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Garbage disposal: where should it be installed on a double sink?

15 years ago

This is a question about installation of the garbage disposal on a double offset sink. I'm in the middle of a kitchen remodel.

The left bowl will be the large bowl, with the dishwasher to the left of it. I asked my contractor to install the garbage disposal under the large bowl (because that's where we do the majority of washing and where all the food scraps accumulate).

He insisted that the disposal has to be installed on the small bowl. Otherwise it will both cause loud gurgling noises and cause the disposal to not function properly. This doesn't make any functional sense to have the disposal under the small bowl. But I've only ever had single-bowl sinks so I've never had to think about this before.

Is he right? Is there some configuration of traps and tees that would get around his concern? And even if he is right, what's the actual risk of installing it on the large bowl?

Another consideration - and this one is rather unconventional: I would eventually like to pipe the small bowl drain to a water collection system in the backyard, which is directly outside the kitchen. Basically, collect the water from rinsing produce and other relatively clean washables for reuse in the garden. This may sound kind of way out there and I'm sure it doesn't comply with code, but I do live in California and the specter of drought increases every year. It just seems like such a waste of perfectly good, clean water to have it drain away as wastewater.

I don't expect the contractor to agree to do this last part, but at the very least it would help if he'd install the disposal on the large bowl. Any advice appreciated!

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Comment (1)

lazypup
15 years ago
On the one hand it can be argued that there is only one prescribed manner to install a center waste or end waste kit and any attempt to circumvent that is hack work at best.

On the other hand, it can also be argued the if the drain, waste & vent piping under your sink contradicts with the placement of a trash can, then it is the trash can that needs to find another location.

Now in regards to your question about piping the smaller bowl directly outside to conserve water:

Only in California would people intentionally pour bacteria laden effluent on their garden or repeatedly starve the watercloset flush volume on the notion that they must conserve water, then in the next breathe demand a 200 or 300 gallon soaker tub or a shower with 4 to 8 shower heads and body sprays and not give that water consumption a second thought.
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