My Waste King brand Legend Series food waste garbage disposal has stopped working. I dropped a wine glass in the sink and the pieces of glass went into the disposal. The glass is now in the garbage disposal and now it won’t work. I was not sure what to do so I turned the disposer ON. It began to crush the glass pieces but then stopped working. Now it will not turn ON when I turn on the disposal wall switch. I carefully removed most of the glass pieces and tried turning the switch back ON but it does nothing. The blades or spinners inside are dead. I hear NO noise when I turn the disposer switch ON. Did I break the food waste disposal or is there something I can do to fix it?
Garbage disposal won’t work – Glass inside – How to fix?
When you dropped the wine glass into the disposal and turned it ON, you most likely jammed the impellers and popped the reset switch. This reset switch or button is located on the bottom of the disposal.
There should be a small garbage disposal hex wrench tool (a standard 1/4″ allen wrench) located at the top of the disposal or under the sink. The garbage disposal tool is used to get the disposal working again when the impeller is jammed or stuck.
Used to free jammed impeller – Garbage disposal hex wrench tool
Here is how to get your garbage disposal working again:
– Turn the switch that provides power to the disposal OFF.
– Unplug the disposal from power. (usually located under the sink)
– Wear gloves and remove as much of the glass pieces from the disposer as you can.
– Get a flashlight and find the disposal tool called a HEX wrench.
– Locate where the hex wrench fits into on the very bottom and center of the disposal.
– Use the wrench and turn the impeller back and forth multiple times.
(The broken glass is wedged around the impeller and preventing it from spinning.)
– Moving the disposal impeller back and forth will dislodge the pieces of glass.
– Keep turning the impeller with the tool until it is able to turn with no resistance.
(Running the sink faucet water while doing this may help clear the glass as you turn the impeller.)
– Once the impeller is free, locate the red reset button on the bottom of the disposal.
– Press the red reset button.
– Plug the garbage disposal back in.
– Run water into the garbage disposal.
– Turn the switch to power ON the disposal.
– Your disposal should now work with no problems.
(If the disposal does NOT turn back on, check your home circuit breaker as it may have reset.)
Garbage disposal – Hex wrench tool insert hole and Red reset button location
How To Fix A Jammed Garbage Disposer After Glass Is Removed
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Garbage Disposals – Best Selling
Have you tried the method above and your garbage disposal is still not getting power or working? We can help! We can help if you have glass in your garbage disposal and it won’t turn on, broken glass in your garbage disposal and it is jammed, glass in the garbage disposal and now it won’t work, and if you have glass in your garbage disposal and it is not working. Please leave us your question below and we will be more than happy to assist you in fixing your garbage disposal.
A glass bowl was dropped into the sink & broke into pieces inside the garbage disposal while it was running. The smaller pieces of glass were broken up, but the larger pieces remained large. When the garbage disposal was finally shut off, it was leaking A LOT from the bottom of the disposal.
Can this be repaired? Or should the disposal be replaced?
I also broke a glass into my disposal. I have cleaned out all the pieces I can reach. (after unplugging it!) When I use the hex wrench, I can hear crunching but the wrench won’t move more than 1/8″ either way. It feels like tiny pieces of glass are left around the outside where the water drains out. Do I need to take it apart to clean it out or is there a way to get to them without a shopvac?
THANK YOU SO MUCH! I just saved myself a plumber problem after a glass went down the disposal. Fixed it ma-self and saved some cash.