As time goes by, nearly all kitchen appliances will show deteriorating performance, including the garbage disposal. It only makes sense to lose the efficiency if it has been working continuously. So, you may need to replace or remove the garbage disposal permanently at some point.
There are many reasons that can lead to this decision, but whichever yours is, the following guide will present you how to remove garbage disposal from sink properly.
How to Remove Garbage Disposal from Sink
As mentioned above, there are many possible reasons why garbage disposal needs to be removed from the kitchen sink. It can be caused by repeating issues with clogged or worn-out drains or simply that you are no longer willing to regularly clean debris from this appliance.
By employing several tools and performing a set of steps as explained below, removing garbage disposal will be feasible to do at a low cost.
The cost to remove garbage disposal can be pricey if you call a professional plumber. Luckily, this is something that most homeowners will manage on their own.
That being said, preparation is a crucial key to making sure this work goes efficiently and safely. At most, you will need a couple of hours to complete it. Understanding what’s required and involved is the key. Read the instructions below and review what materials you need before examining your unit and starting to perform them.
Here are the steps on how to remove garbage disposal:
- Turn off the power supply that controls the electricity that supports the garbage disposal by going to the electrical service panel or circuit breaker.
- Disconnect the plug of your garbage disposal plug, or the wires if it is hardwired into the home.
- Release the pipe clamp that attaches the dishwasher bushing to the dishwasher hose on the side of the unit.
- Release the fittings on the P-trap by using a pipe wrench or adjustable wrench.
- Let the water contained in the P-trap to discharge into a bucket, before removing the unit.
- Release the mounting assembly. To do this, you need to loosen the mounting screws that secure the lower and upper ring, lift off the ring on the sleeve of the kitchen sink, then proceed to lift off the flange, fiber gasket, and sink sleeve.
Garbage disposal is a quite standard device in American households, as it offers the convenience of eliminating certain types of waste. However, it doesn’t mean that this unit is an absolute necessity. If you own one in your home and it stops working for whatever reason, you may choose to remove the team without replacing it.
After doing all the steps above, you can remove the unit permanently without removing the sink. However, you will need to connect the sink to drain pipes again so the water can go through them and head somewhere.
Remember that this project requires you to have a minimum basic understanding of how plumbing and electricity work, so don’t be hesitant to contact a licensed plumber instead if you are not confident with handling it yourself.
If you notice an issue of garbage disposal not working, it’s recommended to call a professional first. The guide on how to remove garbage disposal from the sink provided above won’t be much of a help if your unit acts strangely, such as making weird noises. So, there are cases where you will need helps from experienced and professional plumbers to resolve the issue.
