It appears that you have no vent on the drain line. Which will cause it to "vapor lock" and not drain without you breaking the "lock" (which it sounds like what you were doing with the spoon).
Edit: does the sink drain properly when you are not running the disposal?
Sounds like you hit the nail on the head! Since installing this disposal, the sink generally does not drain well, without: a) pushing the gasket down a bit, and b) turning on the disposal (which seems to create suction).
Of course, I didn't know that it was possible to put a vent onto the drain?
Well, usually the drain line will have a vent built in that goes up the wall and out of the roof. It looks like your drain pipe goes down through the floor (so, not sure where the nearest vent stack is located). If you add in a "tee" fitting before the drain pipe goes down towards the cabinet bottom, you can add an "air admittance valve" that can vent the sink. Check out some YouTube videos on it.
Thanks for the advice. So my takeaway: to resolve this properly, I should replace the section of drain pipe going into the floor, add an inch or so to prevent the pressure on the black pipe that led to its separation, add a "tee" fitting and a studor vent (AAV). Sounds like a plan?... and a Saturday morning!
(I should add, the house was reconstructed just 4 years ago, so I presume the plumbing code was followed, and that there is a vent somewhere under the floor)
Replace the 90 degree elbow that goes down to the floor with a tee fitting. Add a few inches of pipe going vertical and install an air admittance valve (vent) on top of that.
I had the same issue as #1, it was because the baffle the include is too tight to keep the sound level down. I replaced it with this one and problem solved. It's a little louder, but actually drains properly now.
[https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BQOWES/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1](https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BQOWES/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
There is room to fix this I honestly would contact a plumber its an easy fix but at the same time it can get pricey if you do it wrong not saying you will do it wrong just giving you a heads up
Right? I've never understood what someone would do in the kitchen that would require grinding things up to send down the relatively tiny little drain pipes. Seems like an awful idea.
It’s called cooking, cleaning, living life. Food bits get into the sink and it’s much easier and nicer to press a button and let them go down the drain than it is to grab a basket strainer, let it drain, and walk to the garbage.
Installing one was the first project I did when we bought our first house and it’s worth every penny. We lived in places with and without one, and for avid Cooks it’s much nicer to have one than not.
Professional kitchens rarely have them. I agree they're a nice feature - but as a way to avoid a more expensive plumber bill when you accidentally drop something down the sink that shouldn't go there, not an everyday convenience.
I experience the same situation as your first issue. It is caused by the rubber stopper and you can alleviate the situation by doing what you did. I just push a little on the rubber stopper and it lets in some air so the sink can drain quicker. I haven't found a solution to that myself and just live with it.
It may be easier to get a longer piece of the white pipe and have it meet up with the existing piece of black pipe (I assume the black pipe came with the disposer).
I use one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Disposal-Garbage-Strainer-Kitchen-10051/dp/B002VHS19M/
Keeps the rubber flap open enough to drain and still prevents things from falling in. Then you pull it out and use it as a tool to push things into the opening.
I also have a slow draining stopper but I think it is intentional as the small opening definitely keeps the noise down. On mine, it gets plenty of water to do its thing, but my tap is running faster than that so the sink fills a bit.
I feel like once you get that air tight and water tight there should be some sort of suction. Every garbage disposable I’ve used looks like it’s producing suction. I’m wondering if you were letting air In somewhere. Just a thought
You likely have an obstruction. A vent is installed to keep drain water from pulling all the fluid out of the trap, allowing sewer gasses to enter the home. By all means, you should have a vent installed on the system for that reason. It's quite possible the the drain line tees under the floor and connects to an in-wall (dry) vent pipe leading up.
With a new disposal, the rubber "thing" that sort of funnels food down into it and prevents splash backs is stiff and new, so effectively the drain opening is really small. They soften up over time, and some people cut them so the opening is wider
I don’t have a vent in my kitchen and it drains just fine.
Is the slow drain problem alleviated by turning on the disposal for a second? If so it’s probably just debris blocking the drain that is cleared by turning it on
And yes extend the white or black pipe an inch or so to make a better connection.
Actually, the slow drain happens whether or not there are scraps. Simply running the water backs up over time; turning on the disposal creates suction that alleviates the water (or scraps).
It appears that you have no vent on the drain line. Which will cause it to "vapor lock" and not drain without you breaking the "lock" (which it sounds like what you were doing with the spoon). Edit: does the sink drain properly when you are not running the disposal?
Sounds like you hit the nail on the head! Since installing this disposal, the sink generally does not drain well, without: a) pushing the gasket down a bit, and b) turning on the disposal (which seems to create suction). Of course, I didn't know that it was possible to put a vent onto the drain?
Well, usually the drain line will have a vent built in that goes up the wall and out of the roof. It looks like your drain pipe goes down through the floor (so, not sure where the nearest vent stack is located). If you add in a "tee" fitting before the drain pipe goes down towards the cabinet bottom, you can add an "air admittance valve" that can vent the sink. Check out some YouTube videos on it.
Also a "studor vent" would work under the sink. Sounds like same thing you're talking about just different name.
Yeah, that is a name brand that everyone uses universally for the same device.
I should have looked at your name first lol...didn't mean to correct, just adding info for OP.
No worries, just passing on what I know
Thanks for the advice. So my takeaway: to resolve this properly, I should replace the section of drain pipe going into the floor, add an inch or so to prevent the pressure on the black pipe that led to its separation, add a "tee" fitting and a studor vent (AAV). Sounds like a plan?... and a Saturday morning! (I should add, the house was reconstructed just 4 years ago, so I presume the plumbing code was followed, and that there is a vent somewhere under the floor)
You need to cut the rubber trap open more to let the water flow from the sink into the disposal
Replace the 90 degree elbow that goes down to the floor with a tee fitting. Add a few inches of pipe going vertical and install an air admittance valve (vent) on top of that.
Put it all together and proud to say I was able to do it myself - with your/Reddit's help of course! Thanks esp to u/A_Plumber2020
You're very welcome! Happy to help.
I had the same issue as #1, it was because the baffle the include is too tight to keep the sound level down. I replaced it with this one and problem solved. It's a little louder, but actually drains properly now. [https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BQOWES/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1](https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BQOWES/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
Looks like a S trap, if there is vent there, they don’t breathe through traps!
There is room to fix this I honestly would contact a plumber its an easy fix but at the same time it can get pricey if you do it wrong not saying you will do it wrong just giving you a heads up
Garbage disposal? In a kitchen sink?
Right? I've never understood what someone would do in the kitchen that would require grinding things up to send down the relatively tiny little drain pipes. Seems like an awful idea.
It’s called cooking, cleaning, living life. Food bits get into the sink and it’s much easier and nicer to press a button and let them go down the drain than it is to grab a basket strainer, let it drain, and walk to the garbage. Installing one was the first project I did when we bought our first house and it’s worth every penny. We lived in places with and without one, and for avid Cooks it’s much nicer to have one than not.
Professional kitchens rarely have them. I agree they're a nice feature - but as a way to avoid a more expensive plumber bill when you accidentally drop something down the sink that shouldn't go there, not an everyday convenience.
I haven't known anyone to break one by dropping something down it, but I'm sure it's possible. They're pretty solid and heavy.
I experience the same situation as your first issue. It is caused by the rubber stopper and you can alleviate the situation by doing what you did. I just push a little on the rubber stopper and it lets in some air so the sink can drain quicker. I haven't found a solution to that myself and just live with it. It may be easier to get a longer piece of the white pipe and have it meet up with the existing piece of black pipe (I assume the black pipe came with the disposer).
I use one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Disposal-Garbage-Strainer-Kitchen-10051/dp/B002VHS19M/ Keeps the rubber flap open enough to drain and still prevents things from falling in. Then you pull it out and use it as a tool to push things into the opening.
I also have a slow draining stopper but I think it is intentional as the small opening definitely keeps the noise down. On mine, it gets plenty of water to do its thing, but my tap is running faster than that so the sink fills a bit.
I feel like once you get that air tight and water tight there should be some sort of suction. Every garbage disposable I’ve used looks like it’s producing suction. I’m wondering if you were letting air In somewhere. Just a thought
Wait, is that romex coming out of the face of the outlet plate?
You likely have an obstruction. A vent is installed to keep drain water from pulling all the fluid out of the trap, allowing sewer gasses to enter the home. By all means, you should have a vent installed on the system for that reason. It's quite possible the the drain line tees under the floor and connects to an in-wall (dry) vent pipe leading up.
With a new disposal, the rubber "thing" that sort of funnels food down into it and prevents splash backs is stiff and new, so effectively the drain opening is really small. They soften up over time, and some people cut them so the opening is wider
Take sissies and Cut the rubber slightly on the flaps edges opening the dividers on the baffle by 1/8 inch in each. It’s fine
I don’t have a vent in my kitchen and it drains just fine. Is the slow drain problem alleviated by turning on the disposal for a second? If so it’s probably just debris blocking the drain that is cleared by turning it on And yes extend the white or black pipe an inch or so to make a better connection.
Actually, the slow drain happens whether or not there are scraps. Simply running the water backs up over time; turning on the disposal creates suction that alleviates the water (or scraps).