DIY Sink Disposal Replacement

Disconnect Electricity

• Turn the circuit breaker off to the sink disposal at the home's electrical panel even if your unit plugs into an outlet. Go under the sink and remove the access panel to the electrical connections inside the sink disposal. Untwist the wire connectors that connect the house wires to the sink disposal. Use a screwdriver to loosen the clamp that secures the conduit from the house wires to the disposal and pull the conduit out of the sink disposal. If your unit plugs in, you do not need to disconnect any wires.

Remove Old Disposal

• Disconnect the sink drain pipe from the disposal with a pipe wrench and remove the dishwasher hose from the side of the disposal, if you have a dishwasher connected to the sink disposal. Hold the bottom of the sink disposal with one hand and unsnap the snap ring that secures the disposal to the mounting ring. You may need to use a flat-head screwdriver to unsnap the ring. Twist the sink disposal to the left to disengage the disposal from the mounting ring. Remove the three screws that secure the mounting ring to the bottom of the sink and the sink flange with a screwdriver. Pull off any gaskets with the mounting ring. Go to the top of the sink and remove the sink flange by pulling the flange out of the sink. Clean the sink hole of any residual putty with a putty knife.

Install a New Sink Disposal

• Place a small ball of plumbers putty in the palm of your hand and rub the putty in your hands to form a rope. Place the rope of plumbers putty under the lip of the new sink flange. Set the sink flange into the sink drain hole and press it down firmly. Go under the sink and slide the paper gasket over the exposed sink flange and attach the mounting ring to the sink flange. Secure the mounting ring with three screws supplied with the new sink disposal. Set the new sink disposal into the mounting ring and adjust the disposal so that the hole from the sink drain pipe lines up with pipe. Snap the ring around the sink disposal to lock the disposal into place.

  Connect the sink drain pipe to the disposal with a wrench. If your dishwasher is connecting to the sink disposal, use a screwdriver to pop the punch-out for the dishwasher hose connection. Install the dishwasher hose and secure the hose with the hose clamp. Remove the access panel and insert the house wires into the sink disposal. Connect the house wires to the sink disposal wires using plastic wire nuts. Connect like colored wires together. Secure the house wires to the sink disposal by tightening the clamp over the conduit. Reattach the access panel to the sink disposal. If you have a plug in unit, all you need to do is plug the power cord into the electrical outlet. Turn the power supply back on to the sink disposal.