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Wrenches on a rusty wall

Call sheet: food waste units

Garbage Disposal Installation in Whitby

A garbage disposal grinds soft food scraps so they wash down the drain. Installed well, it runs quietly and drains fast. Installed poorly, it leaks and clogs.

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  • Licensed & insured trade work
  • Scope agreed before we start
  • Urgent calls triaged first

Signs you need this

  • Tub water climbs whenever someone flushes upstairs
  • Gurgling from the sink after the washer drains
  • Floor drain weeping or smelling of sewer gas
  • Slow drains on more than one fixture

Kit on the van, and the method

  1. Drum auger with ¼–⅜ in. cable for 1½–2 in. branches
  2. Sectional machine and cutting heads for 3–4 in. mains
  3. Self-levelling camera and locator
  4. Trap wrenches, cleanout keys, drop sheets

Before we leave: Run several fixtures at once and watch the lowest drain for any rise.

Check your drain first

Before installing a disposal, we look at the existing kitchen drain. A disposal sends more solids into the line, so a pipe that is already sluggish or poorly sloped will get worse. In older Whitby homes with long horizontal kitchen runs, we sometimes clear the line before installation.

We also check whether the home is on a septic system. Rural properties in north Whitby and Scugog often are, and disposals add solids to the tank. Some septic designs tolerate them; others do not. Ask your septic installer or review the system documents.

Choosing a unit

  • Motor size. Larger motors handle tougher scraps and jam less.
  • Batch or continuous feed. Batch feed runs only with the stopper in place, a safety advantage.
  • Sound insulation. Better units are much quieter.
  • Grind components. Stainless parts last longer.
Field note. A disposal needs power under the sink, usually a switched outlet. If there is none, an electrician must add it before we install.

Installation

  1. Take out the old basket strainer and scrub the sink hole.
  2. Install the disposal mounting flange with plumber's putty or the supplied gasket.
  3. Hang the unit and lock it to the mount.
  4. Connect the discharge tube to the trap, adjusting the trap height so it slopes down to the wall.
  5. Knock out the dishwasher inlet plug if a dishwasher will connect, and attach its drain hose.
  6. Run water and the unit, checking every joint for drips.

Repair and replacement

A unit that hums but does not spin is usually jammed; an Allen key in the socket at the bottom frees it. Water dripping from the housing means its inner seals are gone; only a new unit cures that. A unit that trips its reset button often has a dull grinder or tired motor.

What not to grind

Grease, fibrous peels, coffee grounds, eggshells and bones cause most disposal clogs. Our what not to flush or pour note has the list. See also kitchen plumbing.

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