Where is the reset button on a garbage disposal?

The button sits in about the same place on the major brands, but the details differ. Grab a flashlight and a small mirror and check the bottom of the unit.

InSinkErator describes its button as "a red square button." Moen's guide says the reset button is "found in the opening towards the bottom of the garbage disposal, opposite the side of where the power cord comes out," and that on some units it "may be set back slightly and may require a screwdriver to prod it."

### What if you can't find it?

Turn the switch off first. Then look around the base with a flashlight, since the button can hide behind the drain elbow or a dishwasher hose. Waste King notes that the model and serial number sit on a label on the bottom of the unit, so once you find that label you know which brand and model you have. Search the model number for its manual if the button is still missing.

Some units have no button at all. InSinkErator says disposals with EZ Connect use an automatic overload switch. Turn off the wall switch and let the unit cool for up to 20 minutes before turning it back on. If it runs on a push-button air switch, turn it off and unplug it for up to 20 minutes.

The button is an overload protector. InSinkErator says it "will turn the garbage disposal off automatically if there is something wrong." A jam, a very long run time or another problem can trip it.

The most common cause is a jam. Moen explains that a disposal that hums but won't turn is trying to move a stuck grinding mechanism. Repeated attempts to run it "can trip the internal breaker, shutting the disposal off completely." At that point it stops making any sound, and that silence is often when people go looking for the button.

If your disposal was humming before it died, read why a garbage disposal hums but won't work first. Pressing the reset on a jammed unit only trips it again.

Resetting takes five minutes if you do it in the right order. Skipping the safety steps is how people get hurt, so follow them in sequence.

1. 1Turn the disposal's switch off. InSinkErator says to make sure the switch is in the off position before you touch anything. If the unit is on a wall switch or plugs in, turn off the switch or unplug it.
2. 2Keep your hand out of the drain. Never put a hand in the disposal, even when the power is off. If something is stuck, use tongs or needle-nose pliers.
3. 3Clear any jam first. Free the grinding plate before you reset. Our page on what to do when something falls into a garbage disposal walks through the safe method.
4. 4Give it a few minutes to cool. The motor needs to cool down before the protector will hold.
5. 5Press the red button firmly. InSinkErator says to gently press it, and if it does not stay up, wait ten minutes and try again. Moen says to push it firmly. Waste King says to push until it clicks and stays in.
6. 6Clear the sink, then power up. Keep tools and people away from the drain opening before you switch the disposal back on, run cold water and test it.

### Should you keep pressing it if it pops right back out?

No. If the button will not stay in, wait ten minutes and try once more, as InSinkErator suggests. If it trips again, something is still wrong. Moen warns that continually trying to power on a jammed unit is what trips the internal breaker in the first place, so more presses are not the answer.

Then the problem may be power, not the disposal. Work through it in this order.

### Is the outlet or the breaker dead?

InSinkErator's troubleshooting guide says to check the circuit breaker or fuse and, to be certain, switch the breaker off and on. Then unplug the disposal and plug a lamp, radio or hair dryer into the same outlet. Moen suggests the same test with a hair dryer, lamp or phone charger. If the test device works, plug the disposal back in and push the red button.

If the test device does not work, the outlet has a problem. InSinkErator says to call an electrician for the outlet. That is not a job to do with the power on.

### Is the switch the problem?

InSinkErator's guide says to flip the disposal's switch several times with a test device plugged into the outlet. If the device turns on and off with the switch, the switch is fine and the disposal needs service. If not, the wiring or the switch needs an electrician.

Moen lists several ways a disposal can be switched on, and each one can fail:

• Wall switch. It must be wired to the outlet.
• Batch feed. The stopper turns it on by pressing an internal switch. If that switch sticks or breaks, the disposal will not start.
• Air switch. A tube runs from the button on the counter to the outlet below. If the tube is disconnected or damaged, reconnect or replace it.
• Fiber optic switch. Moen calls this type obsolete and recommends swapping it for an air switch.

### Is the disposal hardwired?

Some disposals are wired directly to the house circuit, not plugged in. InSinkErator says to check the breaker or fuse, and if the unit still does not run, the problem may be in the disposal or in the electrical system. Wiring belongs to an electrician or a licensed plumber, and Waste King advises checking for a short or a broken wire connection to the disposer, the switch, the fuse box or the breaker. If all of that is intact, it adds, the unit may have "internal mechanical problems that require replacement."

Call one if any of these is true:

• The reset button trips again within minutes of every reset.
• The disposal hums after you have cleared the jam and turned the plate by hand.
• You see water around the unit. See why a garbage disposal leaks for how to find the source.
• The outlet or switch has no power and you're not comfortable working around electricity.

A plumber can tell a tripped protector from a dead motor and can replace the unit if it is worn out. HQ is licensed and insured, offers 24/7 emergency service when a leak goes with the problem, and gives free estimates and upfront pricing.

If the disposal keeps tripping even after you clear jams, it may be worn out. See how to replace a garbage disposal for the steps.