Kitchen Sink Cabinet Plumbing/Insikerator layout problem.

9 years ago

Hi:

I have a problem that has been nagging me every since I have moved into the house in 2011. The house was built in 2007 and even though the kitchen is nice, One particular cabinet under my kitchen sink puzzles me.

I have attached a photo of it.

Here are the problems:

1. The Insinkerator sits Smack in the middle and extends almost to the base of the kitchen cabinet bottom.

2. The White pipe is not exactly small. It's pretty big and it also takes up pretty much all space on the right side of the cabinet.

3. The outlet plug on the right bottom, the box is located too much to the front, so even if I want to hang any basket or trash can on Either side, I either hit the Outlet Plug Box on the right or the Gargabe Disposal on the left.

Even a shallow slim basket won't slide under that ugly pipe.

The only small space that I have is to the left of the Insinkerator where I was able to squeeze in a big liquid detergent bottle and 2 Jetdry.

I really want to be able to fit in a pull out trash can or even an over the door trash can. Or at least a pull out organizer.

Thank You....

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Comments (16)

User
9 years ago
If you have a topmount sink, get a sink with a rear drain and eliminate the disposal. If you have an undermount sink, you can'tbreally change out the sink very easily at all, so just eliminate the disposal.
snoonyb
9 years ago
Remove the items from the cabinet, light it better, show the bottom and top of the sink and a panoramic of the sink cabinet.
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dutseal
Original Author
9 years ago
Hi:

I just took pics of the sink and the bottom cabinet without its content. I don't know why it looks a bit dark even though all my light is on....thanks.
dutseal
Original Author
9 years ago
The sink..
dutseal
Original Author
9 years ago
Ooh sorry about the warped bottom cabinet, we are in the process of stripping it all and re staining it...so pardon the mess...
grubby_AZ Tucson Z9
9 years ago
The person who thought it a good idea to put an electrical outlet (in a perforated metal box) on the deck of the undersink did not think too keenly. It also looks like the DW is run off a line cord that goes through a little hole in the cabinet wall. Many people would also call that a no-no.

Wild-guess suggestions: The big rule of thumb is that, one day, your sink cabinet WILL get very wet, so move the electrical box to the upper rear left. Way back. Use that occasion to get a better power supply for the DW. Clean up that spaghetti wiring and tuck any exposed wires up high and behind wood or rock wherever you can, away from water. If that's a switch for the disposer, you could also remedy that placement at the same time. Air switch? Be really fanatical about verifying the power supply grounding when you're done.

The waste lines go into the floor a bit far from the wall and that would be difficult to remedy without cutting into (hope it's not a concrete slab!) the floor, so you would only gain painful inches there. If the sink and DW are drained through the disposer and that's the only trap, are the other two lines vents? That cleanout could be raised a few inches with some work, and some other tucking-away (shorten that DW hose) could be in order that will give some room, but the 300 pound gorilla will always be that disposer.
dutseal
Original Author
9 years ago
Hi Grubby:

Yes I think whoever installed it was playing a cruel joke..I have never seen electrical outlet in that position before...

The sad thing is, this was supposed to be a custom home, and I have seen evidence where shortcuts were taken in not so obvious places...sigh :(

As for the disposer, it's more like a 3000 lbs King Kong :)
As much as I like the farmhouse sink, I hate the center position drain.

1. I will hire an electrician to fix with the wiring/electrical issues.

2. The double switch on the top right of the cabinet, one of the switch is for the disposer, the other one I have no idea what for.

3. The sink and dishwasher drain to the disposer. How I know? Everytime the dishwasher cycle is rinsing, I see water bubbling up through the dishwasher drain. The other two lines I don't know what they are.

Sigh :(

I'm very tempted to replace the sink altogether...
snoonyb
9 years ago
Thanks for the pictures.
Do you have a basement, crawl space or slab foundation?
dutseal
Original Author
9 years ago
Hi Snoonyb:

You're welcome ;)

I have a slab foundation. No basement/crawl space.

Thanks
snoonyb
9 years ago
That's unfortunate.
Are you familiar with Murphy' Law? Well, what can go wrong, will, and did in your case.

There are some things that can easily be accomplished, however, gaining significant storage will require more extensive measures.

You can move the recep. box mounted on the floor of the cabinet, to the wall, however, if there is an additional feed from that box, through the floor of the cabinet, it becomes more difficult.

If you opt to eliminate the switch/s/ and install an air-switch for the disposal, than have 2, 20amp recep., 1 for the DW and the other for the disposal.

Feeding the DW off of a recp. is fairly common, however, I'd relocate the place the cord comes into the cabinet to the lower rear corner.

There are two option for the placement of the air-switch, switch. Either drilling the counter or installing it in the cabinet face frame.

The disposal uses the high loop instead of an air gap, however, the hose can be shortened and connected.

You may feel that the disposal is the problem, when it's actually the 2" waste line and where it penetrates the cabinet and the loop vent does not help.

It should have been contained within the wall.

Both methods of correcting that would require removing a portion of the cabinet floor.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
9 years ago
dutseal:

I'm afraid if you're not a do-it-yourselfer, you're pushing the limits of cost effectiveness on this project. Can it be done? Probably. Will a pull-out be worth it? I doubt it.
friedajune
9 years ago
Insinkerator makes a compact 3/4 hp model. Many people on the GW with small under-sink spaces have this one, and like it. If you switch out your current disposal for the Insinkerator Compact, it will save a few inches, and it is still a good disposal because it is 3/4 hp and all stainless steel innards.

Here is a link that might be useful: Insinkerator Evolution Compact 3/4 hp Disposal
dutseal
Original Author
9 years ago
Hi Snoonyb:

All of your suggestion have been noted carefully and since I'm not a DIY-er, I will pass this options to the guy I'm going to hire...I definitely like the Air Switch idea and moving the Receptacle Box off the bottom of the cabinet to the back side wall of the cabinet. I think this alone will at least give the right side more room for me to put stuffs. No Receptacle, No Annoying Disposal hanging out of nowhere. As for ripping the floor board, I would love to just sledge hammer the bottom but I"m afraid what I will find out further under there...EEKS.

Thank You and you have a good Weekend :)
dutseal
Original Author
9 years ago
Hi Trebuchet:

I'm definitely not a Diy-er, especially when it involves electrical stuffs or plumbing stuffs.

To AkChicago:

I will have to look if the compact model will fit into my Shaw Rohl Farmsink. The last time I had to change out the Disposer, I had to FInd the same exact Model as the previous one because the Flange is Very Very Specific. Which is annoying. I had to order mine from Lewis & Sons in Houston.

Thanks for the suggestion guys :)
homepro01
9 years ago
The flange is not specific to the disposal. Rohl/ insinkerator sell an adapter for their sinks. It is the Rohl extended flange and fits on any insinkerator disposal. I have a Rohl Allia and the 1hp insinkerator.
Good luck!
dutseal
Original Author
9 years ago
Hi Homepro:

Wow, I didn't know that. If I had known before I bought this, I would have installed the 3/4 hp compact one. I guess I'll just have to wait till this Insinkerator fails :)

Btw does your sink have dings? Not deep dings, but more like scratch off where the porcelain is chipped off..

Thanks

Thanks

Kitchen Sink Cabinet Plumbing/Insikerator layout problem.

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snoonyb

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