Why is my garbage disposal humming but not working? 

A humming garbage disposal means that the unit is turning on but its blades are not turning, thus preventing it from grinding food waste in the grinding chamber. What is causing this? Why is my garbage disposal humming but not working? 

Honestly speaking, various factors may be causing your unit to produce a humming noise. For instance, this can be caused by a physical obstruction like a spoon or fork, an overheated motor, or even a clog. 

Whichever the case, it’s important to find out why your garbage disposal is making a humming noise. After all, it’s the only way you can be certain of what you need to do to resolve the issue. 

Fortunately, this guide looks at the most common issues that may be causing your garbage disposal to produce a humming noise, how to fix each problem, and how to prevent them in the future! 

Why is my garbage disposal humming but not working? 

• Foreign objects stuck in the blades. 

The blades of a garbage disposal are not designed to handle anything that goes into the unit. There are things that you can put in a garbage disposal and items that you should never put into the unit. For instance, garbage disposals are don’t design to handle non-food items like plastic bags, silverware, cutlery, and toys. 

Unfortunately, these items can accidentally find their way into the machine in one way or another. When that happens, these items get stuck in the blades, preventing them from turning. However, the motor will still try to spin the blades, resulting in a loud humming sound. 

How to fix this problem 

First of all, if you notice your garbage disposal is producing a humming sound, the first step should be to turn it off immediately and disconnect it from power. 

Next, use a flashlight to inspect the garbage disposal for any foreign object that is stuck in the unit. 

Use tongs or a pair of long needle-nose pliers to remove the foreign objects and pull them out of the disposal. 

Once you have done that, connect the disposal back to the power. Then run cold water into the unit, and turn it on to see if it’s working properly. 

• Clogged garbage disposal 

Similar to putting cutlery and foreign objects into the disposal, there are some food items that garbage disposals cannot handle. For instance, things like coffee grounds, and fibrous vegetables accumulate in the blades over time, preventing them from moving. As a result, when you turn on the device, the motor will receive power but the unit will not work since the blades are clogged. Instead, the garbage disposal will produce a low humming sound, indicating that there is a problem. 

How to fix a clogged garbage disposal

As mentioned earlier, the first step should always be to turn off the unit and disconnect it from power if you notice a humming sound. 

Next, insert a garbage disposal Allen wrench into the flywheel hole located at the bottom of the unit. Gently rotate the Allen wrench back and forth until the flywheel is free. 

Now run cold water into the unit to break up the clog and lubricate the inside of the garburator. 

Before you connect the unit back to the power, use a flashlight to check if the clog has been loosened. 

Finally, connect the disposal to the power and turn it on to confirm that it’s working properly without humming. 

• Faulty motor 

If your garbage disposal is not jammed or clogged, but still making a humming noise, there is a good chance that it has a faulty motor. 

While a faulty motor can be replaced or repaired, the best option is to replace the entire garbage disposal instead of repairing it. Alternatively, if you’ve got an Insinkerator garbage disposal, the manufacturer will repair the motor if it’s under warranty. However, if your disposal is almost 10 years, upgrading to a new model is still the best move. Besides, new garbage disposals are very quiet such that you can easily have a conversation while it’s running. 

Tips for preventing a humming garbage disposal 

Hoping you have fixed the issue of your garbage disposal humming but not working, there are a few measures you can take to keep your unit running smoothly without humming. Some of these measures are; 

• Regularly clean your garbage disposal with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. This helps to prevent the build-up of grease and food waste particles. 
• Do not put non-food items like plastic bags and silverware down the garbage disposal. 
• Always run cold water down the garbage disposal when it is running. The cold water helps to solidify any grease and oils in the food waste. Hence making them easy to flush through the plumbing system. 
• Avoid putting too much food waste down the garbage disposal at once. Also, make sure you break up large food particles into smaller pieces before you put them down your garbage disposal. 

Conclusion 

Now that you know some of the factors that may be causing your garbage disposal to produce a humming sound, go ahead and see if you can fix the problem yourself. And if you find it to be too complicated, you can always contact a professional plumber for assistance. However, you should not run a disposal that is producing a humming sound as you could cause further damage to the device.