As the proud owner of a trash compactor, you already appreciate all of the fantastic benefits that come with one: It literally shrinks the volume of your garbage, thus reducing how many trash bags you need to use, how often you need to bring the trash outside, and how much you’re contributing to landfills. 

On the other hand, however, you’re also acutely aware of the one major downside of owning a trash compactor: It is prone to frequent jams. 

So, you might as well learn some tricks on how to deal with a jammed trash compactor, right? This way, you won’t have to call a technician every time it happens.

That’s why we’ve put together this short, quick guide on how to fix a jammed trash compactor. Here’s what you do:

• Hit the switch or pedal. Sometimes, the metal ram inside the compactor just needs a sudden jolt to get unstuck. Try flicking the on/off switch (or pressing down on the foot pedal) a few times in rapid succession. This could give the metal rod the jolt it needs. 
• Check the power connection. Because trash compactors exert so much force during operation, they sometimes loosen up the power cord or wire connections. Check that the unit’s fully plugged into a power source, and then check the access panel to make sure all of the wires are correctly connected.
• Look for loose items inside the unit. If your trash compactor bin was too full or loaded improperly, the metal ram might have knocked some items out of the bin. Remove the bin and look for any such items. 

If your machine still isn’t working after performing these adjustments, call Morris County Appliance Repair. We’re one of the few appliance technicians in Morris County who are able and willing to work on trash compactors!