Barry vs. the Garbage Disposer

As part of selling the townhouse, I have to replace the in-sink garbage disposer. I thought it would be easy but have never mucked with plumbing before.

As bad luck would have it, the drain for new garbage disposer is one inch higher than the old disposer-- and thus started a two day project, including 3 trips to Home Depot, to match the drain pipe of the disposer to the lower T joint on the main drain.

1st Trip. There is no adapter that lowers a pipe by just one inch. Four or or more inches is fine, but they don't make bending joints small enough to only lower a pipe by one inche. "No problem," the Home Depot main said. "Just raise the T joint on the existing drain." When I returned home there was a problem. The existing T joint was as high up as it could go.

2nd Trip. I bought a variety of adapters and angles to build a slope the would lowever the drain pipe by one inche. This almost worked. Except that to hook everything up, I had to twist the garbage disposer such that the dishwasher drain (Which connects to the disposer) wasn't long enough to join to the disposer. Also, the drain assembly leaked.

3rd trip. I bought longer hose for the dishwasher drain. I ended up buying hose that was 1/8th of an inch too narrow. I cursed a lot and then strectched the hose diameter with neadle nose pliers. This gave me enough wiggle room to re-attached the dishwasher. To seal the drain joints, I lined them bead of plumbers putty.

Water has been running through the disposer for the past 15 minutes. No leaks. I'll do a load of dishes and then pronounce this project complete.

I just read the fine print on the plumbers putty. It says "DO NOT USE ON PLASTIC" Fuck it.

Lesson learned. When you buy a house, don't put a dozen little conditions in the contract. You really won't know if the seller did a good job until it's too late.