What Size of an Allen Wrench for a Garbage Disposal?

Garbage Disposal

• Your garbage disposal can jam if its blades encounter something they can’t grind up. Fibrous vegetables, coins and even thick grease can overwhelm the blades. To protect the motor from burning out trying to churn through the problem material, the unit jams up and stalls. To get it back in working order, you need to remove whatever is clogging it up and shift the blades out of their jammed position. Moving the blade requires an Allen wrench.

Allen Wrench

• Allen wrenches, also known as hex wrenches or hex keys, are metal tools smaller than an adult’s hands. Shaped like a capital letter “L,” they are hexagonal in cross-section, which gives them their alternative names. They fit into hexagon-shaped holes and turn, much like traditional wrenches. Used to help assemble do-it-yourself furniture and in appliance maintenance, Allen wrenches come in a variety of sizes, usually in steps of 1/64-inch up or down

Size

• While Allen wrenches come in several sizes, the most common one needed for a garbage disposal is ¼-inch. You can use a 1/4-inch hex key that comes with another appliance on your disposal, but don’t try using the wrong sized wrench. It will either be too large and won’t fit in the socket, or it will be two small and won’t catch when you insert it. Use the key to turn the flywheel of the garbage disposal counter clockwise and unjam it.

Considerations

• Always disconnect the power to your garbage disposal before attempting to insert the Allen wrench inside of it. After rotating the flywheel with the hex wrench, use tongs to pull as much of the material inside the disposal as possible. Run lots of cold water down the drain and turn the disposal back on to get rid of any remaining food waste. If you need to purchase a ¼-inch Allen wrench, look for a kit from a home improvement store that contains several different sizes of wrenches. That will ensure you are covered for other home projects in the future.