Home Repair

First, the dishwasher stopped working. We hope it is because the door springs don’t hold the door up anymore. I went online and ordered parts. They came and were the wrong parts. I called the supplier, and it turns out they don’t stock the correct parts, but that did not stop them from selling me the wrong parts. They went back for a refund. I went online to the dishwasher manufacturer and ordered the correct parts. Surprisingly, the parts from the manufacturer were cheaper than the parts house. The parts should be here this week.

After the dishwasher failed, the garbage disposal failed. I decided I could replace it. I had replaced a disposal before. Off to the big box home center. I found the same model as the old one and got it. Replacement with the same model should make the job easier! With my wife out of town, it was the perfect time to replace the disposal. I even read the directions. Since it was a replacement in kind, I got to skip 10 steps of the instructions. The first instruction was to turn off the power. No big deal, the breaker was marked and the switch was off. The second instruction was to remove the existing drain piping off of the disposal discharge. OK. Not so clear. On my piping, everything was interconnected. I had to remove all of the piping under the double sink to remove the one piece of piping connected to the disposal. Now all of this required getting down on my old and sore knees and working under the sink.

The next instruction was to rotate a ring on the disposal and support the disposal because it would fall when it came loose. The only way to accomplish this step was to lay on my back with my head in the cabinet, use the wrench as instructed, and turn the ring. They don’t tell you what to do it the ring doesn’t turn. So I got up and reread the directions. All the instructions showed the ring turning easily, no help. I thought maybe a hammer would free up the ring. What fun, laying on your back with your head in the cabinet under the sink and trying to hit the ring and nothing else. After 15 minutes of this, I tried turning the ring again. I would not budge. So I get up off the floor and think it is time for a break. But first, I started thinking. What do we normally do when something is stuck? Possibly heat or better yet WD-40. So I got the WD-40 and also picked up a torch. I figured less could go wrong with WD-40 than using a torch in the house under the sink. I sprayed the ring and then took a break. WD-40 needed time to sink and work, and I needed a break. After a break, I realized the little wrench that came with the disposal did not give much leverage. A big screwdriver with a wrench gave more leverage. This time the ring turned quickly. Too quickly for me to catch the disposal, and that is why there is a bandage on my finger. Next step, connect the wiring to the disposal. Not too bad, maybe electrician is more my thing than a plumber.

OK, back to the instructions. Just hold the disposal up to the sink and turn the ring. Let’s see hold the disposal up to the underside of the sink, laying on your back, head in the cabinet, the edge of cabinet killing your back, and engage three tabs on the ring with the part left connected to the sink. That sounds so easy. Not! Try, try, try, try and I cannot hold the disposal up anymore. Get up off the floor, not as easy as it sounds, and give the arm time to recover. Get back on my back, head in the cabinet. On about the fourth or fifth try, all of the tabs cooperated and engaged as they were designed to. Yea! Tighten the disposal, and put all of the piping under the sink back on, after remembering where it went and making sure all of the joints were tight and did not leak. It was about then I remembered that the last time I replaced a garbage disposal was about 30+ years ago. What was the song? May not be good as I once was, but I'm as good once, as I ever was. I think this could be considered a humble brag?