Garbage disposal is an electric device used to grind up the waste that blocks the sink pipe in a kitchen. Due to washing the dishes in the sink, grease and other food particles get clotted into the sink pipe. The garbage disposal helps prevent the sink pipe blockage by converting the food clog into smaller particles.
Its blades are not like the typical blades; instead, it contains a ground ring with holes inside the grind. The large food particles are crushed through these small holes of the grind ring, making it easy to flush out with water into the central hole. Due to the water pressure, oily and grease foods, the blades start to leave their place, and the disposal’s efficiency is reduced. This article is going to discuss that how to tighten garbage disposal blades.
Fixing the Garbage Disposal by Tightening the Blades
People think that garbage disposal is getting expired because the food pieces are stuck in the pipe. But the actual reason is that its blades are loose, affecting the working of your garbage disposal. The grind ring is loose, making it unable to grind food into small pieces. Hence the clogs start getting stuck in the garbage disposal blocking the pipes. You can fix the problem by just tightening the blades. Continue reading to know how to tighten garbage disposal blades.
Step 1: Turn Off the Garbage Disposal
Before doing this further, you turn off the circuit breaker to the garbage disposal in the first place. It is extremely important to unplug the machine as a vital safety precaution. Otherwise, you may get injured while examining and fixing the machine.
Step 2: Detach the Machine from Sink Pipe
With the help of a pipe wrench, unscrew the threaded nut attaching the disposal below the sink. If you have removed the garbage disposal machine, then go for the next step.
Step 3: Clean the Blades
Check the plate below the impellers or blades of disposal while it is disconnected. See if there are any food clots between the plate and the blades. Clean it with a rag to remove impurities.
Step 4: Check the Loose Blades
After finding out that the blades are loose, unscrew the blades that separate them from the disposer; the nuts will come out quickly. Clean them to ensure no junk, grease, or food clogs left behind. You can check the blades after cleaning the machine. Check if they are running smoothly. If not, then the blades are loose. If the blades make any sound by moving in a downward and upward direction, blades are loose and need to tighten.
Step 5: Fix the Blades
Screw the blade back in its place by fixing the bolts. There are two bolts on the garbage disposal to hold it in position; tighten them with a wrench. Now check if the blades move gently. If they do, then reconnect the garbage disposal back to the sink drain. Turn the circuit breaker on, and don’t forget to press the red reset button on the disposal’s bottom.
Garbage Disposal Blades Replacement
Sometimes after doing the process as mentioned earlier, you still face the same issue of loose blades. In this case, you need to replace the blades because they must be expired and are unable to grind correctly. As blades are made of steel, and steel got the stain, they expired after some time (depending on its quality).
After taking all the necessary precautions, i.e., removing the electric transmitter, wearing safety gloves, unbolts the blades. Replace the stained steel blades with stainless blades and check that there is no grease or garbage underneath. Then attach with power switch and check that garbage disposal blades are working correctly.
Conclusion
Garbage disposal is a machine for cleaning the clogged food in the sink. It works with the blades that become loose, creating issues. The reason behind it can be the clogged impurities, water pressure, or stained blades. You can fix the issue by either cleaning or tightening the blades. However, you will need to opt for new stainless blades if the cleaning and tightening have not resolved the issue.