Behold the underrated luxury of a modern kitchen: the garbage disposal. It gets rid of your food waste in seconds with the simple flip of a wall switch, saving your kitchen from the smell of rotting food scraps. Of course, they’re not quite invincible, considering they don’t do well with items like coffee grounds, eggshells and paper products. Still, it’s easy to overlook how precious this little machine is until it stops working.

The good news is that most garbage disposal repair is easy enough to perform on your own. Whether it won’t turn on or it’s acting strange when it does, there are several ways to repair a broken garbage disposal.

Safety first

As with any do-it-yourself project, safety always comes first. No matter the source of the issue, your prep should always be the same: Turn off the garbage disposal, unplug the unit and maybe even shut off power to the machine entirely from your main circuit breaker before beginning repair work. The less likely you are to encounter an electric shock, the better.

Another important safety consideration is to never, under any circumstances, put your hand down the drain or blindly run your fingers inside the disposal where the blades can do damage. Finally, brief yourself on these important tips for DIY plumbing repairs.

With safety in mind, you’re officially ready to tackle your broken garbage disposal.

If the disposal refuses to turn on at all…

When you flip the switch and nothing happens, there could be something wrong with the power source. For instance, the garbage disposal’s overload circuit may have automatically shut off due to a power surge or malfunction, or the electrical circuit connected to the machine may be off.

The fix: Think back to your safety prep for a moment. Was the plug loose when you pulled it from the socket? Maybe the circuit breaker switch was already in the “off” position? If so, the simple fix may just be plugging in the unit properly or flipping the circuit switch back on. However, just to be safe, press the reset button on the bottom of the garbage disposal. DoItYourself.com noted that the red button will already be sticking out if it tripped, which means pressing it should solve the problem. Head back to the circuit breaker and manually flip the switch back to the “on” position. Now try to turn on the disposal again.

If that doesn’t work, you may need to do some detective work to find the source of the power malfunction. It could be the wall switch, outlet, power cord, wiring or another electrical element. If you find a faulty component, you may need to call a professional to inspect the issue, as the repair may be beyond your electrical and plumbing knowledge. However, if you can’t find any signs of trouble, your best option may be to replace the unit.

If there’s a humming sound…

If the garbage disposal won’t turn on or fails to grind food waste, but the motor still ekes out a humming sound when you flip the switch, the problem is probably a jam. It’s common for food or other debris to block the impeller and other components inside of the disposal.

The fix: Turn off the disposal immediately, as humming without any grinding action can burn out the motor, according to HomeTips. To fix the jam, insert a hex wrench or short wooden broom into the hole on the underside of the disposal. Turn your tool clockwise to dislodge the flywheel, continuing until you feel the blades turn freely. If you can see the blockage in the disposal, use tongs or pliers (not your hands!) to dislodge the item from the unit. Cleaning it out may require removing the unit entirely and reattaching it once the obstruction is gone.

From there, turn the power back on and press the reset button on the bottom of the unit. Then, run water from the faucet and quickly flip the disposal switch on and off a few times to wash away residual obstruction that could still be blocking the flywheel. If all goes well, you should be back in business at this point.

If you notice leaking…

The vibration of the garbage disposal can loosen connections over time, often leading to a leak. When there’s water dripping from the garbage disposal into the base of the cabinet, you’ll need to determine the source of the leak to fix the problem. It’s usually one of three culprits: the flange that connects the disposal to the bottom of the sink, the hose that leads to the dishwasher or the drain pipe that connects to the sewage system.

The fix:Inspect the drainage pipe first, looking for loose screws. Use a screwdriver to tighten them, and then run the water to see if the leaking continues. If the leak appears to be coming from the sink flange, tighten the mounting bolts. The Spruce also noted that worn down plumber’s putty could be the reason for the leak. If that’s the case, loosen the bolts and push the sink flange up into the drain opening. Remove the old putty and apply a fresh amount around the flange. Next, re-tighten the mounting bolts and put the flange back in place. Wipe away excess putty. Test your work with the water running so you can ensure the leak is fixed.

Note that if there are cracks in the unit or water is dripping from the garbage disposal reset button, your best bet is to replace the machine.

If draining happens painfully slowly…

In the event that the garbage disposal turns on but fails to drain the water or disposal water comes back up into the sink, the drainage issue likely stems from a clogged disposal or sink.

The fix:Start by running boiling water down the drain to free up blockages. If the clog is too stubborn for that simple fix, you can use a plunger to unclog your kitchen sink. Some clogs will require removing the discharge pipe that connects to the disposal so you can clear the debris with a sink auger or coat hanger. If the clog is in the disposal, try one of these three methods to remedy the issue.

If you smell an unfortunate odor…

When bits of food get stuck in the garbage disposal blades or drain pipes, the result is generally a less-than-ideal smell coming from your sink.

The fix: Run a big cup of ice and about half a cup of salt through the disposal to scrub away the debris. You can also throw in some lemons for a much more pleasant citrus scent. Another way to banish bad odors is with an equal mixture of baking soda and vinegar. Simply pour the solution down the drain and cover the opening with a stopper, letting the ingredients sit in the drain for about 10 to 15 minutes. Flush with hot water to complete the process.

Once you solve the smelly garbage disposal problem, routine maintenance can keep the bad odors away for good. For example, the Spruce suggested grinding up pieces of lemon peels and ice cubes on a regular basis to maintain proper disposal performance.

If these DIY solutions fail to fix the problem, it may be time to call in a professional plumber. When the garbage disposal continues to perform poorly despite your handy efforts, there could be more complex plumbing system problems at play.

Preventing future problems

Avoiding future malfunctions requires some dedicated rule following. While disposals are durable shredding machines, they’re serious about their do’s and don’ts when it comes to what you can send down the drain for grinding. Some of the big no-nos, for instance, include fats, coffee grounds, bones, shells, metal, rubber, paper and glass.

When it gets to the point that you can’t get your disposal to turn on or perform with the same efficiency, you may be better off replacing the unit. Keep in mind that even normal wear and tear limits garbage disposals to about 10 to 15 years of use. A new one usually costs between $80 and $200, according to estimates from Thumbtack. The Home Depot sells residential disposals that range from about $50 to $500, although most homeowners will be fine sticking with a unit that falls within Thumbtack’s average range. And with your savvy preventative maintenance skills, you can extend the life of your new disposal, avoiding premature issues or replacements.

See how plans from Service Lines Warranties of American can help with the costs of home repairs.

I grew up in a house with an outside deck. So I have many fond memories of sitting outside on warm, sunny days, reading and enjoying the view of my neighborhood. I would often open the sliding deck door to the adjacent living room while keeping the screen door shut so I could hear music from the living-room stereo without worrying about insects sneaking to the indoors.

So when that screen door started showing signs of wear and tear, my mom would complain how my brother and I were to blame (“too much rough housing” she would say) and “how in the world am I going to fix it?” What mom didn’t know is that while trying to patch a ripped screen door can seem difficult, it’s actually not so hard to fix.

We’ve compiled a list of common issues and helpful DIY remedies to make screen-door repairs a breeze:

Screen replacement 101

Because the screens in most screen doors consist of lightweight fiberglass, tears in the material are hardly unheard of, according to Popular Mechanics. Fortunately, they’re also easy and fairly inexpensive to replace. Your local hardware store will almost definitely have a replacement screen that fits your door. They’ll also have the specialized tool for dealing with spline – the rubber tubing that surrounds the perimeter of a screen and keeps it affixed to the door frame.

Let’s go step by step:

1. Remove the old screen by lifting it away from the track-mounted rollers. Pull the bottom of the material out and then lower the door until the screen clears the top edge of the frame.
2. From there, you can cut your own portion of screen material from a large roll, as HGTV noted, or purchase an a la carte pre-cut screen from your local hardware store.
3. Next, unscrew the door’s handle, then remove the segments of spline surrounding the door frame with an awl. (Don’t get rid of your spline if it doesn’t show signs of damage, as intact spline can be reused.
4. Use a screwdriver to remove the rollers and reattach either new or existing spline.
5. Align the replacement screen with the frame, using the spline tool’s convex and concave rollers to press the rubber tubing into the frame grooves.
6. Fit the screen snugly into the splined frame.
7. Finally, trim any excess fiberglass and reattach any parts of the door (latch, rollers, panel and so on) you might’ve removed.

Learn More About Home Repair Plans Near You

Dragging wheels and other irritations

If opening your sliding screen door is a chore – it moves slowly, creaks or doesn’t close all the way – it’s time to remedy that situation. (Especially if you want to avoid insect intruders.)

The culprit behind the dragging screen is frequently worn-down or broken wheels along either the top or bottom edge of the door’s frame, according to The Family Handyman. But just like a torn screen, this problem isn’t too hard to remedy – and neither are some other issues that may be at play.

• Make sure the wheel track is clean and unobstructed.
• Addressing a jammed track is even easier than a wheel replacement: just clear any debris or dirt from it. If the track is bent, straighten it with a pair of pliers.
• Check the screws holding the wheels in place – if they’re too loose or too tight, adjust as necessary.
• Don’t forget to check the sliding screen’s top row of wheels. Because of their location, they don’t experience as much wear and tear, but better to be safe than sorry.

If these steps don’t address the issue, you probably need to change the wheels. As with replacement screens, you can easily find spare screen-door wheels at most hardware stores. To start, remove the screen door from its tracks. From there, you can unscrew the old wheels, affix your replacements to the door and put the adjusted door back in place. Ideally, it should move smoothly from then on.

Worst-case scenario

A screen door that is damaged beyond repair will need to be completely replaced. You can call your local hardware store, handyman, or big box retailer to find a new screen door that works for you.

Being prepared for home repairs before they arise is always a good strategy. See how plans from Service Lines of America can help with the costs of covered repairs.