Home Repair forum - sink disposals

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sink disposals

Juan Valdez

2008-02-08, 5:25 pm

Hi
Is one brand of kitchen sink disposal concidered better than another? Mine
is grinding itself apart, literally. Any tips on replacing it?
thanks
John

--
"Are you sure it isn't time for a colorful metaphor?"
-- Spock

JoeSpareBedroom

2008-02-08, 5:25 pm

"Juan Valdez" <joken@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:47acc4e8$0$6499$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
> Hi
> Is one brand of kitchen sink disposal concidered better than another? Mine
> is grinding itself apart, literally. Any tips on replacing it?
> thanks
> John

I've lived with 3 different ones from Insinkerator, and they've all seemed
indestructable. If I was going to buy a disposal, I don't think I'd even
consider another brand. Why bother?

Joe

2008-02-08, 5:25 pm

On Feb 8, 3:16=A0pm, "JoeSpareBedroom" <dishborea...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> "Juan Valdez" <jo...@nospam.com> wrote in message
>
> news:47acc4e8$0$6499$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>
ne[color=darkred]
>
> I've lived with 3 different ones from Insinkerator, and they've all seemed=

> indestructable. If I was going to buy a disposal, I don't think I'd even
> consider another brand. Why bother?

Confirmed by tests at Consumer Reports. The better (more $$)
Insinkerators are the most durable. HTH

Joe

Oren

2008-02-08, 5:25 pm

On Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:16:00 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
<dishborealis@yahoo.com> wrote:

>"Juan Valdez" <joken@nospam.com> wrote in message
>news:47acc4e8$0$6499$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>
>
>I've lived with 3 different ones from Insinkerator, and they've all seemed
>indestructable. If I was going to buy a disposal, I don't think I'd even
>consider another brand. Why bother?
>

For 12 years I've had no other brand, but Insinkerator. I've placed
them in rental properties when necessary for a new disposal.

In my last home, the original Insinkerator disposal lasted about 7
years. I'll buy Insinkerator again (might be called a BADGER model

Oren
--

Red Green

2008-02-08, 8:25 pm

"Juan Valdez" <joken@nospam.com> wrote in
news:47acc4e8$0$6499$4c368faf@roadrunner.com:

> Hi
> Is one brand of kitchen sink disposal concidered better than another?
> Mine is grinding itself apart, literally. Any tips on replacing it?
> thanks
> John
>

I've never killed an Insinkerator either.

Grinding itself apart? Not sure if you mean it just sounds horrible when it
runs even after it's cleared. Do you ever clean it? Simple. Toss a tray or
two if ice cubes in it. Whenever I do this, after it's done and flushed
with water the only sound is the hum of the motor.

JoeSpareBedroom

2008-02-08, 8:25 pm

Oren

2008-02-08, 8:25 pm

On Fri, 08 Feb 2008 18:15:30 -0600, Red Green <postmaster@127.0.0.1>
wrote:

>I've never killed an Insinkerator either.

I did have one that leaked water at the bottom...shorting wires/reset
button on the bottom (?). Only happened once. It had a long life span.

That can happen to any brand I suppose.

Oren
--

jim

2008-02-08, 8:25 pm

On Feb 8, 7:33=A0pm, Oren <O...@127.0.0.1> wrote:
> On Fri, 08 Feb 2008 18:15:30 -0600, Red Green <postmas...@127.0.0.1>
> wrote:
>
>
> I did have one that leaked water at the bottom...shorting wires/reset
> button on the bottom (?). Only happened once. It had a long life span.
>
> That can happen to any brand I suppose.
>
> Oren
> --

All Ive ever put in is Insinkerator the best

Red Green

2008-02-09, 3:25 am

"JoeSpareBedroom" <dishborealis@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:4p7rj.3705$Sa1.3051@news02.roc.ny:

> "Red Green" <postmaster@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
> news:Xns9A3EC3ECFE77DRedGreen@216.196.97.136...
>
>
> Good point. I wonder what the OP or some other user dropped into the
> disposal.
>
>

I called my disposal the Pet Cemetary.

I had a good size fish tank for some years with good size fish. When they
died they went in the pet cemetary.

Red

2008-02-09, 3:25 am

On Feb 8, 3:08=A0pm, "Juan Valdez" <jo...@nospam.com> wrote:
> Hi
> Is one brand of kitchen sink disposal concidered better than another? Mine=

> is grinding itself apart, literally. Any =A0tips on replacing it?
> thanks
> John
>
> --
> "Are you sure it isn't time for a colorful metaphor?"
> -- Spock

I've got a GE that's 35 years old and still grinding. Of course that
was back when they made things to last.

Red

Juan Valdez

2008-02-09, 3:25 am

"Red Green" <postmaster@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
news:Xns9A3EC3ECFE77DRedGreen@216.196.97.136...
> "Juan Valdez" <joken@nospam.com> wrote in
> news:47acc4e8$0$6499$4c368faf@roadrunner.com:
>
>
> I've never killed an Insinkerator either.
>
> Grinding itself apart? Not sure if you mean it just sounds horrible when
> it
> runs even after it's cleared. Do you ever clean it? Simple. Toss a tray or
> two if ice cubes in it. Whenever I do this, after it's done and flushed
> with water the only sound is the hum of the motor.

well, not sure what caused this but a few days ago, I turned it on and metal
filings started to fly out...That was the tip off ;) Now its just stuck.
Someone in the house must have droped something in. Of course everyone denys
it...I was going to see if I could clear the obstruction but its probably
not worth it. Its about 8-9 years old anyways. So Insinkerator it is. Thanks
for the input everyone

Red Green

2008-02-09, 9:25 am

"Juan Valdez" <joken@nospam.com> wrote in
news:47ad5b22$0$17338$4c368faf@roadrunner.com:

>
> "Red Green" <postmaster@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
> news:Xns9A3EC3ECFE77DRedGreen@216.196.97.136...
>
> well, not sure what caused this but a few days ago, I turned it on and
> metal filings started to fly out...That was the tip off ;) Now its
> just stuck. Someone in the house must have droped something in. Of
> course everyone denys it...I was going to see if I could clear the
> obstruction but its probably not worth it. Its about 8-9 years old
> anyways. So Insinkerator it is. Thanks for the input everyone
>
>
>

> but its probably not worth it

I'm not a proponent of dragging out the death of things and having them
run crippled but you do know there is a hex type wrench made for when
things get stuck? It is often in a holder someplace on the disposal. I
believe it fits in the center of the bottom so you can turn it backwards.
This is a zero expense/minimal effort shot. If you can get it unjamed and
it sound and works OK then why replace it? Saves you from swearing at
leak from the new one :-)

JoeSpareBedroom

2008-02-09, 9:25 am

"Juan Valdez" <joken@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:47ad5b22$0$17338$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>
> "Red Green" <postmaster@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
> news:Xns9A3EC3ECFE77DRedGreen@216.196.97.136...
>
> well, not sure what caused this but a few days ago, I turned it on and
> metal filings started to fly out...That was the tip off ;) Now its just
> stuck. Someone in the house must have droped something in. Of course
> everyone denys it...I was going to see if I could clear the obstruction
> but its probably not worth it. Its about 8-9 years old anyways. So
> Insinkerator it is. Thanks for the input everyone
>

There's probably a spoon or fork in the disposal. Someone dropped it in,
turned on the disposal, and when it made a horrible noise, they adopted the
"I don't know nuthin' and I ain't talkin'" routine. Replacing it without
first trying to clear the obstruction is ridiculous. Someone in the house
might drop something into the brand new one the day after you install it.
Then what? Buy another new one??? Don't do that. Use the money you save to
buy tools and beer.

Sharpen your best kitchen knife and place it on the counter where you can
reach it. Tell everyone in the house to stay away from the disposal switch.
Better yet, tell them to stay out of the kitchen. If anyone disobeys, wave
the knife at them like a madman. This is how it's done. You could also turn
off the circuit breaker, but it's much more interesting to create a sense of
danger so you're a bigger hero after you fix the disposal.

The disposal doesn't have sharp blades inside. It's got these things they
call "hammers" mounted on the bottom surface near the outer edge. First,
peek in with a flashlight to see if you can spot the debris. A dental mirror
would help, and you should have at least 3 different shapes & sizes in your
toolbox anyway, so here's an excuse to buy more tools. Then, stick your hand
in there carefully and feel around. The bottom surface is supposed to spin
like a carousel. You might be able to dislodge it if you remove whatever
piece of metal is wedged between a hammer and the side of the housing. The
debris itself might be sharp if it's been chewed up, so be careful.

Look at the bottom (outside) of the disposal and you'll see a socket for a
hex wrench. That's there so you can use a wrench to turn the inner part
backward and dislodge debris. It doesn't have to be the wrench that came
with the disposal, which is probably nowhere to be found anyway. Any hex
wrench of the proper size will work. If you don't have a set of hex
wrenches, here's yet another excuse to buy more tools. That's always a good
thing.

Red Green

2008-02-09, 5:25 pm

"JoeSpareBedroom" <dishborealis@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:Objrj.3719$Sa1.2949@news02.roc.ny:

> "Juan Valdez" <joken@nospam.com> wrote in message
> news:47ad5b22$0$17338$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>
> There's probably a spoon or fork in the disposal. Someone dropped it
> in, turned on the disposal, and when it made a horrible noise, they
> adopted the "I don't know nuthin' and I ain't talkin'" routine.

[...that we all learned as kids]

> Replacing it without first trying to clear the obstruction is
> ridiculous. Someone in the house might drop something into the brand
> new one the day after you install it.

There's a good point!

> Then what? Buy another new
> one??? Don't do that. Use the money you save to buy tools and beer.
>
> Sharpen your best kitchen knife and place it on the counter where you
> can reach it. Tell everyone in the house to stay away from the
> disposal switch. Better yet, tell them to stay out of the kitchen. If
> anyone disobeys, wave the knife at them like a madman. This is how
> it's done.

A fishing harpoon gun or crossbow heads 'em off before they get too
clo9se.

You could also turn off the circuit breaker, but it's much
> more interesting to create a sense of danger so you're a bigger hero
> after you fix the disposal.

It probably umplugs from an outlet right under the sink but this ruins
all the fun.

>
> The disposal doesn't have sharp blades inside. It's got these things
> they call "hammers" mounted on the bottom surface near the outer edge.
> First, peek in with a flashlight to see if you can spot the debris. A
> dental mirror would help, and you should have at least 3 different
> shapes & sizes in your toolbox anyway, so here's an excuse to buy more
> tools.

Ace Hardware has an assortment - here anyway.

> Then, stick your hand in there carefully and feel around. The
> bottom surface is supposed to spin like a carousel. You might be able
> to dislodge it if you remove whatever piece of metal is wedged between
> a hammer and the side of the housing. The debris itself might be sharp
> if it's been chewed up, so be careful.

Another good point I never thought of about the debris being sharp.

>
> Look at the bottom (outside) of the disposal and you'll see a socket
> for a hex wrench. That's there so you can use a wrench to turn the
> inner part backward and dislodge debris. It doesn't have to be the
> wrench that came with the disposal, which is probably nowhere to be
> found anyway. Any hex wrench of the proper size will work. If you
> don't have a set of hex wrenches, here's yet another excuse to buy
> more tools. That's always a good thing.

Many have negative things to say about the Borg. But it is a nice candy
store.

>
>

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