QUESTION FROM Jon

I've read your maintenance suggestions and others' questions on garbage disposals, but can't find a solution to our problem. Our disposal occasionally backs up into both sides of the sink, splashing stuff onto our clean dishes drying in a rack on the non-disposal side. The only way to fix this is by plugging the non-disposal side while running the disposal. I don't think that's due to a blocked pipe under the disposal, since it otherwise flows fine. Could this be due to not having enough downward slant on the pipe connecting the non-disposal side to the disposal?

Thanks!

ANSWER FROM HOME-WIZARD

Dear Jon:

From what you are describing, it sounds like you have a partial blockage in your drain line. As a partial blockage, you sink on the side with the disposal (or the other side) can drain past the partial blockage. But when you turn on your disposal, this increases the pressure of the water pushing down the drain (from the spinning propeller of the disposal), and when this additional pressure hits the partial clog, its can't get enough water past the clog, so it backs up into your other sink.

Hopefully, you can get the clog out with a product such as Drano or Liquid Plumber, but if not, then you will need to snake the drain to get out the clog.

Hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com