Replacing a garbage disposer

[Terry]

Many disposers need replacing after eight years. Many homeowners don't know this. Here is a disposer that the homeowner thought was four years old. I'm thinking maybe more than four, but it's an example of what happens when a homeowner tries to get a plumbing quote over the phone, sight unseen.
The question was,

"How much to replace the leaking seal on my disposer. I don't think it should be much."

They must not have looked very hard. Notice the quarter size hole on the upper side of the disposer.
I told her over the phone, that I would be coming with a new disposer.
I met her at the door and she was still thinking seal.
I took one look, and this is what I saw.

http://www.terrylove.com/images/disposer_w_hole.jpg

When we tried to remove the disposer, the lower part just fell off in our hands when we went to turn it. All we had left was the jagged torn off bottom of the unit. The top was still attached to the basket.

http://www.terrylove.com/images/disposer_broken_top.jpg

We replaced the old basket with the new one using plumbers putty.

http://www.terrylove.com/images/disposer_basket.jpg

We then installed the new unit. It should be good for another eight years or so.

http://www.terrylove.com/images/disposer_new.jpg

http://www.terrylove.com/replacing_a_garbage_disposer.htm

[hj]

The quote over the phone would have been easy. I tell them, "I won't change the seal because once the disposer is removed from the sink it will either be so corroded that it will not reattach, or it could be worn out. If I remove the disposer, the only repair I will make, and the cheapest one for you, will be to install a new disposer." Even with a sink replacement, unless the disposesr is very new and in good condition, I will not reinstall the old one.

[jimbo]

Terry, you always have the best photos! Between the music, and photograpy, maybe you missed your true calling! Talk about multi-talented!

[Mikey]

What Jimbo said...

I wonder what they were disposing down that poor thing? It must take a lot to eat a hole like that. I replaced an ancient Badger 5 a while back and it was solid as a rock -- except the centrifugal start switch was crudded up. Just for the hell it I cleaned up the switch and it ran fine, but we replaced it anyway.

[Verdeboy]

What Jimbo said...

I wonder what they were disposing down that poor thing? It must take a lot to eat a hole like that.

Hot chili peppers. Can you see the green remnants of them in one of the photos. Here in New Mexico, a GD only lasts a few months. Chili pepper capital of the world.:D

[Jean Luc]

Wow-- Ive never seen a disposal that corroded before. Thats incredible that the owner didnt even look at that before thinking it was just a "seal" problem.

[shacko]

Mikey:

>>>I wonder what they were disposing down that poor thing?<<<

My guess would be a mixture of various drain cleaners, I've run into that problem more then once.

The repair is simple a couple of layers of duct tape and you're back in business! ;)

[Redwood]

If you see an Insinkerator Disposer that is that blue grey color I would replace it without even looking at it.

The Insinkerator Badger models have a galvanized steel grind chamber and they only last a few years at best.
I believe Insinkerator hasn't used that color in at least 10 years which means that any disposer that color wore out 5 years ago!

The color used since then is the color that the unit Terry installed as a replacement is.

The corrosion is in a large part caused by the aluminum disposer casing reacting with dishwasher detergent.
The newer style is plastic.

[cowboyjosh78]

I wish Terry were my plumber.