Kenmore Garbage Disposal Troubleshooting

Are you having problems with your Kenmore garbage disposal? Does it make a humming sound when you turn it on? Does it need to be replaced? Most garbage disposal concerns need not have to end calling a plumber. It is best to always keep the operations manual so you can refer to it when the need arises.

Kenmore Garbage Disposal Will Not Turn On

Tools and Supplies Needed:

  • Pipe wrench
  • Extension cord
  • Broom handle
  • Bucket

Step 1: Turn the garbage disposal on and listen to it. If no sound comes from the unit, this could mean no electricity is being supplied.

Step 2: Check if the power cord is inserted in the plug. If it is and still there is no noise, you need to check on the reset button found at the bottom of the garbage disposal. If it is not pushed in, do so. This should keep the appliance running. Otherwise, proceed to the next step.

Step 3: Locate the circuit breaker panel in your home. This is part of the electrical system, a fuse box which is important to keep your electrical circuits from overloading and causing fire. When you look inside, there will be different fuses or circuit breakers with the “off” and “on” switches. Check the circuit breaker connected to the garbage disposal. If it is turned off, turn it on. If the switch is on, however, go to the next step.

Step 4: Check if the power from the wall outlet where the garbage disposal is connected. Remove the plug and get another electronic device to see if it will turn on. If it does, it might be that the power switch of the Kenmore garbage disposal is damaged. To make sure it works, plug it into an extension cord to determine if the wall outlet is working.

Clogged Kenmore Garbage Disposal

Step 1: Get a bucket and place it under the garbage disposal to make sure it catches water that might leak after you remove the connecting pipe.

Step 2: With a pipe wrench, loosen the connecting pipe and drain the water. When no water is leaking, remove the pipe.

Step 3: Get the wooden broom handle and remove any object or obstruction inside the pipe. Make sure that the bucket is still under the disposal to catch whatever material has caused the clogging problem.

Stuck Flywheel Issue

Kenmore garbage disposals have a flywheel with impellers that cut and grind food debris, small bones and scraps that fall into the sink. If the flywheel of your garbage disposal gets stuck, here are the steps in troubleshooting it.

Step 1: Remove the splash guard that is of rubber-material located at the top of the garbage disposal and set it aside.

Step 2: Using a flashlight, look into the garbage disposal and check if there is an object stuck in the chamber which caused the flywheel issue. If there is, use the pliers to remove it.

Step 3: Manually rotate the flywheel with the use of the wooden stick slowly.

Step 4: Turn on the switch and press the reset button. It is colored red and can be found at the bottom of the garbage disposal. To reset it, just push it in.

Step 5: Turn the faucet on to let running water flow. This will remove whatever gunk and small objects are still inside.

Step 6: Turn the switch of the garbage disposal off and the water.

Kenmore Garbage Disposal Installation

If your garbage disposal is beyond repair and you want to install a new garbage disposal, you might want to do this yourself. Although this is just easy to do, you still need to have handyman skills and know basic wiring. Be mindful, however, that when it comes to electrical wiring, caution is needed to prevent untoward incidents like fire caused by faulty wiring.

Tools and Supplies Needed:

  • Plumber’s putty
  • Hacksaw
  • Screwdriver
  • Large pliers
  • Hose Clamp
  • Wire nuts

Step 1: Check under the sink to locate the U-shape pipe which is connected to the where the water enters the drain. This is called the “trap”. One you have located it, get the pliers to remove it. Make sure you hold the plumbing pipe as you unscrew the trap keep the PVC from getting damaged or broken. Loosen the screw that holds the strainer that connects the sink and the drain. You might need to unscrew the three bolts found under the sink. Once you have removed the longs bolts with several turns to unscrew, get a flat screw to free the strainer.

Step 2: The Kenmore garbage disposal comes with a new strainer. You need to unscrew the large bolts. Apply just a bit of the plumber’s putty around the drain opening and attach the new strainer while adding some pressure as you press it down. Get the three bolts and secure the strainer in place under the sink.

Step 3: If you will be needing dishwasher ring, get the one from the Kenmore garbage disposal. It can be found at the side of the disposal unit. However, a ring is already attached to your dishwasher, no need to tap the ring from the old disposal.

Step 4: Go to the circuit breaker panel and switch off the circuit breaker unit that is connected to the garbage disposal. To check if it is already shut off, plug another electrical device into the wall socket. It should not operate.

Step 5: Check on the bottom of the disposal unit by turning it upside down to remove the metal plate with wires on it. Connect the wire nuts and the wire. Make sure that the wires match the wire nuts. These wires are in black and white while the third one is a ground wire, normally in green. Once they are connected, push them back into the garbage disposal unit and replace the metal plate.

Step 6: When mounting, you can use a bucket or a stool to support the unit as you are attaching the appliance to the sink. See to it that the metal plate is aligned on top of the disposal unit. With the hex head wrench that came with the Kenmore garbage disposal, secure the plate under the sink and tighten.

Step 7: Align the disposal unit with the drain pipe and connect the two using a nut. If the pipe will be too long, a hacksaw can be used to adjust the length.

Step 8: When it is attached, you can now insert the plug into the wall socket and test if the garbage disposal is working. Check for leaks by letting running water flow.

Garbage disposals differ in make and model but most troubleshooting steps are similar. Make sure that you refer to the owner’s manual before attempting any repairs on your Kenmore garbage disposal.

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