Garbage Disposal Installation And Repair Step by Step Guide

Garbage disposal is one of the biggest challenges the world is facing today. Forget what the environmentalist think or what our political leaders say to gain popularity, we as residents of the Earth whom we call our mother should consider proper disposal of garbage as our service to society.

Our kitchen is the biggest port for generating garbage which has to be disposed off efficiently and effectively for healthy surroundings and hygienic reasons.

Every kitchen has a garbage disposal system which is fixed under the sink. The garbage disposal system basically chews up the food which then drains down with the flow of water.

Installation of the garbage disposer is an easy affair with the right tools and patience. To get rid of waste food in the kitchen garbage disposal is an easy way. Garbage disposal installation is a DIY now. Here is an easy to follow installation step to garbage disposal.

1. Turn the power off at the circuit breaker. Check whether the disposal system fits under the system.
2. Before you unscrew the sink flange nut, put a cloth in the main drain leakages before you remove the drain lines. Unscrew the nut that is at the base of the sink and remove the body drainer though the sink
3.  Remove the putty around the opening with a screwdriver and clean any putty that is around it with a rag cloth.
4. Unscrew all the screws by turning over the mounting assembly. Get access to the snap ring
5.  With a screwdriver, remove the snap ring from the flange. The mounting assembly will fall apart. Carefully separate all the parts without damaging the fiber gasket
6. On the opening of the sink, roll the putty and press it firmly. Now slip the fiber gasket and metal backup ring over the flange of the sink
7. Firmly hold the fiber gasket and backup rink in place while slipping the mounting ring on the flange so that it sits against the backup ring. A wide rubber band can be put around the flange above the snap ring groove to hold the parts in place
8. Pop the snap ring up the flange into the groove and then remove the rubber band
9. Knock out the plug by turning the dishwasher on the side and pushing the plug with a flat head screwdriver before you connect the dishwasher line. Tap around it so that the plug is down inside the unit
10. To retrieve the plug, turn the unit upright, remove the gasket and ring and remove the plug. Again, replace the ring and gasket. In the electrical hole, insert a wire clamp
11. At this stage ensure that the power is turned off as now you will touch the electric wires. Hold the access hole cover at the bottom of the garbage disposal system after removing the screws. Gently remove the cover and pull the disposal wires out
12. Pull the electrical wires into the wire clamp that was installed earlier. Connect the wires by matching the color codes. Secure the wiring using wire nuts or use the electrical tape to attach the wire to the wire nuts. Screw the ground wire as well.
13. With all wires secured, push them into the access hole and screw up the cover. Remember to tighten the electrical clamp
14. Lift the garbage disposal system and insert the top end of the gasket into the mounting assembly. Tighten the mounting ring by turning it to the right till the mounting tabs fit snugly. With pliers, lock the tabs over the ridges
15. Install the drain pipes by attaching the P-trap to the trap arm and tail piece. Push in the discharge tube into the T-fitting but do not tighten the slip nut completely. The other end of the discharge tube should not be inserted into the garbage disposal system. With a screwdriver, tighten the nuts to secure the metal flanges . Finally, tighten all the slip nuts
16. We are now completing the installation by clamping up the disposal system bell over the disposal drain. The bell will slide onto the disposal drain. Slide the bell from the dishwasher to the barbed connection on the garbage disposal system. Clamp the fitting securely using the screwdriver

Once you have successfully installed the garbage disposal system, it is always better to know how to repair it as well. With constant use, there are bound to be some small problems coming up which can be sorted or repaired by yourself.

The food is shredded in the grinding chamber of the garbage disposer that is fixed under the sink. An impeller arm and plate force the liquid and shredded food particles down the drain.

Here is a short guide to step by step guide to Garbage Disposal Repair which is a DIY guide. If you cannot sort out the issue, then call the garbage disposal systems experts and get it sorted out.

When the motor hums or is noisy, stops by itself after running in a short time and the disposer does not grind, then you know that the garbage disposal system is jammed.  Usually it’s a big piece of bone or fruit that gets stuck between the impeller blade and the hole.

When you hear a different noise or gauge that the system is jammed,don’t run the disposer or the motor will burn which will be a big expense. The most common problems that are:

•                 The disposer is jammed
•                 Disposer doesn't grind properly
•                 Disposal drain is clogged

Steps to clear a jammed disposer

1. Turn off the electrical power before you touch any part of the garbage disposal system. Unplug the unit by referring to the instruction in the user manual
2. Find the six-sided hole under the sink at the bottom of the garbage disposal system. With a hex wrench, free the impellers by fixing the wrench in the hole and forcing it back and forth. Some models do have a reverse switch that does the same action to free the impellers in the garbage disposal system
3. If you do not have the hex wrench, force a broom stick into the disposer and try to rotate the blade of the impeller
4. If some metal, glass, leaves, banana peels or something like that has gone into the garbage disposal, use a pair of tongs to pull out the material. Never put your hand in there to pull out the stuff

Garbage disposal not grinding properly

If you hear that the disposer is not grinding properly, ensure that there is enough running water for the unit to operate.

If the garbage disposer is running, but not grinding then probably the blades are broken.  It is cheaper to replace the blades then to replace the whole unit.

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Things you should know about residential plumbing: water heater

Do not wait for the winter to set in and water to freeze whether it is the water heater or your basement that gets filled up. Scheduling all maintenance is less expensive than calling the plumber in case of an emergency.  This is the time to service the water heater as a well maintained heater will use lesser energy which saves you money by lowering your electric bill.

The water heater

More than thousand liters of water runs through the water heater. Most of the water contains high mineral and particle contents. Every time the water enters and leaves the water heater, some sediment settles on the inner wall of the tank or settles at the base. A water heater cleaning routine involves flushing out the deposits once a year. This small maintenance extends the life of the water heater, it works more efficiently and gives better quality of water.

Residential plumbing tips for water heater maintenance

1)      Shut off the power – at the breaker box, shut off the electricity that supplies power to the water heater. If you use a gas heated unit, turn off the gas. It is advisable to check the water heater manual before you attempt to handle the water heating gadget. If you can’t find the manual in the drawer, go online and check the same. The diagrammatic representation shows all the parts of the water heater, which reduces the confusion during maintenance.

2)      Turn off the water – turn off the water supply at the top of the tank. Empty the hot water from the water heater by letting it run in the sink in the bathroom or kitchen. Let all the hot water run out till the cold water runs through it. Running the water in the sink reduces accidental burns

3)      Drain base water – attach a hose to the drain valve that is at the base of the tank. Lead the hose to the sink or the drain hole, ensuring the hose outlet end is at a lower level than the water heater base

4)      Flushing the tank – after the water stops draining, open the cold water valve in spurts which will disengage the sediments on the inner body of the water heater. This is called as flushing the tank. Flushing removes the particles, sediments and rust that has accumulated which reduces the efficiency of the water heater. Once clear water starts flowing out, close the drain valve and remove the hose. 

Remember to:

·         Fill up the tank before turning on the electricity else the water heater will get damaged

·         Shut the hot water faucet that was turned on to drain the hot water either in your kitchen or bathroom sink

·         Restore the power or gas supply to the water heater

·         Follow the maintenance manual to check the progress

Read More here Things you should know about residential plumbing: water heater