How to Install a Garbage Disposal

A garbage disposal is like a small kitchen upgrade. This is not only for easy clean-ups, it helps your kitchen smell better and eliminates garbage. And it’s a green one for the planet, which benefits from less food ending up the landfill.

Before we continue with the installation process, we might as well step back and consider what you need. There are a variety of different garbage disposals out there, and finding the right one for you will depend on what you’re kitchen needs and how much you’re willing to spend. Whether you’re trading up a model or having your very first one installed, you don’t have to be a pro to do it right.

As far as that goes, we’re to walk you through how to install a garbage disposal and running it right. So, let’s get started:

Choose the Right Garbage Disposal for Your Home

Selecting the best garbage disposal for your household is about more than just grabbing the first good option on the shelf. Here’s how to ensure you get it right:

• Size and Power: How much garbage do you produce in your kitchen? If you cook frequently or have a large family, you may want to consider upgrading to a disposal that has more power and can handle larger capacity.
• Consider the features: Some disposals have fancy features, such as noise reduction or an ability to grind up tougher food scraps. Decide what features are nonnegotiable for you.
• Compatibility: Hopefully, the model you pick fits under your sink and will work with your plumbing. And if you have a dishwasher, you’ll need a disposal than can link up to it.
• Budget: Price points vary, so consider how much you want to spend. Keep in mind the pricier option isn’t always the best option to meet your needs.

What You’ll Need

If you are going to install a garbage disposal problem free you need a few different tools and material.

Equipment / Tools

Here’s a checklist of tools you’ll need for the installation:

• Wrench: To tighten and loosen nuts and fittings.
• Plumber’s Putty: You are going to need this to make a water-tight seal around the sink flange.
• Screwdriver: A flat-head or Phillips, depending on the screws used by your disposal.
• Pipe Wrench: It’s used for installing or holding pipes in place.
• Hacksaw: Could be useful if you need to chop some pipes.
• Non-Contact Voltage Tester: Used to test whether there is electricity to be detected in a slightly larger area.
• Flashlight: So you can see under the sink.

Materials

While you new garbage disposal is basically plug-and-play, the following are some of the many items that you may need:

• Drain Pipes and Fittings: For hooking your disposal to the plumbing.
• Electrical Cord Kit (if not included with your disposal): To power your unit.
• Dishwasher Connector Kit (if applicable): If you are connecting the disposer to a dishwasher.
• Wire Nuts and Electrical Tape: Safe wiring connections.
• Plumber’s Tape: For a leakproof fit of threads in pipe joints.

Initial Setup and Safety Measures

Before you begin installing your garbage disposal, there are some preparations that can make the job a little easier.

Safety First

• Cut the Power: First step, kill the power to the area you’re working in. This keeps you protected from shocks.
• Inspect Your Electrical Setup: Ensure that the space where you’re installing the disposal has enough electricity to power it. You may require an extra circuit just for the disposal.

Workspace setup

• Clear the Area: Before you get underway, clear everything out from underneath your sink: bottles of cleaning products, supplies, whatever’s gotten shoved there over the years, etc.
• Lighting: If the space under your sink is dark, install a work light, or grab a flashlight so you can see what you are doing.
• Lay Down a Towel or Pan: Put down a towel or shallow pan below the pipe under the sink, making it possible to catch any water that will drip when you remove the old garbage disposal.

Step-by-Step Installation Guide for a Garbage Disposal

Here is a full how-to guide on installing a garbage disposal:

1. Remove the Old Disposal (if applicable)

And if you’re installing a new disposal because you have an old one, the first step to safely replacing that will be to remove the old one. First off, kill the electricity so you don’t get shocked. You can verify this quickly using a device called non-contact voltage tester around where the disposal wires are.

Then, you should remove the drain connections connected to the disposal. Typically, there is a pipe that runs from the disposal to either your sink or the main drain line. If your dishwasher drains through the disposal, you will also have to remove that hose. If tightened, loosen the connections gently with a wrench. And then the disposal from the flange assembly.

Take off flange assembly from sink drain. If you are installing a new disposal unit produced by the same manufacturer as the old one, and it is known to have leaks, you can simply re-use the old flange assembly but, we recommend removing and replacing the old flange assembly with a new one to guarantee the seal of a new drain.

2. Installing the Drain Fitting and Mounting Ring

Drain fitting and mounting ring installation After removing the old disposal, install or drop in the drain fitting and mounting ring. This is an important step because it will keep your sink and disposal unit securely connected and free of leaks.

The first thing you’ll need to do is clean out the sink opening. Remove any leftover or old plumber’s putty so you’re working with a clean surface. Then, grab some plumber’s putty, form a long, skinny shape with it, and push it against the bottom of the drain flange. This putty is a sealant that help keep water from leaking.

Set the flange into the sink’s drain hole with the flange edge facing down and press down to ensure the putty fills any openings, forming a tight seal. Under the sink you will then be required to fasten the gasket and the back ring to the flange bottom and under the flange, then fasten all of these parts to the flange tail piece using the jiggle on the mounting ring and attaching the snap ring to the groove on the flange tail piece.

3. Tighten the Mounting Ring Assembly

Now that you have positioned the mounting ring in place with the drain fitting it is time to center your attention on tightening it. (This is typically accomplished by rotating the mounting ring until it meets resistance against the bottom of the sink and the disposal is held securely. This step is important in order to do this evenly and ensure no tilting or turns are left to bite us later.

As you tighten, it’s a good idea to keep going all around the ring in a circle, a little bit at a time on each side. This evens the pressure all the way around and avoids the ring getting cockeyed. If your disposal seems like it’s wobbling around or isn’t sitting right, try loosening the ring just a bit, adjusting the disposal’s position so everything is just right, and then re-tightening the ring.

When you meet resistance, or if the ring doesn’t tighten as it should, double check that there is nothing preventing the ring or sink’s underside from making a clean connection. For unlucky there can be small particles of waste or the screws/bolts from the old system.

If you experience difficulty tightening or installing the flange assembly, be sure to check out this comprehensive guide to flange assembly installation video to fix your issues:

4. Connecting the Disposal’s Power Cord

ATTENTION: Wiring your garbage disposal power cord is easy requires just 3 tool s for this easy task.

Here is how to do it correctly and what to look out for:

First of all, make sure the power is on at the circuit breaker, otherwise you might get a jolt of electricity. Safety first, always. If your disposal came with an attached power cord, you’re in luck, and you can go ahead and plug it into a good grounded outlet under the sink. If you do need to attach the cord yourself, here’s the drill:

1. Prepare the Disposal: Find the electrical cover plate on the bottom of the disposal, and remove it to gain access to the electrical wiring within. You should have, typically, green, white, a thin black (hot).
2. Install the Cord: If your disposal didn’t come with a cord, you’ll have to buy the cord yourself. Be sure it’s built for use with garbage disposals and is long enough to reach your outlet without any serious stretching. Feed the cord through the relief clamp and join the wires from the disposal to the corresponding wires on the cord white disposal wire to white cord wire, black disposal wire to black cord wire and green disposal wire to green cord wire Twist wire nuts onto each connection, and screw them on until they’re snug.
3. Secure the Connections: After everything’s wired up, carefully tuck the wires back into the disposal and screw the electrical cover plate back on.
4. Clamp It Down: You’ll want to clamp the relief clamp where the cord enters the disposal. This clamp prevents the cord from being wrenched out inadvertently, an event that could destroy the wires and connections.

5. Preparing for a Dishwasher Connection (Optional)

If you have a dishwasher, you may also have one that connects to your garbage disposal. This configuration enables the dishwasher to drain freely through the disposal and makes installation easier and more straightforward. Here’s what to do to prepare for this type of situation, and some things to consider:

First, determine if your garbage disposal has a dishwasher inlet. Many models do, but it’s typically covered with a knockout plug that you’ll need to knock out to connect your dishwasher drain hose. To do so, you’ll require a screwdriver or some other device to punch the plug out from inside the disposal. Be sure to do this before you install the disposal under the sink, because it’s difficult to get at this spot once everything is installed.

After pulling this plug the dishwasher drain hose can be hooked to the inlet, use a hose clamp to hold it in place. Be sure that the connection is tight enough to prevent leaks, but not so tight that it damages the hose.

If you don’t have a dishwasher or if you hate having everything mingle together to drain into the bowl on the bottom, this part’s optional. But you might want to think about future kitchen upgrades. If you don’t currently require a connection for a dishwasher, you may want that option in the future if you decide to get a dishwasher.

6. Mount the Garbage Disposal

Now, fitting your garbage disposal right is going to be super important to ensure that it’s connected properly and ready to go. Here’s how to do it easily, with some useful tips:

Start by matching the top of the disposal with the three tabs of the sink assembly. So, doing this part well means everything else typically goes well. Holding the disposal firmly, twist the upper portion of the disposer until the 3 tabs latch onto the lower part of the sink. This locks the disposal to the sink securely. You can even use a screw driver to turn the locking ring until it is connected with a sink flange.

Gah, there’s just so much to do and you’ll definitely want to keep a tight hold on the disposal while you do it since its quite heavy and you’re working into the bowl while it’s almost upside down so it’s a bit fiddly to maneuver. If it’s not turning, check if it’s lined up right or if there’s something (a paper clip, for example) jammed in the way preventing a proper fit.

7. Connect the Drain Lines

Take the drain pipe that came with your disposal, or your old one if it will fit. Align it with the outlet of the disposal. If there’s a rubber gasket or seal, ensure it is sitting properly to prevent leaks. Secure the drain pipe to the disposal outlet with the clamps or fasteners supplied. It should be just tight enough that no water will escape, but not so tight that it damages the pipe or fittings.

The other end of the drain pipe is typically attached to the P-trap under your sink. This is how sewer gases are prevented from returning up the sink. Ensure that you make a secure and tight connection with both fittings, as before, in order not to have any leaks. Once it’s all connected, wiggle the pipes a little bit to ensure all of the fit is secure. There should be no motion at the joints.

8. Lock the Garbage Disposal Unit in Place

To ensure the garbage disposal is secure, you must tightening the portion named cam collar, on the disposal. You can use a screwdriver to give you leverage or a special wrench that may have come with your disposal. You should feel it “click” and engage properly with the sink’s assembly as you tighten it.

9. Check for Leaks

Once you have your garbage disposal unit installed and locked in place, the next step is to make sure that everything is working and that you don’t have leaks.

First, do a once over on all connections to make sure they’re nice and snug (and then tightly snug). This applies to the spot where the disposal connects to the sink, the drain lines, and anywhere their components come together.

Then switch the power back on at the circuit breaker, but don’t run the disposal yet. Turn on the faucet and run some cold water into the sink, and let the water flow into the disposal. And monitor every connection, especially under the sink, for evidence of water leaking out. If you notice any drips or wetness, close the water and tighten the connections slightly more.

After you know you do not have any leaks, run the disposal. While the water is still running, switch on the disposal. It should engage with no weird noises or vibrations.

conclusion

Let’s recap the main parts as we wrap up our how to install a garbage disposal guide. We first chose the correct disposal, and then an assortment of tools and supplies, prepared the work space, and carefully installed the disposal, ensuring that every part was connected correctly to prevent leaks and keep everything stable.

But remember that proper maintenance of your disposal after you put it in is also critical. Just keep it clean, avoid throwing hard or stringy stuff in there, and always put water down the drain while you’re grinding waste to prevent clogs.

FAQ’s