Garbage Disposal Repair & Replacement in Roswell, GA

Many kitchens now have a second sink, often a prep sink in the island or a small bar sink near the dining area. Putting a garbage disposal under it lets trimmings go straight down while the main sink stays free. Whether that works is less about the disposal and more about the sink and the cabinet around it, so adding or replacing a garbage disposal at a second sink in Roswell starts with a few measurements.

Does the sink opening fit a disposal?

A disposal mounts to a flange that needs the standard drain opening found on most kitchen sinks. Many bar and prep sinks have a smaller opening, sized for a plain strainer, and a disposal will not mount to it. Check the opening before buying anything. If it is the smaller size, the choices are a different sink or no disposal at that spot.

Room in the island cabinet

Island cabinets are often shallower or narrower than the base cabinet under the main sink, and some also hold drawers or a trash pull-out. Compact disposals with smaller motors are made for exactly this situation. They suit light prep scraps well, though they are not meant for heavy cleanups. Measure from the bottom of the sink to the cabinet floor, and check for anything the unit would hit when it swings onto its mount.

Power and a switch with no wall nearby

The disposal needs a grounded outlet inside the cabinet, and an island usually has no wall within easy reach for a switch. That is why air switches are popular on islands: a push button on the sink deck or countertop connects through a thin air tube to a control box under the sink, so no wiring runs to the button. If there is no outlet under the island sink yet, adding one is electrical work.

How an island sink drains

A sink against a wall drains into a pipe that rises through the wall to a vent. An island sink has no wall, so its drain usually runs down through the floor and its venting needs a different arrangement, such as a loop vent or, where the local code allows it, an air admittance valve. Adding a disposal sends ground food through that line, which then has to travel some distance under the floor to reach the main drain. If the island drain is already slow, or the trap drains sluggishly, sort that out through drain repair before a disposal goes in.

Adding one later or planning it in

Fitting a disposal to an existing island sink is usually a matter of the opening, the cabinet and the outlet. Planning one into a remodel or a new house is easier still, because the outlet, the switch and the drain can be placed with the disposal in mind. For homes being built or extended, that coordination is part of new construction plumbing. Compact and full-size models are compared in our overview of disposal options.

Roswell's building division

Roswell, in Fulton County, issues permits for installing, altering, repairing or replacing plumbing through its Community Development Building Division, and an owner can pull one only as a contractor holding a license or as the occupant of the home being worked on. Adding a disposal where the drain or vent has to change is the kind of job to ask the division about before work begins.

Questions about island and prep sink disposals in Roswell

Can a bar sink have a garbage disposal?

Sometimes. It depends on the drain opening and the cabinet. Many bar sinks have a smaller opening than a kitchen sink, and a disposal flange will not fit it. If the opening is standard size and there is room below for a compact unit and an outlet, a small disposal can work well for light scraps such as fruit trimmings and plate rinsings.

How is a disposal switched on at a kitchen island?

The most common answer is an air switch. A button on the sink deck or countertop sends a pulse of air through a tube to a control box under the sink, which turns the disposal on and off. Because the button carries no electricity, it can sit right beside the sink. A wired switch on the side of the island is possible too, but that is work for an electrician.

Does a prep sink disposal need a dishwasher connection?

Only if a dishwasher will drain into it. Disposals come with a dishwasher inlet that is sealed by a plug inside, and that plug stays in place when there is no dishwasher to connect. If a dishwasher is installed next to the island sink, the plug is knocked out and the hose is connected with a high loop or an air gap.

A second disposal, done right

Thinking about a disposal at the island or bar sink in your Roswell home? Call Alpha Plumbing and Sewer at (404) 409-4448, and we will check the opening, the cabinet and the drain before you choose a unit.