How to Remove a GE Garbage Disposal

Disconnect the power from the GE garbage disposal. If your unit has a power cord, unplug the cord from the outlet under the sink. Some units are hardwired into the home's electrical system. In this case, turn off the circuit breaker that powers the garbage disposal, and flip the wall switch by the sink to check that the power is off.

Remove the screws that secure the bottom plate to the GE disposal with a Phillips-head screwdriver. Locate and loosen the clamp that secures the electrical conduit to the disposal. The electrical conduit is the flexible steel tube that houses the wires from the house junction box to the disposal.

Turn counterclockwise the plastic wire caps that secure the wires together inside the disposal. Pull the conduit out of the disposal, and twist the wire caps over the ends of each wire in the conduit. Bend the conduit out of your way until you hook the wires up to the replacement disposal.

Place a bucket under the disposal to catch any residual water that is inside the dishwasher drain line and sink drainpipe. Loosen the nuts that secure the sink drainpipe and dishwasher drain line to the disposal with a pair of slip-joint pliers. Pull the dishwasher drain line away from the disposal, and slide the sink drain line connecting nut away from the disposal.

Place a flat-head screwdriver between one of the ears on the mounting ring. The mounting ring secures the disposal to the disposal sink drain flange. Turn the mounting ring counterclockwise using the screwdriver as a handle. Twist the disposal counter-clockwise to dislodge it from the mounting ring.

Unthread the mounting ring from the disposal sink drain flange until the ring is off the flange. Turn the sink flange retaining ring counterclockwise with a pipe wrench. Remove the retaining ring and tap the bottom of the sink flange with a hammer to dislodge the flange from the sink.

Pull the drain flange out of the sink drain hole. You may need to cut through old plumbers putty between the sink and the sink flange with a utility knife to aid in pulling the flange completely out of the sink.