If your garbage disposal stops working you should:

1. First, make sure the power is turned off to the garbage disposal unit by ALWAYS making sure the switch to the garbage disposal is turned to the OFF position.

2. Clear out anything inside the garbage disposal which might be jamming up the motor and stopping it from working.

3. Briefly flip on the switch to the garbage disposal. Do you hear a humming noise? If you do, then there is power going to the disposal and the problem is that the disposal is broken or there is something stuck in it.

4. If you turn on the switch to the garbage disposal and you do not hear any humming noise, locate the small button that is somewhere on the disposal and press it to “re-set” the disposal. Then try turning on the disposal again.

5. Finally, try re-setting all the circuit breakers in your electrical panel to see if you can get power back.

To learn how to do this click here to see How To Reset Circuit Breakers.

If none of this works, it’s time to call a good electrician.