshooting charts.
• eReplacement Parts – Broad option of grinders/motors for less common garbage disposal models along with specialty plumbing tools.

Be sure to check component measurements or consult owner manuals before finalizing purchases. Bring the garbage disposal model number, serial and manuals when buying locally to match the precise parts required.

Key Takeaways: Diagnosing a Humming Garbage Disposal

• Loud humming paired with an inability to grind waste almost always indicates an internal jam or component failure
• Start troubleshooting by checking for tripped circuit breakers, clogged drain lines and objects obstructing the flywheel
• Use Allen wrench bottom access to manually turn turbine and feel for hard obstructions
• For older units, replacement is likely more cost-effective than complex component repairs
• Strange smells, water leaks or electrical shorts accompanying humming call for professional assistance
• Understanding key inner disposal components aids troubleshooting when loud humming persists

Persistent humming or buzzing coming from your electric garbage disposal usually means something is blocking the internal mechanism tasked with crushing your food waste. By methodically checking possible problem areas and understanding how disposals function, many homeowners can implement repairs getting their unit fully operational again. Knowing when to call in a plumbing professional also ensures you don’t worsen any safety issues. Equipped with the right information, that humming noise often leads to an easy, inexpensive garbage disposal fix.

FAQs About Garbage Disposals Humming But Not Grinding:

Here are answers to 10 common questions homeowners have regarding garbage disposal problems associated with humming noises combined with failure to actually grind up food debris:

Why does my garbage disposal hum but won’t grind up food waste?

The most likely cause is a jammed flywheel, stuck impeller or some other blockage preventing the internal blades from spinning normally. This allows the motor to run and hum, but keeps the mechanism from processing waste properly.

What does a humming noise from my garbage disposal indicate?

The humming sound itself signals that power is flowing normally to the garbage disposal unit. So while humming means the motor is activated, continued loud buzzing combined with an inability to grind is almost always caused by a blockage. Something is obstructing full motion of internal components.

My garbage disposal hums loudly when turned on but stops grinding food – what’s wrong?

This points to a jam in the flywheel, broken impeller blades or another issue like small bones or glass keeping internal components from spinning properly. The motor engages to create humming, but parts responsible for waste grinding aren’t able to move.

What causes a garbage disposal to just hum with no grinding?

Common causes include something hard or fibrous jamming the flywheel, a tripped or worn out motor, blocked drainage pipes preventing debris from exiting, broken impeller blades or issues with wiring causing voltage drops. Any obstruction to free spinning motion translates to humming absent grinding.

My garbage disposal is humming and trips the circuit breaker when turned on. What should I do?

Frequent circuit breaker trips while the disposal hums likely indicate an internal wiring short or motor problems with worn out windings or bad bearings. But first inspect the reset button to rule out simple overloads. Several disposal faults can trip breakers – hire an electrician if issues persist after resets.

I removed objects stuck in my garbage disposal but it still just hums. Now what?

Double check that no pieces of broken glass, bones or fibrous material remain jammed in the flywheel after disassembly. Try rotating the lower turbine plate by hand via the center bolt. It should spin very freely. If not, a grinding or impeller component is still obstructed or requires replacement.

Can I fix a humming garbage disposal myself or do I need to call a plumber?

In many cases, DIY repairs are possible – especially for basic jams or removing stuck objects. But if internal components are damaged, you smell burning from overloaded circuits, the unit trips breakers or leakage occurs, play it safe by calling a professional plumber to properly diagnosis and service the unit.

Is a constantly humming garbage disposal dangerous?

Loud humming with no waste grinding poses no immediate danger provided there are no signs of smoking, strange odors or leaking water. Allowing units that trip electrical breakers or emit burning smells to remain activated risks much larger issues from shorts and overheating. Power down and call experts regarding a humming unit with other troubling symptoms present.

How much does it cost to repair a humming garbage disposal?

Simple DIY unclogging when just stuck averages $10 to $30 in parts. Motor or wiring repairs average $150 or more in labor plus parts. Full garbage disposal replacement ranges from $175 to $500 depending on power, speed and brand. Always weigh costs vs replacement since repairs often approach 50% of new cost.

Is a humming garbage disposal annoying?

Constant or loud humming certainly qualifies as an annoyance, especially when accompanied by failure to actually process and eliminate food waste. Basic troubleshooting to dislodge stuck items offers a quick remedy. But left unchecked, the humming remains a nuisance. Replacement may make life much more pleasant if repair efforts don’t resolve it!