hurricane lesson: garbage disposer

The in-sink garbage disposer didn't want to re-start after the power had been out for a week. I guess it rusted a bit while sitting up. Fortunately, it has a motor overload switch that pops out to protect the motor. If you turn it on and nothing happens, then check the reset switch. Open the cabinet door and get access to the outside bottom of the disposer. If something is jutting out from what is otherwise a flat bottom, it's reset the switch. Push it back in. If it hums but doesn't turn, then it needs a little help. Turn it off. In the center of the disposer bottom (on the outside, accessed from under the sink) is probably a hex indentation. We used to have a "key" that fits that socket, stored in a vinyl pocket stuck to the side of the disposer. It's not there any more. Just get a hex wrench that fits that socket and allows you to turn whatever thingamajig that's in the disposer. Turn it a few times, remove the wrench, then try to turn the disposer on. If it doesn't turn on, turn it off and repeat the manual turning. After a few tries, the disposer should start.

** absolutely never put yourself in danger of being caught in the rotating parts of the garbage disposer, or in danger of having foreign objects flung by the rotation of the garbage disposer **

I had replaced the in-sink garbage disposer when we first bought the house. On hindsight, it probably merely needed the manual turning ritual to get started again.