Derrick Jensen
The garbage disposal is one of the important systems inside the kitchen that requires regular maintenance. One of the common reasons your garbage disposal clogs or the hoses and blades wear down is due to high amounts of fibrous substance or grease and insufficient water. You can learn the basics of how to repair a garbage disposal through the identification of the main problem and studying the parts and its purpose of the disposal. The following procedures can be taken in clearing a clogged garbage disposal. These steps do not require the service of the professional.
- The product manual is very important in repairing the system. This can provide you instruction on the things that can be performed safely on the disposal. It can also give you a complete disposal diagram prior to taking off the parts.
- The hex wrench can be a powerful tool in your method of repairing. This kind of tool is basically secured near the system for small repair task. The hex wrench can be identified easily because it is made of thin metal and is usually small. It consist of six sides that can tighten all the mounting bolts on the garbage disposal. This is commonly called as hex key and can also be used in repairing a bike or furniture.
- Before starting your cleaning activity, it is important that you turn off the circuit breaker to your system. This is so that if the wall switches are not connected properly the power has no chance of getting into the impellers. Ouch!
- Use a flashlight to inspect the inside of the disposal. This can help you identify the source of the problem.
- Detach the rubber catch or the drain cover if possible.
- You can put a wooden spoon handle or a hex wrench into the disposal. You can rock it between or side to side of the impeller in order to loosen up any caught food. If you discover a hard object, like a bone, you can use a tong to pull it up. It is not advisable that you force it to go down the hoses.
- You can verify if the system is unclogged by turning the power on. If the system is still clogged, turn off the power supply again. Going underneath the sink and detaching the hoses that are connected to the disposal is your next job to perform. If there is excess water in the sink be prepared with a bucket or large container to catch the water. The hex wrench can be used to clear the impellers from below. Determine if there is still food that is stuck. If you believe that it is clear, then you can reconnect the hoses of the system.
In order to verify if it is totally clogged free, you may turn on the water and also the garbage disposal. Check if the disposal is working properly. If you conduct a regular maintenance of your garbage disposal, a major problem can be eliminated and you will have the chance of saving money by not requiring the help of a professional.
