Garbage Disposal Installation

Turn off the circuit that runs electricity in your kitchen so that you can work with the wiring for the disposal without danger of electrocution. If possible, unscrew the hinges and remove the cabinet doors below your sink for easier access. Don safety glasses to protect your eyes while you work.

Unscrew the pipe that connects the drainpipe of the sink to the pipe leading away into the rest of the plumbing. Remove that section of pipe and place a bucket under the drain pipe to catch any excess water. Loosen the nut that holds the current drain assembly in place and pop it out into the sink above.

Remove the drain assembly from the sink. Scrape away any old plumber's putty from around the drain hole and clean the area with a rag dampened in mineral spirits.

Spread a 1/4- inch bead of plumber's putty around the drain opening in the sink. Drop the new flange into the drain hole and press it down to firmly adhere it to the putty and into place in your drain. Set a heavy book or similar object on top of the flange to hold it down while you work from below, so that the flange does not shift.

Slide the gasket and backup ring onto the bottom piece of the flange from below. Hold these two in place and slide the mounting ring into place, followed by the snap ring. Push the snap ring upward until it settles into the groove on the flange. Tighten the screws on the mounting ring with a screwdriver as tight as they will go to seal the flange onto the sink.

Run a scrub brush or wire brush into the nearby exposed pipe to remove any debris. Remove the bottom plate from the disposal unit and use wire nuts to connect the disposer's wires to the wires from your power supply. This step will vary by project, as the length of the wires, the number of nuts and the location of the power supply will vary by home and by chosen disposal unit.

Reattach the plate once the wires are properly connected. Attach the discharge tube to the outlet on the disposal.

Hold the disposal up to the mounting assembly so that the tabs line up with the mounting ring. Turn the ring until all three tabs lock into the ridges on the disposal unit. Use a wrench or screwdriver to tighten the ring as firmly as you can into this position to clamp the disposal in place.

Gently rotate the disposal unit until the discharge tube lines up with the drain pipe leading away from the sink. Use the nuts or screws provided to attach the tube to the drain pipe. Run water into the sink to make sure there are no leaks, and then reactivate the power and test the disposer.