Redesign Kitchen Sink Plumbing??

Rhino1 · Apr 25, 2009

We have a double-sink (with garbage disposal and dishwasher) that continually backs up--on average, once every 1 to 2 weeks. The backup is on the garbage disposal side, which is the only side we really use. We plunge it, and then it's good for a week or two.

Our guess is that the design of the plumbing is bad, and the backup is at the T, where the two drains meet.

Can someone please give us some suggestions about remedying the problem. We've seen pictures of the ideal double-sink set up, but they really don't work for us because of the location of the horizontal pipe going to the drain. And we'd also prefer not to have rip everything out.

The sink picture is below.

Thanks in advance for your ideas.

Kingsotall · Apr 25, 2009

There really is no love lost by cutting out the pipes pictured and starting over. Without getting overly complicated I would recommend either doing the necessary research and look at more pics of how undersink drains are configured or hire a plumber to make quick work of it.

Sponsor · 2022-01-29T12:20:58-0800

Cwhyu2 · Apr 25, 2009

The Badger 5 is the problem,the grinders are not as good as when it was new.
Now I know you do not want to replace it but that may solve your problem.
If you do replace it, a Pro Evolution, Insinkerator is the one to install.That is your best bet.
http://www.insinkerator.com/disposers/index.shtml

They no longer make the SS333

Kingsotall · Apr 25, 2009

cwhyu2, probably right. Those badgers stink up the van if left overnite, too!

NOT kingsotall!

hj · Apr 26, 2009

drain

That drain is almost guaranteed to stop up frequently, because there is NOTHING to induce the discharge to turn down to the trap. It will want to go straight across to the other side and as it builds up it will finally stop the drain. There is NO reason why it cannot be plumbed the conventional way. And in so doing you would eliminate a lot of unnecessary turns. How old is the disposer? It might also be time to replace it. They will operate a long time past the time when they should have been replaced.

NHmaster · Apr 26, 2009

Ya need one of these.

Redwood · Apr 26, 2009

The blue tint of the paint that disposer is a color which insinkerator has not used in years. It tells me that the disposer has a 99.999952345% chance of being shot and should be replaced. It is sending unground food down the drain. It died years ago and just doesn't know it yet.

Kingsotall · Apr 26, 2009

Redwood said:
I died years ago and just doesn't know it yet.

kidding

Redwood · Apr 26, 2009

kingsotall said:
kidding

Hmmmm I thought I pressed that "T"

Musta been a fig newton of my transmission.

Kingsotall · Apr 26, 2009

Fig newtons jammed in between some of the keys on your keyboardÂ¿

Kingsotall · Apr 26, 2009

This is from a recently posted thread. You want your undersink piipes to look like this:

Terry · Apr 27, 2009

Or this.
And Redwood is right. The blades quit slicing and dicing long ago.
There is no way you will be able to get those long slices down the drain with that old relic.

Marty53 · Apr 27, 2009

hj said:
That drain is almost guaranteed to stop up frequently, because there is NOTHING to induce the discharge to turn down to the trap. It will want to go straight across to the other side and as it builds up it will finally stop the drain. There is NO reason why it cannot be plumbed the conventional way. And in so doing you would eliminate a lot of unnecessary turns. How old is the disposer? It might also be time to replace it. They will operate a long time past the time when they should have been replaced.

Really? Thats how most of the drain kits I've seen are designed to be set up, and unfortunately how mine is currently set up. I don't have any problems though.. Same setup except with a new badger 5.

When your vertical drain in the wall is smack between the two sinks, how can you plumb it like Terry's diagram or in the picture kingstoall posted?

Terry · Apr 27, 2009

When your vertical drain in the wall is smack between the two sinks, how can you plumb it like Terry's diagram or in the picture kingstoall posted?

With a fitting like a 45 or 90 you can move it almost anywhere.

You can use the tee in the middle, with a baffle, but how do you grade both sides down?
What you have, is a santee without the baffle.
You can do that, but a plumber wouldn't.
Our answers will reflect that.

Marty53 · Apr 27, 2009

I gotcha. Thanks Terry.

This makes me think of another question--What makes bathroom double lav sinks different in that they need individual traps then?

I've never seen a double lav sink with a setup like this. Usually they are trapped individually then combined with a horizontal wye.

FloridaOrange · Apr 27, 2009

Marty53 said:
I gotcha. Thanks Terry.

This makes me think of another question--What makes bathroom double lav sinks different in that they need individual traps then?

I've never seen a double lav sink with a setup like this. Usually they are trapped individually then combined with a horizontal wye.

Sometimes it's the distance but more often it's a matter of keeping as much usable space underneath for storage and drawers.

Cwhyu2 · Apr 27, 2009

A double lav is considered two sinks where as a double kitchen sink is considered one sink.Different P/O and DFU.
Portant outlet fixture units.Lav 1 dfu k/s 2 dfu

hj · Apr 28, 2009

drains

I NEVER install diposers using the supplied elbow for the connection. I ALWAYS go straight to the tee, except for high/low sinks configurations. This raises the piping to give more space, eliminates a joint which could come apart if someone leans on it, and makes a more direct drain. 1/16, 1/8, "Y"s, and elbows make almost any drain doable using the end outlet disposer connector kit.

Kingsotall · Apr 28, 2009

I have yet to ever need that disposer ninety as well.

Rhino1 · Apr 28, 2009

Helpful Comments

Thanks for all the suggestions!

Redesign Kitchen Sink Plumbing??

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