The garbage disposal is a hard-worker, there’s no doubt about that. But like all hard-working souls, the garbage disposal will eventually burn out. The average useful life of this humble appliance is only 15 -20 years; give or take a few. If you’ve overused or overstuffed your garbage disposal pretty much every day, your appliance may be lying at the defective end of the spectrum already.
Not sure if it’s time to replace your good old garbage disposal? Check for these obvious signs that should give you a hint.
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- Tell-tale odors
Garbage disposals are expected to give away an unpleasant odor since they are doing the dirty job of breaking down all the kitchen waste. But usually, the stink is manageable with meticulous cleaning and rinsing. A little bit of bleach or vinegar also does the trick and leaves the garbage disposal smelling fresh.
But if all your cleaning efforts don’t yield the best results, it is possible that the particles and deposits might have deposited into the blades and crevices of the garbage disposal. You may need to dismantle the equipment for a deep cleanse or replace it altogether.
- Repeat resets
The garbage disposal comes with a reset button to quickly troubleshoot minor issues. Basically, it instructs a stuck appliance to start afresh.
Of course, you can press the reset button when the appliance appears to be all caught up.
But this should happen once in a while. Just how frequently, you’d want to know. Let’s say only a couple of times in a few months. If you’re resetting the garbage disposal more frequently, it’s a clear indication that your appliance needs a replacement.
- Unexplained clogs
When we say clogs are a sign of failing garbage disposal, we don’t mean that ideal garbage disposals don’t clog. Clogs happen for several reasons, sometimes merely in the natural course of usage. Unclogging a garbage disposal isn’t that tough either. But if your garbage disposal is clogging often due to over-stuffing you probably need to find a new one with more capacity.
- No power
You may notice that the garbage disposal suddenly goes off power while in use. This may indicate a problem with the electrical circuit system supplying power to the appliance. But if that’s not the case, then the motor of the garbage disposal might have failed.
- Longer runtime
Garbage disposal is supposed to be incredibly efficient. If you do everything right, the waste should be through it quickly enough. If you notice that the garbage disposal is taking too long or is not working up to the standards, you need to get the appliance checked.
- Screeching Noise
A loud shriek always signals trouble. If that’s the kind of screeching noise your garbage disposal is making, you should know there’s a problem. Turn off the appliance, and check whether the blades and grates are attached properly. If you don’t seem to find any issues at a cursory inspection, you should get the internal machinery inspected.
- Leaks
If the garbage disposal is leaking, you don’t need any professional to certify that the appliance is malfunctioning. Sometimes, the problem is not with the appliance but with the faulty installation. If you recently reinstalled the garbage disposal, you may find a cure for leaks by checking that the installation was done correctly. You can call for the professional services of plumbers in Phoenix, AZ to assist you with the installation.
But if the leak is due to cracked or broken garbage disposal, you’ll need an immediate replacement.
- Humming noise
Did you notice an unusual droning sound when the garbage disposal is running? This isn’t something you should be ignoring. The humming noise may be due to a jam in the garbage disposal. There may be some particles stuck in the garbage disposal or in the grinding chamber. Make sure you do a thorough check and find the cause of the trouble. If the situation is left indoors, the appliance may get damaged beyond repair.
