Disposal Problem -- HELP!!

[Anonymous]

We have a double sink in our small galley kitchen and repeated problems with the sink/disposal. We have lived in the house 12 years and have had a problem with our disposal many, many times. We had it replaced about 5 years ago, and even since then it stops up about once a year (or any time we actually have the nerve to put any food in it). We call a plumber, they "fix" it, it happens again. I just don't put any food in it anymore usually. The last time we had it "fixed" was in May, and tonight I got home, put about 1/4 cup of cooked rice and one baby carrot from my kids lunch in it, and it's stopped up AGAIN. Reset does nothing. It is always the same problem - I run the disposal and it fills up with water and explodes with water out of the other side of the double sink. Then the sink doesn't drain anymore, so it's not only that we can't use the disposal, it's that we can't use the sink. This month we also had a flat tire, a dead car battery, and a standing water problem in the dishwasher. I just can't afford to call the plumber for this AGAIN! Any suggestions???

[Anonymous]

You have a bad plumber, are any other drains slow? If not you need to snake the kitchen drain it probably had grease and other buildup.

[Anonymous]

Have a plumber snake the line.

[Anonymous]

Replace the double sink with a single. It will change your life for the better.

[Anonymous]

Home owner advice #1

NEVER, EVER put rice down a drain. Period. Without exception. As in not ever, even a grain.

Rice acts as a natural glue. Not only does it stop up the drain, it also gunks up the pipes in a way that is nearly impossible to clear away. Rice expands and gets stickier the more water it is exposed to. Once those startches start working you are in trouble. It is almost as bad as dumping a bunch of bacon grease down the drain. Maybe worse.

Stop rinsing rice down the drain.

Home owner advice #2.

Your garbage disposal should have an Allen wrench attached to the bottom. You put the Allan wrench in a little hole in the bottom (same shape as the wrench) and rotate the disposal manually to discharge and work out the obstruction. Very easy fix it yourself technique. Google it for a youtube video on how to do this.

There is also a little reset button on the bottom of your disposal. You can push the button and sometimes that will fix the problem. Not sure what it does exactly or if all disposals have one. Look at the bottom of your's with a flashlight to see.

[Anonymous]

I think the reset button is essentially like resetting the circuit breaker-- if the disposal is jammed it will trip the reset button before it overheats the engine. Then you can do the manual clear out, reset the circuit, and you are good to go (hopefully).