Disposal location - Which sink side?

[rpcraft]

Fellas, I have a sink setup that has a left and right side but the left side is a deep well and the other side is shallower. My question is does anything mandate where the disposal goes? I kind of want to put it on the right side because having it higher will not interfere with storage under the sink as much, also when washing dishes or rinsing stuff off that would be going down the disposal ends up on that side... Maybe I just wash dishes backwards from the rest of the world, but I am single, so the dishwasher is reserved for big dinners with friends (ok, i got no friends, lol) or mainly just as a drier, but it is to the left of the sink, so that is why I wash on the right, rinse on the left, and then I just run the dish washer on a hot rinse and dry cycle.

Many years ago when I helped with plumbing at a business I think traditionally they just got installed on the left side because it was habit but I never was privy if there was a code or anything that mandates it and I have not been able to really find anything code-wise detailing the side it should be mounted on. All my searches keep netting Electrical codes, which are not an issue because there is already a switch and outlet set up for it.

Thanks for any recommendations or thoughts.

 

[sselander]

use the deep well for washing (soaking) dishes. Put the disposer on the shallower sink. More room for it underneath.
My sink was the same depth on both sides, but our left one was smaller (which is where I put it)

 

[Old Man Roger]

I would put it on the side you wash dishes in. That's where the garbage will end up right?

 

[AP514]

good points on where the food will end up....

 

[klassenl]

In my lifetime it has typically been installed on the right side.

 

[GreyOwl]

It might depend on the height of the drain connection in the wall. The deep sink may put the disposer outlet too low to properly drain.

 

[Viper98912]

I have a single bowl sink, so it goes right in the middle

 

[Stuart in MN]

Put it where you want it, there's no rule one way or the other. Mine is on the right side, that's the side I use for washing dishes.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I would put it on the side you wash dishes in. That's where the garbage will end up right?

My thought is the opposite, I like the rinse side to help keep the disposal flushed out. That's the way we have it set up at the fire house.



I've told the wife we can't have one at home since we have a septic tank.

 

[u3b3rg33k]

I would put it on the side you wash dishes in. That's where the garbage will end up right?

not if you rinse food off on the side where you aren't soaking things.

 

[Old Man Roger]

My thought is the opposite, I like the rinse side to help keep the disposal flushed out. That's the way we have it set up at the fire house.



I've told the wife we can't have one at home since we have a septic tank.

not if you rinse food off on the side where you aren't soaking things.

Yeah, I guess we tend to just rinse then use the dishwasher.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Yeah, I guess we tend to just rinse then use the dishwasher.

LOL, we have a dishwasher that I never hooked up for years after we bought the house. Wife was on me to get it hooked up, so I did. . . . finally. She says it leaves spots on the glasses so we're back to not using it.

 

[Barnabas]

I'd put it in the smaller side

 

[Richard Cranium]

Eric, a disposal should not effect your septic tank. I have had our for 20 yrs with out any problem. Food breaks down in the tank faster then the T.P. does.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Eric, a disposal should not effect your septic tank. I have had our for 20 yrs with out any problem. Food breaks down in the tank faster then the T.P. does.

Shhhh, I know that but the wife might hear you.

 

[rpcraft]

I would put it on the side you wash dishes in. That's where the garbage will end up right?

That is pretty much what I was thinking. I do admit I could just swap the basket over to the other sink and wash it down there but it would be nicer to not have to touch the stuff at all.

 

[rpcraft]

LOL, we have a dishwasher that I never hooked up for years after we bought the house. Wife was on me to get it hooked up, so I did. . . . finally. She says it leaves spots on the glasses so we're back to not using it.

You gotta spend money on a bunch of special detergent and spot remover if you don't have soft water and I could not live with soft water. It seems icky too me. I just use dawn and then the dishwasher came with the house so I feel a little less guilty about using it as a dish strainer/dryer.

 

[wraptor]

Side nearest the on-off switch.

 

[bwringer]

Side nearest the on-off switch.

Bingo. Came here to say this.

Reaching across the other sink to hit the switch would get annoying.

 

[larry4406]

Side nearest the on-off switch.

New construction guy here.

We always put the disposal on the side adjacent the dishwasher and likewise the switch.

I think your idea of putting it under the smaller sink makes sense if that's your main wash/rinse bowl plus maximizing storage underneath.

 

[GMCGarage]

I would put it on the side you do most of your prep work, so you can just sweep things off your board into that bowl and then swirl it away. I always find myself putting my board over the side without the disposal to just brush what i need to into side that has it. Perhaps I should move it.

 

[slow]

Mine is on the left small side, away from the switch, but close to the dishwasher. I hate the switch being on the opposite side. I also hate it not being near the right large counter (left side is just the size of the dishwasher) Every other house I have ever been in, it has been in the right side, or the center if it has a little prep sink in the middle of 2 large sinks.

 

[Old Man Roger]

Eric, a disposal should not effect your septic tank. I have had our for 20 yrs with out any problem. Food breaks down in the tank faster then the T.P. does.

For real? I was always told that the food doesn't break down fast in water. How many people in your house hold? I only ask because if it's just 2 people you probably aren't stressing your system to begin with.

 

[rpcraft]

It's got me to thinking which one is the shallow one now. I'm in no rush and traveling so when I get home I'll take a look and take note. I know the switch is on the left side, as is the dishwasher, so maybe that is the shallower side. Thanks folks.

 

[6768rogues]

Shallow bowl.

 

[csp]

It might depend on the height of the drain connection in the wall. The deep sink may put the disposer outlet too low to properly drain.

^^^This advice is worth repeating^^^

 

[DRP6833]

When we moved into our current house we replaced the countertops and installed a new sink that sounds like yours. I wanted the disposal on the deeper (left) side next to the dishwasher and by the switch, but that put the outlet below the wall drain connection. I had no choice but mount it on the shallow side.

 

[MFolks]

I understand,if a dishwasher is plumbed(hose connection),and the machine is running,in pump out,to turn on the disposal,it will help clean it out.I did it for many years at my house,with no problems

 

[Zexx]

My 2 cents, put it on the side the switch is on.

 

[77thor]

To me, it would come down to personal preference (my wife's)

 

[Homerr]

I'll blow all your minds -

Get two and install on both sides.

 

[BigBri]

I say put it in the order of the way you wash. For me when I built my house I set up our kitchen to work left to right. Garbage can in left cabinet pull out. Double sink with disposal on left sink. Dishwasher on the right. That’s the fastest way to do your dishes. Scrape into trash rinse or wash, into the dishwasher in one easy motion. No going right to wash left to Rinse and then back right to use dishwasher. It just slowes you down and leves less time to drink beer.
Btw I have had a garbage desposal on my last two houses and never had any trouble. Last house for 16 years this one for 5 and have a septic tank on both.

 

[59 wagon man]

It might depend on the height of the drain connection in the wall. The deep sink may put the disposer outlet too low to properly drain.

other than personal choice this is the determining factor