If the motor was very hot, wait 10-15 minutes before trying to turn it on again. 4. Check for Electrical Issues
Your garbage disposal is equipped with a built-in safety feature known as a . This mechanism automatically shuts off the motor if it begins to overheat, effectively acting as a circuit breaker to prevent a burnout or fire.
Summary of findings (likely causes)
Look at the bottom of the disposal unit, near the hexagonal wrench slot.
Use a flashlight to peer down the sink drain into the disposal. how to fix a insinkerator garbage disposal hot
Avoid feeding the disposal expandable starches (pasta, rice, potato peels) or fibrous materials (celery, corn husks), which wrap around the impellers and cause friction.
If your disposal feels hot to the touch or is humming but not spinning, the motor has likely overheated or the flywheel is jammed. If the motor was very hot, wait 10-15
A seized flywheel forces the motor to draw excessive current, causing rapid overheating.
If you press the reset button, turn on the disposer, and hear nothing but a , the problem is a mechanical jam. The humming tells you the motor is receiving power, but something is physically blocking the grinding plate (impeller) from spinning. Running a jammed disposer for more than a few seconds can cause it to overheat again, so turn it off at the wall switch immediately. This mechanism automatically shuts off the motor if
If the unit is not hot, but simply not working, follow these steps: