Szeto HandymanThe hex key socket
- Text (310) 628-9399
- Phone about the InSinkErator unit in open hours
Look under the disposal, dead center. Most InSinkErator units have a small hex socket there. With the power off at the switch, a quarter-inch hex key, often the wrench that came with the unit, turns the motor by hand and works a jam loose.
Turn it back and forth until it moves a full circle freely. Then clear what caused the jam from inside the grinding chamber with tongs, never fingers.
The red reset button
When the motor overheats or jams, a thermal overload trips and the disposal goes silent. The red button on the bottom pops out a little. Wait a few minutes for the motor to cool, press it until it clicks, and try the switch with cold water running. If it trips again right away, something is still jammed or the motor is failing.
- Wide shotThe whole fixture and the space around it.
- Close-upLabels, model numbers, the leak or break.
- ConnectionsValves, pipes, wires or brackets.
- Send itText the photos with your cross street.
Humming without spinning
A hum means power is getting to the motor but the flywheel will not turn. That is usually a jam: a fruit pit, a bottle cap, glass or a bone. Free it with the hex key. If the hex key will not turn the motor at all, the bearings may be seized, and a replacement is the honest answer.
Leaks and where they come from
- At the top, under the sink flange: plumber’s putty has dried or the mount has loosened. Resealing the flange fixes it.
- At the side, where the dishwasher hose connects: a loose clamp or a cracked hose.
- At the drain elbow: a worn gasket or loose bolts.
- From the bottom of the unit: the internal seals have failed. The unit needs replacing.
The quick-lock mount
Many InSinkErator models use a three-bolt quick-lock mount on the sink flange. A new InSinkErator can often twist onto the existing ring if the flange is in good shape, which makes a like-for-like swap fast and tidy. Switching to a different brand usually means changing the flange too.
Picking a replacement
Disposals differ in motor size, grind stages and noise insulation. A bigger motor handles tougher scraps and jams less. Batch-feed models only run with a cover in place.
InSinkErator’s site at insinkerator.com lists current models. We install one you buy or pick one up, and we reconnect the dishwasher drain, knocking out the plug in the inlet if the new unit has one.
Electrical side
- English
- Mandarin Chinese
- Cantonese
Most disposals plug into an outlet under the sink or are hardwired at a junction box. We reconnect to what is already there. If there is no outlet or switch for the disposal, adding a new circuit is outside our scope, and we will say so. See garbage disposal replacement and whether to repair or replace a disposal.
A typical InSinkErator visit
You text that the disposal hums and the sink backs up. We ask for a photo under the sink. On site, we kill the power, try the hex key, clear the chamber, press reset and test.
If it runs, we check the drain for a clog downstream and look for leaks. If the motor is seized or the body leaks, we show you, quote the swap, and with your okay replace it using the existing mount, then run water and the dishwasher drain to confirm no drips.
- Find the red reset button on the bottom
- Look for the hex socket in the center underneath; it takes a 1/4-inch hex key
- Power off before any hand tools
- Water under the unit or on the cabinet floor
- Model name on the side label
- Dishwasher connected to the side inlet?
Keeping it running
- Valley-wide
- InSinkErator unit jobs in houses and ADUs
Run cold water before, during and for several seconds after grinding. Feed scraps a little at a time. Keep grease, coffee grounds in quantity, fibrous peels like celery and corn husks, and anything non-food out. Grinding a few ice cubes now and then helps knock buildup off the chamber.
- Find the resetThe red button on the bottom of the unit.
- Hex socketUnder the center of the unit, for clearing jams.
- Note the modelIt is on the label on the side.
- Photo and textThe label and the underside.
Independent service
We have no business ties to InSinkErator. We repair and fit their disposals as a local handyman, and the maker handles questions about product coverage.
Septic and disposals
Homes on a septic system should check with whoever services the tank before relying heavily on a disposal, since food solids add to the load. Some InSinkErator models are marketed for septic use; the maker’s product pages describe them.
Noise
A disposal that grinds louder than it used to may have something hard rattling inside, like a spoon or a coin. With the power off, a flashlight and tongs find it. A metal-on-metal screech that does not go away after clearing the chamber can point to worn parts and an aging unit.
Smells
Odors usually come from food trapped under the splash guard or in the chamber. Scrubbing the rubber baffle with a brush, grinding citrus peels, and running plenty of cold water usually clears it. A smell that lingers can come from a drain trap that dried out or a partial clog farther down.
- Hot shutoff, left side
- Cold shutoff, right side
- Supply tubes to the faucet
- P-trap below the disposal outlet
- Drain pipe at the wall
Air switches and wireless switches
Some sinks have a button on the countertop instead of a wall switch. It sends air or a signal to a control box plugged in under the sink. When the button stops working, the tube or the box is the usual culprit, and both can be replaced without touching the wiring in the wall.
What to send
A photo of the label on the side of the disposal, a photo of the plumbing under the sink, and a note on the symptom: hums, silent, leaks, smells.
- Faucets, toilets and valves
- Traps and drain connections
- Water heaters on existing lines
- Disposals and supply lines
- Moving or adding pipe runs
- Sewer and main drain work
- Repiping and new gas lines
- Slab leaks
Related guide: When to repair or replace a garbage disposal.
Questions we get
Where is the reset button?
On the bottom of the unit, usually red.
What does the hex key do?
It turns the motor by hand to free a jam.
- The full spot
- The InSinkErator unit, close and clear
- Your cross street
Can a new InSinkErator use my old mount?
Often yes, if it is the same quick-lock style and in good shape.
Is a leak from the bottom fixable?
Usually not; the unit needs replacing.
Are you an InSinkErator dealer?
No. We are independent.
- Photo first
- The InSinkErator unit price, agreed
- Working before we go
Get a quote for InSinkErator disposal repair and replacement
Text a photo and your cross street. Free estimates, and most texts are answered within the hour.
Good to fix along with the InSinkErator unit
Often bundled with disposal swaps under the sink, Garbage disposal: repair or replace? or fixture and supply line repairs. Also worth a look: Faucet: repair or replace? and replacing valves that will not close.
Repairs related to the InSinkErator unit
We take this work all over the valley, in West Covina, Covina, Baldwin Park, Azusa, Temple City, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale and Glendora.