Call a plumber: it still hums, keeps tripping or smells hot

Why this happens

Family Handyman's plumbers say that when it is not a blockage, a mechanical part is failing, such as a worn bearing or a dying motor, and that a burning smell or a grinding noise from the motor points to a disposal that needs replacing. They say to call a professional if you cannot get it to spin with the Allen key. Family Handyman also reports that a reset button that will not stay in can indicate an electrical short. Waste King says a unit with internal mechanical problems requires replacement.

What to do right now

1. If you see flames, get everyone out, stay out and call 911. Do the same if smoke keeps coming, or the burning smell keeps getting stronger, once the switch is off. That is the Red Cross rule for a fire at home.
2. Turn the wall switch off and leave it off.
3. If you smelled burning or saw smoke, do not reach under the sink while anything there is hot or smoking. Turn the disposal's breaker off at the panel instead: open only the hinged door and keep your hands dry. If you cannot tell which breaker it is, leave the wall switch off, stay out from under the sink and say so when you call. Family Handyman gives the same order for a burning smell at an outlet, breaker off first and then unplug. For anything else, unplug the disposal with dry hands, or turn its breaker off if it has no plug.
4. Do not keep flipping the switch or pressing reset. Moen says repeated attempts to run a jammed unit trip its internal breaker, and Family Handyman says a humming disposal should be turned off right away.
5. Write down the brand and model from the label on the unit and check the warranty. Bob Vila says to contact the manufacturer if the unit is fairly new, because a replacement could be covered.
6. Call a plumber to diagnose or replace the disposal.
7. If the breaker in your electrical panel is what keeps tripping, call a licensed electrician instead. This Old House lists electrical problems beyond resetting the breaker as a reason to call a professional.

When to stop. If you smell burning or see smoke, KitchenAid says to stop and call a professional. Do not try it again. If you see flames, or the smoke does not stop once the power is off, get out, stay out and call 911.

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