Disposing With the Trash Grinder

by Gabby Hyman
Face Your Kitchen Columnist

It's time to indulge in some serious trash talking. If the garbage disposal in your kitchen sink has run its course -- or if you're remodeling your kitchen -- installing a new unit now can save you repair and energy costs. Depending on the extent of your kitchen plumbing and your native ability, you might be able to replace the disposal on your own. But if the directions seem complicated or if you're already in the midst of a small kitchen remodeling project, you might be better off calling in a pro. It can be overwhelming surveying the model types and varying costs of kitchen garbage disposals on the market. The main consideration in terms of cost is directly related to the noise they make. Top-end garbage disposers use more energy, but they are larger, they have stainless steel chambers and grinders; and in addition to auto-reversing mechanisms that prevent jams, they often have built-in sound dampeners.

Kitchen Remodeling with Cost in Mind

Garbage disposals range from 1/3 and 1/2 to a full horsepower in engine capacity, so you should evaluate cost vs. performance in making up your kitchen remodeling budget. You can select your unit from the two major types:

• Continuous feed. You flick a wall switch and the device allows you to add waste as long as the unit is running.
• Batch feed. You manually feed the unit. It consumes just what you press down with the drain lid.

Batch feed units are pricey. If you're doing the installation yourself, you'll need putty, clamps, an electrical switch, and patience. This advice may seem obvious, but be sure you have the electrical current and faucet turned off through the entire process. If you have a tendency to get zapped, phone your contractor first.

About the Author
Gabby Hyman has written for print and online media for more than 20 years. He has created online content for eToys, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems, Avaya, and Nissan UK. He has also been a web consultant to the Governor of California. As an author of fiction, journalism, and poetry, Gabby is a former English professor for the University of Illinois, University of Alaska, and Old Dominion University. He holds an MFA in fiction writing from the University of Alabama.