Sad but true Hope B but lots of homeowners take almost everything with them when faced with foreclosure. I'm sure they didn't take the wiring for the removed disposal...you can get a 2-5 horsepower replacement for under a hundred bucks from any home center and probably follow the directions to re-install yourself if you're a somewhat handy around the house kind of person. A plumber or electrician who's a member here on HomeTalk and is in your area would probably give you discounted rates!
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Do a search for that contractor here tonight and see who comes up! Best of luck, sure hope this helps! JL
Thanks for your response...the problem is...the house was BUILT without a disposal! I can't figure out why but all the homes in this subdivision are disposal-free. So I'd be starting from scratch. Wondering if it'll cost an arm and a leg to install.
Still no huge problem...I would still consult a contractor/member but, you'll just need to tap in to an existing or run a new dedicated electric connection to the panel box if over 2 horsepower...It's not so much the power usage in general, it's the surge that the motor uses to start up that sometimes trips the breakers if you use an existing line. You can do it without losing an arm or leg..(mabe a toenail!)
I've been in my home for near 20 years without a garbage disposal...being on a septic system disposals are a serious "load" the biological system has to work with. Simple composting and wise trash management can eliminate the "perceived need" for one. The occasional stray spaghetti noodles get picked up from the drain and tossed in the trash rather than rinse "ground up and flushed" down the drain.
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The sweet part is all of the room from not having a disposal we keep our kitchen trash can under the sink...its simple to add material. With our recycling we only generate one 30 gal can in about 3 weeks
Some water treatment providers actually encourage the use of disposals, but others like Atlanta do not since our sewer system is older and the extra waste taxes the system. Check with your local treatment plant and proceed accordingly.
Saw Horse is right on with this. Some communities do not allow for the use of these devices, also if you have a septic system it too is not recommended due to additional stress it puts on the system. Also some builders offer that as an upgrade on their homes. So perhaps the person that purchased the home prior to you did not want one.
Garbage disposals contribute to "wasteful" mind thinking...they magically make things disappear and this leads to a casual increase in waste generation. When people see the "quantities" of their waste streams "pile" up it has the affect of looking at alternatives...The classic Mantra ...Reduce...Reuse and Recycle....Has REDUCE there for a reason.
Putting in a garbage disposal is easy and not that expensive to do. However we compost everything, I mean everything. There is nothing to put down the drain at my house and my garden loves me for it.
HopeB---Congratulations on your new home! That is a blessing if the only item missing or in disrepair is the garbage disposal. This is a very easy item to have installed--there are several types to choose from, just make sure you have a contractor or plumber do the installation. OR if you have a garden you can compost. Depending upon your type of home (if you have room for a garden or compost pile)and your lifestyle either of the above choices are viable. Please let us know how everything turns out! TMW
JL
The sweet part is all of the room from not having a disposal we keep our kitchen trash can under the sink...its simple to add material. With our recycling we only generate one 30 gal can in about 3 weeks