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There are many maintenance and repair issues that lead to a malfunctioning garbage disposal. Regular clogs place wear and tear on the motors, leading to an eventual shutdown. Electrical issues at the breaker, wall outlet, or disposal itself can fry the unit. The most common cause is simply a worn-down motor. These motors can only handle so much use before powering down for good. 

The main issue with garbage disposals is clogging. This can mean a clogging of the pipes that expel the food along with water, or a clogging of the mechanical parts themselves. The problem lies in the solution because you can’t easily see clogs if they’re inside the system, and reaching in to dislodge stuck items is a risky proposal. Call a pro and ask what they would do, but if you can’t see the clog easily, and running the unit won’t free it, you need to let a professional handle the fix. 

Never put glass in the garbage disposal. It can damage your disposal or eject shards of glass out of the disposal and cause injury. If you get broken glass in your garbage disposal, turn it off and cut the power from the breaker, use a tool like pliers or tongs to remove the glass, and use a wet-dry vacuum to remove the remaining glass pieces. If you can’t access the disposal safely, call a garbage disposal repair pro.

If your garbage disposal powers up and you can hear it hum, but the arms inside aren’t moving, the problem might be a stubborn clog, a build-up of grease, or a jam of the impeller plate. To troubleshoot these, ensure your unit is off and disconnected from its power source before checking inside the drain or attempting to manually rotate the impeller arms or plate from the underside of the unit. A hex wrench can help.