Moen Garbage Disposal Reset: A Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing a Silent Sink

There are few sounds in a kitchen more worrying than the sound of silence when you flip a switch. You expect the familiar grind of your disposal working through dinner scraps, but instead, you get nothing. No hum. No vibration. Just a dead appliance and a sink that is starting to back up.

Before you start worrying about the cost of a replacement or calling a professional plumber, you should know that this is a very common issue. In almost all cases, you can restore your appliance to full working order by performing a simple Moen garbage disposal reset.

This guide is designed to help you troubleshoot the problem yourself, saving you both time and the unnecessary expense of a service call.

Why Did My Disposal Stop?

It is important to understand that your disposal likely didn’t “break” in the traditional sense. It simply reacted to a threat.

Moen disposals are engineered with a built-in safety component known as a Thermal Overload Protector.

When the motor is pushed too hard—perhaps by grinding too many potato peels at once or catching on a small bone—it generates excess heat.

If the motor gets too hot, the insulation could melt and the unit could fail permanently. To prevent this, the overload protector “trips,” cutting the electrical circuit instantly.

That silence you hear is the disposal saving itself from burning out.

Step 1: Secure the Power

Safety is the absolute priority here. Even though the unit seems dead, the electrical current is waiting at the switch.

If you reset the internal breaker while the wall switch is ON, the motor could roar to life while your face is under the sink.

Turn off the wall switch. Then, open the cabinet doors and unplug the unit from the outlet. If your unit is hardwired, go to your breaker box and flip the circuit to OFF.

Step 2: The Essential Waiting Game

If the disposal tripped while you were using it, the internal components are hot.

The reset button is mechanical and relies on temperature. If you try to press it immediately, it will likely pop right back out.

Give the machine at least 10 minutes to cool down. Use this time to clean up the rest of the kitchen.

Step 3: pressing the Button

Once the unit is cool, grab a flashlight and look under the sink.

You need to locate the reset button. On Moen models, this is found on the very bottom of the disposal canister, facing the floor.

It is a small square or circular button, usually red.

If the safety switch has tripped, this button will be protruding (popped out) about a quarter of an inch.

Press the button firmly back into the housing. You should feel a satisfying “click” as it re-engages.

Step 4: The Test Run

Plug the disposal back into the outlet. Turn on the cold water tap (never run it dry).

Stand back and flip the wall switch.

If it spins: Success! You just fixed it for free.

If it hums: Turn it off immediately!

A humming sound means the electricity is working (the reset was successful), but the flywheel is physically jammed by debris.

How to Fix a Humming Disposal

If your unit is humming, you need to unjam it manually before it trips the reset button again.

1. Unplug the unit.
2. Find a tool. Use the service wrench provided with the unit or a long wooden spoon.
3. Go in from the top. Insert the handle into the sink drain.
4. Use leverage. Hook the handle against one of the metal impellers (lugs) inside the chamber.
5. Push hard. Try to rotate the turntable manually. You are trying to break the seal of whatever is wedged in there.
6. Remove the object. Once it spins freely, use tongs to pull out the debris.

Preventing Future Trips

To keep your disposal running smoothly, follow one golden rule: Always use cold water.

Hot water melts fat, which creates clogs. Cold water keeps fat solid, allowing the disposal to grind it up and flush it away safely.

By treating your appliance with care and knowing how to use the reset button, you can keep your Moen disposal running efficiently for years to come.