How to Fix a Garbage Disposal That Won’t Turn On

What’s Actually Wrong

A disposal that won’t turn on falls into two very different categories, and the sound (or silence) tells you which one you’re dealing with. Total silence, no hum at all, usually means it’s not getting power — a tripped reset button, a tripped breaker or GFCI outlet, or a bad switch. A humming sound with no spinning means it is getting power, but the flywheel inside is physically jammed on something and can’t turn. Knowing which one you have tells you exactly where to start.

Garbage Disposal Not Working: Quick Overview

When a garbage disposal is not working, the sound it makes (or doesn’t) tells you almost everything: total silence points to a power problem, while a hum with no spinning points to a physical jam you can usually clear yourself with a hex wrench. If the sink itself is backing up rather than the disposal failing to run, see our clogged kitchen sink guide. And if the disposal keeps tripping the same breaker, check our tripped breaker guide.

Tools You’ll Need

A hex/Allen wrench sized for your disposal’s manual turning port (most disposals include one, or you can buy a replacement), a flashlight, and a pair of tongs or pliers — never your hand — for pulling out whatever caused the jam.

Step-by-Step Fix

Always turn off the wall switch first, and never put your hand inside the disposal at any point in this process. Look on the bottom of the unit under the sink for a small red or black reset button and push it firmly until it clicks — this is the single most common fix and takes about ten seconds. If it just tripped from overheating, give the motor 5 to 10 minutes to cool down before resetting it, since it may trip again immediately otherwise. If you hear humming but no spinning, that’s a jam: find the hex-shaped port in the center of the bottom of the unit, insert the Allen wrench, and work it firmly back and forth in both directions to rotate the flywheel loose. Once it turns freely, use tongs (not your fingers) to pull out whatever was causing the jam, usually a fork, bone fragment, or fruit pit. If there’s total silence with no hum at all, check whether the unit plugs into an outlet under the sink with a GFCI — press its Reset button if it’s tripped — and check your home’s circuit breaker panel for a tripped breaker on that circuit. Once you’ve cleared a jam or restored power, turn the switch on briefly to confirm it runs, then run cold water through it for a few seconds to flush out any remaining debris.

Watch the Repair

InSinkErator makes most of the disposals under Texas sinks, and their own walkthrough covers the same reset button and hex-wrench unjamming described above.

When to Call a Plumber or Electrician

If the reset button won’t stay in, or it trips again within seconds of resetting, the motor itself may be failing and it’s worth having a pro take a look before you keep resetting it. If checking the breaker and GFCI didn’t restore power and the unit is hardwired rather than plugged in, that points to a wiring problem inside the unit, which is an electrician’s job, not a DIY one. And if the disposal is more than 8-10 years old and this isn’t the first time it’s jammed or lost power, it’s often more cost-effective to replace it than keep troubleshooting an aging motor.