How to Replace a Broken Garbage Disposal

Use an adjustable pliers to loosen the pipe fitting connecting the old garbage disposal's discharge pipe to the drain tap. Place one hand underneath the disposal to support it.

Insert a screwdriver into a mounting lug on the top, right of the disposal. Pull the screwdriver to the left. The old garbage disposal will come apart from the mounting assembly.

Turn the garbage disposal upside down. Remove the screw holding the electrical plate in place on the bottom of the disposal. Lift the plate off of the disposal. Loosen the green ground screw and remove the wire from around it. Unscrew the wire nuts connecting the wiring. Set the old garbage disposal aside.

Remove the old mounting assembly by unscrewing and removing the three screws holding it in place. If it is stuck, place the tip of your screwdriver between the assembly and the bottom of the sink and use it to pry the assembly off. Set the old assembly aside.

Use the tip of your screwdriver to scrape away the putty around the flange in your sink. Push the flange up and out of the sink hole. Set the old flange aside.

Remove the P-trap by unscrewing the connection with an adjustable pliers. The P-trap is the "U" shaped pipe which was connected to the old garbage disposals discharge pipe. Set the P-trap aside. Use a drain auger to clean the straight pipe the P-trap was connected to.

Turn the new garbage disposal upside down and remove the electrical plate from the bottom. Pull the wiring out. Run the electrical cable coming from your wall, through the round hole in the bottom of the new garbage disposal. Secure the cable in place with a clamp connector.

Use a wire strippers to strip 1/2 inch off the ends of the wires coming from the new garbage disposal. Place the ends of the two white wires together and screw a wire nut over them. Repeat this with the two black wires. Push the wires into the bottom of the new garbage disposal.

Loosen the green ground screw on the bottom of the new garbage disposal. Bend the end of the green wire into a "U" shape and wrap it around the screw. Tighten the screw to hold the green wire in place. Put the electrical plate back on the bottom of the garbage disposal.

Place the new mounting assembly over the top of the new garbage disposal. Make sure the tabs on the top of the garbage disposal line up with the track on the mounting assembly. Place a screwdriver against a mounting lug on the left of the assembly and push the screwdriver to the right to secure the disposal to the assembly.

Place the mounting assembly underneath the sink hole. Line up the holes in the lip of the assembly with the holes left from the screws of the old assembly. Secure the new assembly to the sink with the supplied screws.

Apply some plumber's putty around the underside of the lip of the sink flange, with your finger. Put the sink flange through the center hole in the bottom of your sink. Wipe off any extra putty from around the edges of the flange.

Slide the supplied metal piece over the new garbage disposal's discharge pipe. Place the supplied rubber gasket into the discharge hole on the side of the garbage disposal. Place the metal piece, on the discharge tube, over the discharge hole. Make sure the screw holes in the piece line up with the screw holes on the side of the hole.

Secure the metal piece to the disposal with the provided bolts. Wrap some plumber's tape around the end of the discharge pipe and the end of the straight pipe coming from the wall. Screw one end of the P-trap onto the new discharge pipe and the other end onto the straight water pipe.