Garbage Disposal Replacement
A properly installed garburator keeps your kitchen cleaner, reduces sink odours, and stops food scraps from going directly into your drain trap where they accumulate and cause clogs. Plomberie 5 Étoiles installs and replaces garbage disposals and garburators across Montreal, Laval, the South Shore, and the North Shore — with code-compliant plumbing connections and same-day service in most cases.
Garbage Disposal Installation — What's Actually Involved
Whether you're installing a garburator for the first time or replacing a failed unit, the job involves more than plugging something in under the sink. An improperly installed disposal can cause leaks, excessive vibration, poor drainage, or damage to the existing drain pipes. Here's what a professional installation covers:
Assessment of your existing drain. We check that your kitchen drain is compatible with a disposal — specifically the P-trap diameter, the dishwasher drain connection if applicable, and the overall condition of the kitchen drain. In older Montreal homes with 40–50-year-old ABS or cast iron drain pipes, we confirm the plumbing can handle continuous disposal use before installing the unit.
Code-compliant plumbing connection. The disposal connects to the sink drain via a specific mounting assembly. If you have a dishwasher, its drain line also connects to the disposal unit through a dedicated inlet — a detail that DIY installers often miss, which causes dishwasher water to back up into the tub.
Electrical connection. A garbage disposal requires a dedicated electrical outlet accessible under the sink, or a hardwired connection depending on the model. If your kitchen doesn't have one, we can advise on coordinating with an electrician.
Start-up and testing. We run the unit, check all connections for leaks, confirm that drainage is clean and complete, and verify that anti-vibration mounts are properly engaged.
Get a quote Click to callGarburator Replacement
If your current unit has failed, several signs point to replacement over repair:
- The unit is more than 10–12 years old — average lifespan is 8–15 years depending on quality and usage
- The motor hums but doesn't grind — grinding components are worn, which is generally uneconomical to repair
- Chronic leaks at the lower seal — indicates advanced internal corrosion of the unit body
- Frequent jamming despite normal use — motor is losing power with age
- Excessive vibration and noise — mounting hardware or internal components are worn
- Persistent odours despite cleaning — internal organic accumulation that can't be cleared
When replacing a unit, we remove the old disposal, clean the drain connections if needed, install the new model, and test everything before leaving. Most replacements on existing installations take 1–2 hours.
Get a quote Click to callWhat Not to Put in a Garbage Disposal
A properly used garburator lasts significantly longer. Here's what to keep out:
Drain-clogging items:
- Pasta, rice, and bread — expand with water and form a paste in the drain trap
- Potato peels and starchy vegetables — same issue
- Oil, cooking grease, or animal fat — solidifies in pipes and causes gradual kitchen drain buildup
- Coffee grounds — accumulate in the drain trap as a dense sediment
Mechanism-damaging items:
- Large bones (ribs, whole chicken bones) — small soft bones are generally tolerated depending on the unit's power rating
- Oyster, clam, or snail shells — too hard for the grinding components
- Fruit pits — cherries, peaches, avocados
- Cutlery, bottle caps, or hard foreign objects — can jam or permanently damage the grind ring
Pipe-damaging items:
- Bleach or chemical drain cleaners — corrosive to gaskets and ABS pipes
- Concentrated cleaning products — unnecessary in a disposal and harmful to plumbing
Practical tip: Always run cold water during operation and for 15–20 seconds after the unit stops — this flushes residue through the drain. Cold water solidifies any remaining fat particles, helping them pass through the pipe without coating the walls.
Garbage Disposal Maintenance
Minimal maintenance significantly extends service life and eliminates odours.
For odours: Drop a handful of ice cubes and coarse salt into the disposal and run it — the ice cleans the grinding components and the salt absorbs organic residue. You can also run citrus peels (lemon, orange) to neutralize odours. Do this once a week.
For buildup: Once a month, pour a small amount of baking soda followed by a splash of white vinegar into the unit, wait 5 minutes, then flush with hot water. This reduces organic accumulation inside the disposal body.
Never use: Bleach or chemical cleaners — they damage internal gaskets and should be kept out of the disposal entirely.
Garburators in Older Montreal Homes
An important note for homeowners in homes built before the 1980s: if your kitchen still has original ABS or cast iron drain pipes, adding a garburator is worth evaluating beforehand. Disposals increase the flow of fine organic solids through the kitchen drain slightly — not enough to cause problems in pipes that are in good condition, but in a kitchen drain that's already partially coated with grease buildup or in a corroded cast iron trap, installing a garburator can accelerate clogging.
During the installation visit, we assess the condition of your existing kitchen drain. If we find a pre-existing issue, we'll tell you before proceeding. In some cases, a kitchen drain cleaning before installation is the right first step.
Get a quote Click to callWhy Choose Plomberie 5 Étoiles for Garburator Installation
Clean, code-compliant installation. No leaks, no vibration, correct dishwasher connection — we do this regularly and know exactly what makes a disposal installation fail.
15 years in Montreal, Laval, and the region. We work in every type of Montreal kitchen — cast iron trap in a Plateau triplex, ABS drain in a Laval bungalow, renovated kitchen in a Griffintown condo.
CAA-Québec recommended for 10+ years. Verified quality, every year.
4.8 stars on Google, 145+ verified reviews.
RBQ #5663-4538-01 · CMMTQ Member · Fully insured.
Get a Free Estimate — Garbage Disposal & Garburator Installation
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Related Services
- Kitchen Drain Cleaning
- Faucet & Sink Installation
- Dishwasher Installation
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