Fixing the Garbage Disposal
When you've lived long enough in a kitchen that has a garbage disposal, it's easy to get used to the idea that you can simply let the old grime and muck off of your dishes wash down your sink drain. It's only when the garbage disposal fails to work that we realize how much easier it made our lives around the home. So what do you do when your garbage disposal won't turn on?
In this article, we'll address this question in a specific case: what do you do if your garbage disposal won't turn on and won't make any noise?
First, a note of safety: it's crucial that you don't put your hand down the garbage disposal "hopper" - where the food goes. If your garbage disposal suddenly starts up, you'll find yourself wishing you hadn't put your hand down there, so be smart and don't do it at all! That's a basic rule of safety when working with a garbage disposal.
If your garbage disposal fails to turn on and won't make any noise, the first thing to do is to check the power itself. This may seem like an obvious solution, but it's the first place you'll want to look, as lack of power can mean other "fixes" don't do the job.
Next, if the power is fine, you'll want to check the re-set button on the bottom of the disposal (it's usually red and easy to find). Give the disposal a try after this.
If this still fails to get the disposal running, you'll actually want to check the circuit breaker. This is usually a good point to ask a professional or ask your landlord to help you out with your garbage disposal, as it may put you in unfamiliar electrical territory. It's best to leave it to the experts if you're not sure as to how to proceed.
Once someone is able to take a look at your garbage disposal, make sure you ask them about how they fixed it in case you need to know for future reference. If it helps, even make sure to write it down so that you can look back at your notes if your garbage disposal fails in the future. A good professional should be willing to give you advice.
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Originally posted 2009-09-25 03:32:24.
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Posted by Fix Handyman on August 30, 2010 in
Handyman, How to Fix, Sink, kitchen
Fix both plug burners and direct-wired burners.
"Oh, great." Your electric stove burner is out. You were going to pan-fry a delicious dinner for yourself, but your lack of mechanical prowess has thrown a wrench in your evening plans. What should you do? Call the landlord? Call a repairman? Do anything except try to fix it yourself? If you're cautious and have a little knowledge of mechanical safety, you can actually try to fix your own electric stove. Here's how.
First, there are two types of burners on electric stoves: plug burners and direct-wired burners. Let's look at each specific type.
Plug Burners
Your first goal in fixing your stove will be to determine where the problem is. The power cord that comes with a plug burner can actually help with this diagnosis, since you can try to change your power source. Try plugging in your electrical cord to a different outlet to see if you're able to get power from there. If not, there's a good chance that your problem comes with your cord or burner itself.
With the power off, make sure to examine the stove and see where anything might be going wrong. If you can see run-down pieces of equipment or other breakage, make a note of which part you'll need to replace.
Direct-Wired Burners
With problem diagnosis as your first priority, you're going to want to find out where the error is. With direct-wired burners, you'll probably want to open the two insulator clips. Again, make sure the power is off and disconnected from an electrical source when you do anything serious with electricity. If you're in doubt about your abilities, simply contact a professional, or at least someone who knows more about electric stoves than you do.
When you open these clips, you gain access to the wires feeding your burner - you might want to test this with another stove to see if it's working properly. If the other stove won't work with these wires, then you have an idea of where the problem is.
Remember to be extremely careful when working with electrical wiring, and that you have no contact with electrical parts that are connected and powered on. If necessary, simply turn power back on when you need to see if another stove will turn on, and do so only when you're safely distant.
Although you could learn something from exploring the inner workings of your stove, don't go digging in your electric stove burner when it's broken if you have no experience with it. If you're in an apartment, you'll want to contact a landlord. You can also try contacting a repairman if you live in a private home.
Photo Credits: Travelin' Librarian
Originally posted 2009-08-25 03:45:14.
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... and focuses on:
Posted by Fix Handyman on April 24, 2010 in
Handyman, How to Fix, Stove, kitchen
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