The term "garbage disposal" leads people to believe you can place all kinds of food and debris down the drain. In fact, these units aren't meant to grind up all your waste. Coffee grinds, potato peels, and peanut butter are just a few food items that can cause problems. If the garbage disposal in your Redmond, WA, home is humming but not spinning, read on to find out why this may be.

Your Garbage Disposal Has Power

Given their close proximity to dishwashers and the fact that they're installed in sinks, garbage disposals are connected to ground-fault circuit interrupters. This way, if there's ever a plumbing leak, problems with faulty wiring, or other electrical hazards, the GFCI will automatically disconnect the power supply.

A humming sound may mean that your garbage disposal has a feature that cuts power to the blades if it senses something is amiss. Even though your disposal isn't grinding up food or clearing your drain, it could kick into action at any moment. Attempting to remove an obstruction while the unit is still on could result in serious injury.

Your Disposal Is at Risk of Overheating

Humming noises can mean that your disposal is under stress. It may have a hard item inside of it that's preventing its impellers from moving. It may also have a clog or jam in its motor. The longer that you run the unit without first resolving the obstruction, the more likely it is to overheat or experience irreversible damage.

Garbage disposals have automatic shutoff switches to prevent their motors from burning out. If your unit suddenly stops humming, you can safely assume that this switch has been engaged.

What Went Wrong?

The most common cause of clogged and jammed motors and wedged impeller blades is improper use of a disposal. Instead of scraping all of your food waste into the sink, use your garbage disposal to eliminate the tiny scraps and residues that remain after you've emptied your dishes into the waste bin.

Always run plenty of water when using your disposal. You should also make sure that you're using this appliance often enough to keep its motor running smoothly. Letting garbage disposals remain dormant for weeks allows built-up waste to harden and solidify.

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® serves residents of Redmond, WA, and the surrounding areas. We offer top-notch plumbing, sewer, and water heater services. We also offer cutting-edge options in whole-house water filtration. If your garbage disposal is acting up, give Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® a call.