I can lend you a crowbar to keep the headcrabs at bay, but after that you're on your own Gordon...

You mean these mincing devices in the drain of the sink, right?

Probably it's a good thing these things are banned in Germany. No disposal = one less source of hazard.

I have talked with the city who owns my buildings about installing the anodes in our hot water heaters to get them to last longer, but they always shoot it down since it brings
up the cost big time.

As for garbage disposals, I hate the damn things. My apt units have 3 floors and the kitchen
sinks are back to back on a shared drain line for the disposal,dishwasher and sinks. Many
of my seniors never worry about taking any trash, they put everything they can down the
disposal. Had one last week, she had never used a disposal before she says, dumped a can
of spoiled sour kraut down the disposal and wondered why it would keep backing up. That was
a 3 hour job taking apart all the pipes under the sink and dumping all the kraut out into
buckets. then flushing out the disposal.

Have been replacing disposals like crazy to, cheap older ones have been falling apart with
the grinding plate rusting away. Sure wish I could just add another drain line instead.

Then down my garage, my kitchen drain lines combine to have 6 sinks on one line that drop
into horizontal runs before dropping down below the floor. Always have a plumber lined
up to jet out the plugged up drain lines when I get a call about water coming up in the
1st floor sinks. Talk about a messy job when they jet them out. Amazing that water would
even drain through some of them they are so clogged up with trash.And stink to.

20MM, sorry to hear about that stuff, sometimes the disposal can back up the dishwasher line and the pressure of the dishwasher pump will force water out of a tiny leak that other wise does not show up. Once the disposal clears there is not enough back pressure to leak. All of which leaves you with a problem that won't repeat for the plumber. The plumber sounds like he was overcharging you. I have replaced mine, and several lawn customers units over the years and it is not all that hard. As for his claiming the pipes are a problem, that is hard to swallow, if there is already a disposal in place there should be room for a replacement. If the supply lines are in the way, taking them off and back on should not be all that tough. I hate being at the mercy of people who don't really want to do the best work reasonably.
We compost all the kitchen waste, so about all that goes into our disposal is coffee grounds and tiny bits off of the washed dishes, and stuff from the dishwasher. We hardly ever use the dishwasher since both sons are out on their own, and it takes several days to make up a full load with just two of us. I don't mind washing the dishes and since my wife does most all the cooking, it is a fair trade.
An afterthought, is the line coming from your dishwasher tight? Some just have a hose clamp, which can loosen with vibration.

Thanks coasty, yeah, my eyeballs started counter-rotating when he said $300. I'm the one that installed the disposal that's there now, and the one before it. And no, it wasn't fun, darned things are heavy and holding them up under there with one hand while trying to fasten and connect with the other. Let's just say there were some pithy words.

I do think it has to do with the dishwasher. But we ran the dishwasher when the plumber was here, and nothing.

There's no leak on the outside of the unit, it just drips (or dripped) out of a little hole next to the reset button.

We'll just see what happens.

20mm - "We'll just see what happens"



stay tuned folks...

lol, quite appropriate. I've felt like that in recent days.

Have seen this happen Tom. The motor bearing seal is why you get some bypass. Won`t
be long before you`ll be popping that reset button a lot more when it begins to short out.

They do sell cheaper disposals, might consider looking into them. They might even last
longer to.

How much work is it to eliminate the disposal instead of replacing the burned out unit? It seems that everyone who has one experiences trouble that effects the operation of other appliances.

As I said they are banned for new installations in my town and never having had one I really can't say scraping food scraps into the trash instead of down the drain is a big deal. I have never spent a dime on having a plumber unclog my garbage pail.

I wish my basement was as neat and clean as your garage Jim. Nice job.

Ditto the comment on Jim's garage, well done.

And lol, no, I've never had a plumber's bill for my garbage pail either.

But I discussed it with the "boss" and she must have her garbage disposal. And I quit arguing right there, cause it's a loser. Hopefully this thing will hang together for a while.