How to Remove Garbage Disposals
The garbage disposal. You never really notice the thing until it stops working or gets clogged. After that, you start to wonder how you're ever going to get along without it. And that's when a quick removal and replacement becomes a necessity. Removing a garbage disposal is a fairly easy task as long as you take it step-by-step. You'll need a crescent wrench or socket set and a willingness to get a little grubby. Generally, removing the garbage disposal should take no more than a half hour. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Removing a garbage disposal
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1
Clean out space under your sink. This will give you maneuvering room underneath the garbage disposal. In addition, you will not have to worry about anything being damaged should water leak during the procedure.
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2
Unplug the unit or else you risk an electrical shock. Typically, the plug is somewhere under the sink. Once you have unplugged the garbage disposal, flip the switch by your sink to make sure that you pulled out the right cord. If you can't find the plug, switch off the circuit breaker for the kitchen and test the disposal switch to make sure the current indeed is off.
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3
Disconnect the extension pipe. The extension pipe runs from the garbage disposal unit to the main drain pipe that runs out of the sink. Remove the two or three nuts that attach the extension to the pipe. The reason you want to disconnect the pipe first is that the garbage disposal is fairly heavy (10 pounds or more). If you first disconnect the disposal from the sink, you risk snapping the extension pipe and possibly damaging the main drain as well. If you are simply replacing the garbage disposal, disconnect the extension pipe from the unit itself. This way you can just reattach the pipe to the new garbage disposal.
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4
Disconnect the disposal unit from the sink drain. Typical garbage disposals simply screw onto the sink drain above. A metal collar connects the unit to the drain. Unscrew the collar in a counter-clockwise direction. The whole unit should turn as you do this. Once you have unscrewed the unit from the drain, simply pull it out.
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Tips & Warnings
Extension pipes tend to be fairly tightly affixed between the disposal and the sink. Even after the bolts are removed the thing may not budge. Before releasing the entire unit, make sure that you are able to move that extension pipe away from the unit.
