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new garbage disposal???

8 years ago

We discovered there is leak where garbage disposal hooks into waste line...

Current model is Insinkerator installed when house was built about 10 yrs ago I guess---we have owned house 6 yrs now. First time there has been leak we think. Had large plastic shelf liner on bottom of cabinet so no warping of wood--lucky. Husband will try to fix it tomorrow (Sunday) by just replacing the gasket...but might take more than that.

Any recommendations for replacement model?

We are just 2-person household now and don't entertain much...gone 4-6 weeks at time to second home in FL which is one reason we didn't catch this leak before now.

There is one factor which might make installing new/different garbage disposal difficult. Current dishwasher was installed in cabinet and is not on floor level. It is raised probably 6-8 inches on left side of the sink, with bank of drawers on right side. Together they help form a taller surround for the sink to shield it from sight of the living/breakfast areas. My husband has replaced garbage disposals in other homes but with conventional d/w location...IF we need a new disposal, should we get repair guy out to start with?

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Comments (5)

practigal
8 years ago
Nice and quiet link to garbage disposal

If DH can get comfortably under the sink and is handy I don't see why you can't DIY.
kaseki
8 years ago
If you select the very quiet and powerful Insinkerator Evolution Excel, please be advised that the distance from the sink flange to disposer drain port is greater than for the earlier Insinkerator models. This only matters if the drain pipe passing into the wall is not very far below the present disposal's drain. Consult installation drawings for dimensions.

The Evolution Excel is very heavy relative to some earlier models. In cramped cabinets, significant one-arm strength may be needed to hold up the disposal with necessary alignment perfection in order to tighten up the retaining ring without pinching the sink seal. Various methods of supporting the unit may be devised. My hopefully final approach (to be tested soon) is to use an inexpensive lab scissor jack for this purpose. Scissor car jacks also work but have various deficiencies as a practical approach.

kas
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Cronological age means little. Use and power feed are more important for figuring replacement issues. We had an Insinkerator in our new house for 9 years---sold the house to a fellow I worked with----who told me everything that he had to fix---never mentioned the disposer. Moved into a mobile, installed an Insinkerator that lasted 12 years----and died from having the motor damaged by low voltage problems---makes the motor over heat. The replacement was a Badger---was 15 years old when we moved. Leave it.
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M Miller - Why did't I contact WasteKing? Honestly it never occurred to me. The garbage disposal had consistent issues with certain classes of waste. It chewed through anything hard and solid. That is where the power of the motor comes into play. The design of a garbage disposal is muck more than simply the motor. Just like a car and pretty much every other product. You can chose to believe me or not. Really does not matter to me. I am simply relating my experience with the 1hp Wasteking, Legend Series I got from Costco. My previous Insinkerator had its issue with raw chicken skin. I did not think to call and complain about that either. It was just a matter of using the correct tool for the job. I am glad that Wasteking works well for you. For me it did not. I was much happier with the Insinkerator and felt it was worth the additional cost. Not everyone will agree with me. That is fine. Competition is great for any industry so I am happy there are other options out there. aliceinwonderland_id - I have to disagree with you on the landfill. With the way Garbage is compacted many landfills have an issue with getting enough oxygen down to the organic waste to decompose it. If you run enough water in your disposal it will flush the waste all the way to the main pipes where additional water flow will keep it moving. At least that is my theory :) More and more cities are setup to handle the "solid" waste and make use of it. Not that I don't believe you but would you point me to a link discussing the issues with Garbage Disposals and pipes/Ph, etc?
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loves2read
Original Author
8 years ago
So should we take a photo of current model/installation and mark dimensions? I am leaning toward the Insinkerator Evolution SpaceSaver--just because it is less expensive and would give more room under the sink--has good reviews.
nerdyshopper
8 years ago
One picture is worth .... Many Insinkerators are relatively quiet if you get a ways above the bottom of the line. No need for one horsepower. I'd get a well insulated 3/4 H.P. one. A picture of what is leaking would help figure out if it can be fixed.
chisue
8 years ago
Do you have a lot of garbage? Do you want a disposal?

We are also just two adults. When we built in 2001, I decided to wire for a disposal but not install one. I haven't missed it at all. I have a pull-out left of the sink that holds a bin for garbage and one for recycling. We have plenty of recycling materials, but so little garbage that we could go for a week without removing it -- if it didn't get 'ripe'.

I had the disposal in our Maui condo removed, mostly because guests misused it. I haven't missed that one either. (There, we routinely take out the trash, including garbage, every evening.)

There's just so much stuff that you should not attempt to put into a disposal! On the rare occasion I need to dispose of something with a lot of liquid content, I've used a toilet.

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