"Tenant called me up saying the disposal sounded like a dying robot, lol."
Haha, that's pretty accurate actually. Usually when disposals start sounding possessed, it's something small and sneaky jammed in there. A couple quick things to try before calling it quits:
- First, unplug it (safety first!) and reach in with some needle-nose pliers or kitchen tongs—I've found everything from coins to twist ties jammed down there.
- If nothing obvious turns up, give the reset button on the bottom a push—sometimes it's just tripped.
- Still grinding weird? Might be worth manually turning the impeller from underneath with an Allen wrench to loosen things up.
Nine times out of ten, it's a simple fix and no need to call in a priest for your sink demon...yet.
"First, unplug it (safety first!) and reach in with some needle-nose pliers or kitchen tongs—I've found everything from coins to twist ties jammed down there."
Good tips, but honestly, I'd think twice before sticking anything metal down there—even unplugged. Call me overly cautious, but I've seen disposals kick back unexpectedly. Wooden spoons or plastic utensils are safer bets. And if it's sounding like a dying robot, maybe it's just time to replace it... disposals aren't too pricey, and peace of mind counts for something.
"Wooden spoons or plastic utensils are safer bets."
True, wood and plastic are safer, but honestly I've used needle-nose pliers plenty of times without issue—just gotta be careful. Has anyone tried those disposal wrench tools? Curious if they're worth keeping around...
Haven't tried the wrench yet, but honestly needle-nose pliers saved me last weekend—just gotta flip the breaker first. Might grab one of those disposal tools eventually, seems handy enough to keep around...
Needle-nose pliers can work in a pinch, sure, but honestly I'd avoid using them regularly. The disposal wrench is cheap and designed specifically for the job—less chance you'll damage something inside. I used pliers once and ended up bending one of the impeller blades slightly... didn't notice right away, but it started making an even weirder noise a few weeks later. Had to take the whole thing apart to straighten it back out—total hassle. Ever since then, I stick with the hex wrench or disposal tool; fewer headaches down the road. They're only like five bucks at most hardware stores anyway, worth it imo.
