Adding A Garbage Disposal? You’ll Need A Dedicated Line For That

It’s easy to see why homeowners add garbage disposal units in their kitchen. Not only do they eliminate odors that build up in your trash can until trash day arrives, but they also add convenience.

These units can keep your piping clear of food scraps that can mistakenly end up in your sink and go down your drain. This also means less cleanup of the dishes and the sink after meals. No more trying to scrape up every scrap that may clog your drain pipes. With a flick of a switch, the food is ground up with a heavy flow of water so that the food scraps are easily passed down.

Many homeowners that want to add a garbage disposal aren’t aware that not only do you need a plumber for installation if you can’t do it yourself, but you’ll also need an electrician. Here’s why…

Dedicated Line, Outlet, and Switch for Garbage Disposal

Why A Garbage Disposal Needs A Dedicated Line

The reason garbage disposals need their own dedicated line is simple. Just like your refrigerator, microwave, and any large electric appliance needs a dedicated line to run, so does a garbage disposal. It may not appear large in size like your refrigerator, but garbage disposals have their own motor that uses a lot of power just like a fridge.

If you don’t use a dedicated line/outlet with a garbage disposal, you may notice when you turn it on that your lights flicker. You may also even blow a breaker or a fuse. You can even damage the unit, or damage the other electric appliance that it’s sharing an outlet with, if your garbage disposal isn’t on it’s own dedicated line. This is because a dedicated line is just for one appliance because of the amount of power it uses when it’s on.

Before or after the plumber installs your garbage disposal, you’ll need to hire a licensed electrician to install some things so that it runs correctly. An electrician will typically install a dedicated line from your main electrical panel, which includes:

• A dedicated line going to a dedicated outlet near the unit
• A breaker in your main electrical panel
• A wall switch to turn the garbage disposal ON and OFF

Hire a Licensed Electrician To Install A Dedicated Line For Your Garbage Disposal

To ensure that your garbage disposal unit runs correctly with your electricity, it’s crucial to give a licensed electrician a call. Electricians know how to wire everything and anything electrical, so it would be dumb not to hire one for this particular job.

Electricians know which properly sized breaker needs to be installed in your main electrical panel, they know where the best place is to install an ON/OFF switch, and they know which outlet is best for installing garbage disposals.

Because electricians know the NEC (National Electric Code), everything will be done correctly and efficiently to ensure you and your family’s safety when you go to use your new garbage disposal unit. 

Call KB Electric LLC to hook up the electric for your new garbage disposal! We serve all towns/cities in Montgomery County, Delaware County, Chester County, Bucks County, and Berks County, PA!