Garbage Disposal Repair & Replacement in Riverdale, GA

Plenty of kitchens end up with the garbage disposal under the bowl nobody uses for scraps. It may be on the small bowl when you prep in the big one, or on the side farthest from the dishwasher. Moving it can be folded into garbage disposal repair and replacement work, and it is often simpler than Riverdale homeowners expect, though a few details under the sink decide how simple.

Reasons to move it

• The disposal is under the smaller bowl, and pots and plates get rinsed in the larger one.
• The dishwasher sits on the opposite side, so its hose stretches across the cabinet.
• A new sink has a different bowl layout from the old one.
• The old unit is failing anyway, and a replacement is the natural moment to put the new one where it is wanted.

What changes on top

The two drain openings in a double-bowl kitchen sink are normally the same standard size, so the disposal flange and the basket strainer can trade places. Each one comes out, the old putty is cleaned off, and each is set in its new opening with fresh sealant. The disposal's mounting assembly then goes on under the new side. From above, the only visible change is which bowl has the rubber splash guard.

What changes underneath

The bigger work is the piping that joins the two bowls to a single trap. The disposal discharges from its side, at a different height from the strainer's straight drop, so the connecting pipes, the tee and often the trap position are rebuilt for the new layout. A properly arranged tee steers the disposal's discharge down toward the trap instead of across into the other bowl. Getting that right is what keeps ground food from surfacing in the empty bowl every time the disposal runs.

The dishwasher hose and the outlet

If the dishwasher drains through the disposal, its hose has to reach the new position, keeping a high loop or air gap along the way. Sometimes the existing hose is long enough; sometimes it needs replacing. The disposal's cord has to reach a grounded outlet too. If the outlet ends up on the wrong side of the cabinet, an extension cord is not a safe answer, and moving the outlet is a job for an electrician.

When the wall drain gets in the way

The pipe coming out of the wall sets the limits. If the disposal's outlet would sit below that drain once it moves, the trap cannot slope down toward the wall properly, and the drain in the wall may have to be lowered. That is drain repair rather than disposal work, and it is the main thing that turns a simple move into a larger job. Fixture changes made while the sink is apart, such as a new faucet, can be handled under plumbing services, and Alpha's garbage disposal options cover replacement units.

Riverdale's rule on drain changes

Riverdale, in Clayton County, handles plumbing permits through its Building and Permitting Division. Under the city code, clearing stoppages and fixing leaks generally need no permit, but replacing a drain, waste, vent or water pipe with new material counts as new work. If moving the disposal means changing the drain in the wall, ask the division first.

Questions about moving a disposal in Riverdale

Can I move the disposal to the bigger bowl?

Usually, yes. Nothing about the sink itself prevents it; the questions are all below the counter. Expect the connecting pipes between the bowls to be rebuilt and the dishwasher hose rerouted, and have the wall drain's height checked first, because it is the one factor that can turn a short job into drain work.

Can my old disposal be reused on the other side?

If it runs well and is not leaking, generally yes. It moves with its mounting assembly, and the flange simply changes openings. If it is old, noisy or showing rust, moving it means paying for labor on a unit that may need replacing soon anyway, so many owners choose a new disposal for the new spot.

Will moving the disposal affect the dishwasher?

Only in the hookup. The drain hose gets rerouted to the disposal's new side, which may call for a longer hose, and its loop or air gap has to stay in place. On a brand-new disposal, the plug sealing the dishwasher inlet must be knocked out first; skipping that step is the usual reason a dishwasher stops draining after this kind of job.

Planning the switch

Ready to put the disposal under the bowl you actually use? Call Alpha Plumbing and Sewer at (404) 409-4448, and a technician will look at the drain, the outlet and the dishwasher in your Riverdale kitchen before pricing the move.