What kind of repair person fixes insinkerators?

Forums: Home Repairs, Insinkerators, Disposals
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Seriously. I had a plumber who fixed it once, when there for other stuff as well, but last time I had a plumber in he laughed at me for asking.

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Type: Question • Score: 4 • Views: 3,208 • Replies: 31

[+5] - dlowan - 04/14/2012Actually, this plumber is a mate, and he knows heaps of stuff. Like he's a Tae Kwon Do, or judo or something master and teacher. he's also a great decorator. Once, another friend called him...
[+3] - Rockhead - 04/14/2012Is the plumbing part of it not working, or the electrical part of it? you either need a plumber with electrical know how, or an electrician that is plumbing familiar. or a handyman......

@dlowan,

Is the plumbing part of it not working, or the electrical part of it?

you either need a plumber with electrical know how, or an electrician that is plumbing familiar.

or a handyman...

(ummm, mebbe a handyperson)

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I agree with the handyperson, at least some I know.

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When those things have problems I install new ones, at my job. It's not that many can't be fixed, but that the time and effort involved is not worth it.

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@Rockhead,

Damned if I know what's wrong with the bloody thing! I'd let it be, but it's becoming an issue because it holds onto water for a long time and when people come round nothing I say seems to stop them putting scraps in it, which I then have to take out. Ewwwwwwww!

Handy person, eh? I know me a couple of them.

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@edgarblythe,

Not sure what would cost more?

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Did I mention that whatever the helll is wrong with the new posts thing is driving me crazy? I had no idea there were answers here until I checked in My Topics.

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@dlowan,

What's going on with it? Won't turn on? Turns on but doesn't spin? Drain backs up?

If it turns on but doesn't spin, then it's probably jammed. Turn it off (preferably at the breaker). There should be an allen wrench (the end looks like a hexagon) that fits in the bottom. Try turning anti-clockwise to release the jam, then reach in and see if you can find the debris that jammed it. (The reaching in part is why you turn it off at the breaker.)

If the drain backs up, you should be able to find one of these at your local hardware shop:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31MU6Sm%2BScL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/Cobra-Products-331-Cleaning-Attachment/dp/B000KKRQUM/ref=sr_1_16?s=kitchen-bath&ie=UTF8&qid=1334451443&sr=1-16

Under the sink, you disconnect the drain, then you stick this thing in it, attach a hose, and turn on the water. The bladder inflates, sealing the drain, and forces water down the drain.

These come in various sizes, so you can get 'em that fit kitchen sinks all the way up to ones you stick in the toilet.

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@DrewDad,

I forgot to mention, any time you disconnect something under your sink you need to make sure you do it over a bucket or a pan. Saves a ton of clean up.

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@dlowan,

Nods. I've learned to look back to the day before.

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I was talking problems. Not clogs and leaky drain hoses.

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Isn't there a reset button on the garbage disposal - usually pushing the button does the trick and it's working again.

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@CalamityJane,

Yes, it should have a built-in breaker that can be reset.

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If you are able to view it, this fix-it video from PBS's This Old House show may help you fix it yourself or at least diagnose it.

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,20210077,00.html

In case you can't view it, there's some step by step text that goes with it.

Quote:

Steps:

1. Confirm that electricity is flowing to the garbage disposer by first checking the circuit breakers or fuses at the main electrical panel. If that fails to restore power to the disposer, flip the disposer's wall switch. If you hear the disposer motor humming, immediately turn off the switch. Then unplug the disposer and proceed to Step 2.

If there's no electricity to the disposer, reach inside the sink cabinet and press the thermal overload button located on the bottom of the disposer. Flip the wall switch again. If the motor hums, turn off the switch, unplug the disposer and proceed to Step 2.

If pressing the thermal overload doesn't restore power to the disposer, call in a licensed electrician.

2. Check to make sure the disposer is unplugged. Then locate the recessed hex-shaped hole in the bottom of the disposer. Insert into the hole the hex-head Allen wrench that came with the disposer.

Use the wrench to manually turn disposer's motor shaft first counterclockwise, then clockwise until the obstruction is dislodged and the motor shaft spins freely. If you can't turn the motor, proceed to Step 3.

Remove the wrench and plug in the disposer. From above, run water into the sink and turn on the disposer. If it runs smoothly, you're done.

3. If the disposer motor is still jammed, turn it with a special garbage disposer wrench.

Push the wrench down into the disposer from above and rotate it until its jaws lock onto the cutter wheel inside the disposer.

Forcefully turn the wrench first in a counterclockwise direction, then clockwise until the jam is cleared and the motor spins freely.

Remove the wrench, plug in the disposer and check its operation.

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@dlowan,

Ah, sorry, I just saw this. Do you have a double sink, and only the side with the disposal drains slow?

Does the disposal run at all?

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@dlowan,

You don't seem to want to use it anyway, so take it out and put in a regular drain, Wabbit. These are terrible things that put an added load on sewer systems for matter that can so easily be composted.

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@dlowan,

Quote:

but last time I had a plumber in he laughed at me for asking.

Plumbers only have to know two things: **** flows downhill and don't chew your nails.

What kind of repair person fixes insinkerators?

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