Garbage Disposal Clogs: Responsibility & Quick Troubleshooting
Garbage disposal issues are common and frequently caused by jams rather than equipment failure. Determining responsibility for repair or cost depends on the licensed vendor’s findings.
📘 Garbage Disposal Clogs — Who Pays & What to Try Before Calling
We know issues like this are frustrating and can disrupt your routine, and we really do understand how sensitive responsibility questions are when it comes to maintenance costs. These situations can put us in the middle a bit, and our goal is always to communicate clearly and help things go as smoothly as possible.
Who Is Generally Responsible?
| Situation | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Object or food debris found causing the jam | Usually resident |
| Unit failure due to age, rust, or motor failure | Owner |
| Cause is unclear and vendor cannot identify misuse | Owner |
| Vendor identifies misuse or foreign object | Resident |
Responsibility is based solely on the vendor’s professional documentation, which we are required to share with the owner in full.
What to Try Before Requesting a Vendor
Many disposal issues are resolved by a simple reset or unjam process.
This short video demonstrates the fix most vendors perform on arrival:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBMSwZUdse0
Common safe steps include:
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Pressing the reset button on the bottom of the unit
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Using an Allen key to manually rotate the flywheel
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Clearing visible debris from the top entry of the drain
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Never placing hands inside the disposal chamber
Attempt only steps you are comfortable performing.
If a Vendor Is Needed
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We will schedule a professional if requested
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The vendor will document findings
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Billing will be based on the cause they confirm
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If misuse is documented, cost will typically be passed to the resident
When We Post Charge Responsibility
Once the vendor reports:
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We provide the findings to the owner
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We notify you if any cost responsibility applies
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The owner has final discretion if they choose to waive any cost