Silgranite Performa Medium 1 3/4 and garbage disposal issue-help!

11 years ago

First, I want to say I really appreciate all the wonderful information you all provide to this very helpful forum--I know I have benefited from the collective knowledge. So here's another request for your help.

I searched and saw several photos of disposals with the silgranit deep sinks. Could I ask for a little more information please.

GC (here we go again) says that the sink openings are "too close together" to properly install the disposal. He claims there isn't enough room to properly connect the two pipes with a T. Obviously this has been done for those of you with this same sink, so photos would be great here.

There is also an issue with the drain pipe height.

So my questions are as follows:
1. With this specific sink, how are the two drain pipes connected to each other and the disposal

2. Is the drain opening in the side of your disposal higher, same height or lower than your pipe that exits the back of the cabinet?

I told him to get the compact insinkerator, but he didn't (he got the evolution premier, not compact version). I'm hoping the compact will be just enough smaller to make a difference. Right now the opening for the insinkerator disposal pipe is about 1" lower than the exit drain pipe in back of cabinet. This is not a good thing.

I really hope that a compact will solve this issue, but it's hard to tell from the website specifications.

So what's under your sink? I know I'm asking a lot, but if you could measure from cabinet floor to disposal opening and cabinet floor to exit pipe in back of cabinet, that would really help me out (along with your brand of disposal).

I do NOT want to have to cut open the back of the cabinet and drywall to lower the exit pipe. I'd much rather have a smaller disposal if I can find one to fit.

Thanks for any insight you can provide.

Sigh, it's always something!

Featured Answer

cathy725
Original Author

11 years ago

Well, garage disposal options don't look like they can fix the problem. GC is going to open up ceiling in basement and re-do the piping so that it will work. He thinks he will be able to bring the pipe up through the bottom rear of the sink cabinet to make everything work correctly. This obviously is a delay in finishing the kitchen, but if the sink doesn't work right the kitchen doesn't work right.

I'll keep you posted.

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Comments (8)

badgergal
11 years ago
Hi Kathy, I remember responding to one of your previous posts regarding the Performa sink. I have the 1-3/4 sink with an Insinkerator Evolution Essential Pro installed under the smaller bowl. This model is not the compact version. It is crowded under my sink but I also have a trash pullout there too. The plumber who did the work did not have any issues getting it to fit. I was there the day of the install and he didn't complain about anything. The garbage disposal works fine. The sinks drain fine and the dishwasher gets the dishes clean as a whistle.
My sink is located in an island but regardless the drain has to be the right height in the cabinet just as it would have to be if it exited out the back of a cabinet and into wall.
From the middle of the disposal opening to the cabinet floor is 12 inches by my quick measuring. From the middle of the exit drain to the cabinet floor is approx. 10 inches. So while it doesn't look lower in the pictures it is.
The exit drain could be lowered but since you cabinet and counter tops are already in place I am sure it would be problematic. I know that we had to open wall and lower exit drains in a bathroom remodel.
Here are a couple pictures. Hope you can tell how the two sink drains are connected. You can email me if you would like me to send some additional photos.
Hope you can get it too work out.
{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

The only thing that a plumber friend of ours commented on about the installation was that the drains on the two sinks should have been metal not plastic. He said that the plastic ones tend to develop leaks after a few years. I am not going to lose sleep worrying about a possible future leak.
pseudochef
11 years ago
I ordered a Diamond super single bowl undermount sink for our kitchen. This has me a little concerned that my new disposal won't be higher than the drain out the back of the cabinet too because the sink is deeper than my current topmount. Is there a disposal that has an outlet higher than normal? Or is the solution that the plumber has to move the drain lower in the wall? Is that a huge project for them to move it?
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cathy725
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks badgergal!! I was looking at the post someone else started about this issue and you had posted a photo, but these extra photos really help.

You are right, it would have been much easier to move the exit drain before the sink was installed. Arghhh. My DH has evaluated it (and he is a very good handyman) and he believes the only solution is to lower the exit pipe. That will involve cutting the back of the sinkbase and the drywall behind. Not a fun or easy thing--sure wish the GC had figured this out before we installed cabinets.

Psuedochef--make sure your GC or plumber knows how deep your sink is and how big the disposal is. When in doubt--lower the pipe! We have looked at other disposals and there are a few that are slightly shorter, but not by much. If you need to move the drain the time to do it is after you tear out the old cabinets and before the new ones are installed.
Debbie Erfer
11 years ago
Thanks to all of you for the great info! I am getting ready to order the same performa and I don't want to have to buy a new disposal. I think I will show this thread to the GC before I order! Once again GW comes through.
badgergal
11 years ago
Sorry to hear that you have to do some rearranging of the pipes but at least they didn't just go ahead and connect it the too high exit drain and then pretend all was well.
Hope things proceed smoothly from here on.
I will be watching for your reveal.
calumin
10 years ago
I'm going through the same thing right now, with this same sink. My drain pipe exits at the wall at 17.5". I bought the Evolution Excel and it requires 4 more inches to where the pipe hits the disposal, then another 6.7" to the top of the disposal. With ~10" more for the depth of the sink, it's already too high.

The other Evolutions (including the Compact) and the Waste King don't have any less stringent height requirements.

This is an important thing to check for anyone getting a deep sink. Luckily I caught this before the cabinets went in.
live_wire_oak
10 years ago
It's a false economy to keep the same garbage disposal when redoing a kitchen. First of all, they don't like transplanting and tend to die soon afterwards. Second of all, if you're paying a plumber, it's going to cost you that $150 fee for him to come back out and put you a new one in, plus the $200 for the disposal. Right now, when he's installing everything, you're going to get charged for all of that anyway. Might as well put a new one in when the rest of the sink is installed.

And, if you're DIY, it's just a big hassle to uninstall a disposal and reinstall a new one. Save yourself that and just buy a new one. The Evolution series is the way to go . Super quiet and do the job you expect them to do.

And yes, most kitchen remodels will need to lower the waste arm into the wall. It's not a big deal when the cabinets are out. It's easy. If the cabinets are in place, it's not as easy. But, it's still not a big deal. Unless your plumber is a drama queen. Surprisingly, many are.