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My Garbage Disposal Makes Noise But Won’t Grind—What Should I Do?

Is your garbage disposal humming but not actually grinding food? You’re not alone—this is one of the most common kitchen plumbing calls we get from Bellevue homeowners. At 2 Sons Plumbing Bellevue, our licensed plumbers have years of hands-on experience working with every make and model of disposal.

Why Is My Garbage Disposal Making Noise But Not Grinding?

That humming or buzzing sound without grinding usually means the motor is jammed or the built-in safety reset has tripped. It happens more often than you might think. Fibrous scraps like celery or corn husks, starchy potato peels, or even small bones can wedge themselves against the impellers. When that happens, the blades can’t spin, and the motor hums instead of grinding.

While the noise might not seem like an emergency, ignoring it can lead to a burned-out motor or a full replacement sooner than you expect.

Quick DIY Fixes Bellevue Homeowners Can Try

If you like tackling small repairs yourself, there are a few safe troubleshooting steps to try before calling a plumber:

Press the red reset button – Located on the underside of the unit, this is the first thing to try when the motor trips.
Manually spin the impellers – Insert a ¼-inch Allen wrench into the bottom socket and gently rotate it to free a jam.
Remove stuck debris – Shine a flashlight into the chamber and use kitchen tongs to pull out any visible scraps (never reach in with your hands).

In many cases, these quick steps can get your disposal working again. It’s a budget-friendly fix and one that can save you the hassle of calling for service if the problem is minor.

When to Call a Bellevue Garbage Disposal Professional

While DIY can solve smaller jams, there are clear warning signs that mean it’s time to call the experts at 2 Sons Plumbing Bellevue:

Smoke or a burning smell coming from the unit
The reset button keeps popping repeatedly
The motor hums but the impellers never engage
The disposal is older and parts are heavily corroded

Professional service not only ensures safety but also prevents long-term damage. On average, Bellevue homeowners spend $200–$350 to have a unit unjammed by a plumber. If your disposal is beyond repair, replacement typically runs between $400–$750, depending on the model and installation needs.

Why Bellevue Homeowners Trust 2 Sons Plumbing

At 2 Sons Plumbing Bellevue, we’ve built our reputation on reliable, ethical service. Here’s why families call us first:

Experience – We’ve completed hundreds of successful plumbing repairs and replacements for families all across Bellevue.
Expertise – Our licensed plumbers work with every brand and model, so no problem catches us by surprise.
Reputation – Local homeowners know us as a reliable name they can count on for honest, long-lasting solutions.

Call 2 Sons Plumbing Bellevue Today

A garbage disposal that hums but won’t grind is more than an inconvenience—it’s a sign your kitchen plumbing needs attention. Don’t wait for a small jam to become a costly replacement. Call 2 Sons Plumbing Bellevue today at (206) 487-1757 for fast, professional service.

2 Sons Plumbing, Electrical, Heating & Air

4.9

Based on 3327 reviews

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Victor Garcia

20:12 23 Oct 25

Dave and David came and cleared out a huge clog in my kitchen sink (both sides) that has been plaguing us for a while as well a ton of glass shards that got into the drain when our glass fridge shelf broke. Dave walked us through each step of the process and explained everything which was excellent. He also gave us advice about galvanized piping replacement. They even gave us a few free parts for the sink drain that had eroded away and didn’t charge extra for it!! All around 5 star service!!!

Victor Garcia

20:12 23 Oct 25

Steve P

20:40 21 Oct 25

Fantastic service and communication. Local company. Solved my clogged basement laundry utility sink. Dave and David were courteous, informative, professional and easy to engage with. Scheduling was easy (they came the next day) and they arrived within the expected time window. Transparent pricing and i could also apply a coupon. I will use them again.

Steve P

20:40 21 Oct 25

Ashton Wylde

05:46 21 Oct 25

Great service and Dave their plumber is the best. We have an odd house with even odder plumbing. The pipes are a mess of grandfathered-in open air nonsense, when our pump started making some noises (and a little leaking) after some DIY heat tape adventures (getting ready for colder weather), we were worried that we would need a massive repair but Dave came and looked at it and immediately realized we had unplugged the float plug from the pump plug which was 90% of the problem and the leak just need a little tightening of a flex joint. The company was quick and didn't charge for an estimate or in this case a quick "thats not plugged in right". The experience and the overall professionalism has convinced me that when I do finally need that big repair job, I'll call these guys.

Ashton Wylde

05:46 21 Oct 25

Spencer Charles

05:07 20 Oct 25

Booking an appointment was extremely easy, and we were able to get one just the next day. Communication was excellent with timely reminders and a call before our appointment. Kerry did a fantastic job both advising us and effectively resolving our issue.

Spencer Charles

05:07 20 Oct 25

LuAnn Mitchell

02:38 14 Oct 25

I have all good things to say about 2 Sons Plumbing. My first experience was a few years ago and the whole process went very smoothly. Making the appointment was easy and quick, the repair was done with no problem and I thought the price was fair. Recently, Dave from 2 Sons came out to look at several plumbing problems I was having and, within a matter of minutes, all of the problems were diagnosed. Dave gave me options and estimates all before he left my house. I haven’t had the work done yet but appreciate the information and the prices seemed fair to me. Dave was on time, professional and very knowledgeable. 2 Sons are my go to Plumbers.

LuAnn Mitchell

02:38 14 Oct 25

Kayla Huitt

16:58 13 Oct 25

Bob at 2 Sons Plumbing was amazing! We had a horribly backed up kitchen sink drain and he was able to fix it, and save us some money in the process! He heard what we had to say about our issue and double checked everything. Super friendly and very helpful. Thank you for the amazing work Bob!

Kayla Huitt

16:58 13 Oct 25

Mingmin Zhu

00:31 11 Oct 25

I had great experience with Chase, Riley, Seth, Manu, Nolan with a recent fix. They showed up promptly, transparent about the price upfront, set the expectations right, very professional, got things done perfectly, great communication and very honest and patient to answer all my questions, I will definitely use 2 sons again and will recommend it to my friends and neighbors.

Mingmin Zhu

00:31 11 Oct 25

Arul Menezes

00:41 10 Oct 25

Stellar job by Carey and his team at 2sons today. I had a complex job -- installing a yard hydrant/faucet for a garden across the (private) street. They had to go into the floor of the garage, run piping under the floor, out of the house, across the road. Had to cut into the asphalt, trench down a couple feet, then patch it all up again, including fixing the garage concrete floor. Super job. Looks really clean. Got it all done in a day.

Arul Menezes

00:41 10 Oct 25

First Name

00:04 10 Oct 25

A wonderful experience every time with 2 Sons plumbing. Jake and Angelo helped us with our plumbing issue. They showed up on time and gave a very reasonable estimate for the repair. We ended up replacing a couple of toilets and a part of a sink drain. They came back the next day to complete the work due to our schedule. Excellent communication, prompt, and hard working! Thank you so much Jake and Angelo!! We are very happy with 2 Sons and have used them multiple times.

First Name

00:04 10 Oct 25

Erica G.

00:11 09 Oct 25

Brandon and Ethan were awesome. I had a basic plumbing issue that I was too scared to address myself. They were very non judgmental and provided excellent customer service. I totally recommend 2 Sons Plumbing.

Erica G.

00:11 09 Oct 25