How To Plumb A Single Bowl Kitchen Sink With A Disposal
The kitchen is one of the most profound spaces in the home. Frequent use combined with the trash that goes down the drain sometimes means your kitchen sink gets a bit backed up. There are recommendations of a few things before calling a plumber to your home.
The joy of doing the fix-its yourself can save time and money. So, how do you plumb a single bowl kitchen sink with disposal?
To plumb a single bowl kitchen sink with disposal, you will first need to clear the blockage by hand if you can see it. Then clear the blockage with a plunger to get the excess out of the drain and pipes. Last run a cleaning agent through the waste pipes to ensure everything is clean. It calls for removing the pipes, P trap, adding the disposal, the wires to the switch, and connecting everything back.
Do You Need to Hire a Plumber?
Get free, zero-commitment quotes from pro contractors near you.
Benefits of Having a Disposal in your Sink
Scraping off food from pots, pans, plates, and bowls into the garbage can be a hassle. It’s impossible to get all of it. Inevitably, the dishes you put in your sink will still have some food on them, no matter how long you scrape.
That food waste will go down your drain. Without disposal to grind it up, it could get stuck. Food stuck to your waste pipes can build up, cause damage, and eventually clog up.
Listed below are a few benefits of putting a disposal system in your kitchen sink:
- Ground-up foods will get stuck less often. Smaller pieces will slide right down.
- There will be less food in the trash. Foods in the garbage can invite pests into your home.
- There are fewer kitchen odors. Scraps of food, whether tossed in the trash or rinsed down the sink, can get smelly. Disposal breaks up the food and helps it slide down the drain easier.
- A garbage disposal will save you time doing dishes because it means less time spent plucking out larger pieces that clog up the sink and slow down water flow.
Cost of Adding a Disposal to Your Single Bowl Kitchen Sink
The price of disposal systems will vary aggressively. It depends on the model you select and purchase. Some start as low as $100, and others can cost thousands of dollars.
Ultimately, you will want to select a model which works best with your sink. It is wise to get the amount of space you can dedicate to a disposal system and your budget.
The installation will also affect the price of a garbage disposal system. Calling in a professional will likely cost $200-300. You could save money by installing everything yourself.
When to Call a Professional
Garbage disposal systems include both plumbing and electrical elements. Not everyone is comfortable with one or both.
Professionals have the experience, expertise, and proper tools to get the job done the right way the first time. If you believe calling a professional is a suitable option, they can get the job done right safely and fast.
Installing a garbage disposal is a comparatively easy task. It demands only a few tools and basic plumbing with electrical work knowledge. It can be viewed as an excellent project with hands-on experience with plumbing and electrical work.
Steps for Plumbing a Kitchen Sink with Disposal
Ensuring your disposal is adequately installed will save issues in the future. If you have room under your sink and a nearby electrical switch, installing a disposal system is well within your reach.
The exact steps required to take next will depend on the specific disposal system you want to install. Generally, the following steps will get you through the process.
Step 1: Set up your work area
Turn off the electricity running around your sink and clear out space under your sink. Clean the surfaces if needed.
Step 2: Undo the couplers attaching the drainpipe to the P-trap
Separate the flange from the bottom of the sink. Detach the coupling and push it upwards.
Step 3: Attach your disposal
Insert the garbage disposal’s flange into the bottom of the sink. Your model will most likely have a backup ring and a mounting ring. Check with the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific model on installation.
Step 4: Attach electrical wires to the switch
You’ll need a few inches of wire to the switch. Strip the wire and color match from the disposal to the wall’s wiring, white to white and black to black.
Wrap the ends of the wire to the grounding screw and screw it into place. Return all components to the wiring compartment.
Step 5: Align your disposal
Rotate your disposal in the mounting ring to ensure it is firmly in place, and the outlet is facing the drain pipe.
Step 6: Reattach the P-trap and the extension pipe
Use plumbers putty to help ensure you have a tight seal.
Step 7: Check your work
Return the power to the sink. Run water down the sink and turn your disposal on.
Dealing with Clogs in Your Kitchen Sink with a Disposal
Disposal systems in your kitchen sink are undoubtedly helpful with keeping the drain clear, but clogs still sometimes happen. Calling a plumber is costly and time-consuming, and you will need your sink before you can get one. Look to see if there is something to do before making a time-consuming call to a plumber.
Before you do anything to your kitchen sink, be sure the disposal system is turned off. Switch off the breaker to the sink to cut power.
Using a Garbage Disposal with a Dishwasher
Garbage disposal systems and dishwashers often go hand-in-hand. When used in tandem, the drained water from the dishwasher goes through the disposal system, adding an extra layer of protection from clogged pipes from food waste.
A single bowl kitchen sink is perfectly fine to attach a disposal and dishwasher combination. What’s more important is that there is enough room under your sink to accommodate the space needed for the dishwasher’s drainage and the disposal unit.
Visible Blockage Should Be Removed
Look down your drain and into the disposal. Is there anything there that is blocking the way? Use tongs or a similar tool to reach down into the drain and remove the blockage.
Clogged Pipe
The clog may be located far enough down that you cannot see it. Try unclogging it with a plunger.
Ensure the plunger’s rubber ring is inserted into the drain and that the plunger fully covers the drain. Move the plunger up and down quickly to loosen up any clog.
Using Cleaners to Unclog Your Drain
Harsh chemicals are no good for the plastic elements in your disposal system. Harsh chemicals eat away at your pipes and shorten the lifespan of your sink, disposal system, and plumbing system. A gentler way of cleaning your pipes and getting a clog out is to use baking soda and vinegar.
The exact measurements of how much baking soda and vinegar to use are not very important. Roughly, you will want to use one part baking soda to two parts of vinegar.
Sprinkle the baking soda in first, and then pour on the vinegar.
Maintaining your Disposal System
A clean and cared for disposal system will serve you and your family’s needs for years to come. Treating it well and maintaining it will keep it working smoothly.
Run Water While Using Disposal System
Running water while running the disposal system helps to lubricate the mechanism. It will also help to push food down the drain as it is broken up.
When food builds upon the disposal system, it will not break up food as effectively. Build-up can get stuck and turn into a bigger problem. Larger food particles could get stuck more profound in the drainpipe.
Toss in Citrus Peels Every Few Weeks
The peels from citrus fruits such as lemon or oranges have natural antimicrobial elements. Grinding up citrus peels every few weeks at your disposal will help to keep it clean and running smoothly.
As an added bonus, the sweet smell of citrus fruit peels will help your whole kitchen smell better.
Do You Need to Hire a Plumber?
Get free, zero-commitment quotes from pro contractors near you.
Related Questions
Are there any limits to what can go down a disposal?
There are limits to what can and what cannot go down a garbage disposal. Small amounts of food waste can pass. However, stay away from starches, fatty oils, pits, paper, coffee grounds, and fibrous waste.
What is causing my garbage disposal to stink?
Bacteria and rotten food may not have been appropriately cleaned from the garbage disposal. Regularly, run cold water and ice cubes down the drain with the disposal running. Grind citrus rinds while doing this procedure to get a fresh scent.
How does a garbage disposal rid pests?
Food that sits around will attract flies and all kinds of pests. A garbage disposal will get rid of the source of the problem, which is rotting food. It makes a cleaner space to eliminate pests.
We are a team of passionate homeowners, home improvement pros, and DIY enthusiasts who enjoy sharing home improvement, housekeeping, decorating, and more with other homeowners! Whether you're looking for a step-by-step guide on fixing an appliance or the cost of installing a fence, we've here to help.
More by Upgraded Home Team
![10 Best Scroll Saws for 2022 [Ultimate Reviews & Buyer's Guide]](https://cdn-fastly.upgradedhome.com/media/2023/07/31/9070684/10-best-scroll-saws-for-2022-ultimate-reviews-buyer-s-guide.jpg?size=350x220)
