How to Repair a Kenmore Garbage Disposal

Electrical issues

• 1

  Turn the switch for your Kenmore garbage disposal to the "on" position and listen carefully. If there is no noise at all, your garbage disposal is not getting any power.

• 2

  Check first to see if the garbage disposal is plugged in. If it is, and you still hear no noise, check the breaker button on the bottom of the appliance. If the button is popped out, push it in. If this doesn't work, continue to the next step.

• 3

  Find the breaker box serving your home. This is the metal "fusebox" that will cut off power to prevent the circuits from overloading and starting a fire. Open the metal plate door to the breaker box and you will see switches with "on" and "off" positions. Find the switch that governs the circuit serving your garbage disposal. If it's in the "off" position, flick it on. If it's already switched on, continue to the next step.

• 4

  Unplug the garbage disposal's power cord from the wall outlet. Plug in another electrical device and see if the device powers on. If it doesn't, this means either the power outlet or the power switch is bad. To make sure your disposal is good, test it by plugging it into an extension cord from an outlet you know is working.

Pipe clog

• 5

  Put a bucket under the garbage disposal to catch any water that may leak when you remove the connecting pipe in the next step.

• 6

  Use a pipe wrench to loosen the connecting pipe, using the bucket to catch the water when it starts to leak. Wait for all the water to drain, then remove the pipe.

• 7

  Dislodge any clog in the pipe by using a plunger handle or any stick that will fit into the pipe. Hold the pipe over the bucket to catch any clogged material.

• 8

  Screw the pipe back on using a pipe wrench.