I'm currently staying at a friend's apartment, which is quite dated with a very small kitchen. There's no dishwasher or garbage disposal, and washing dishes has been a bit of a challenge. I want to install a garbage disposal to make dishwashing easier, but the issue is there's no outlet under the sink. There is a GFCI outlet nearby on the wall. I want to avoid any major electrical work, considering this is a rental. Would it be feasible to install the disposal and use an extension cord with a switch to power it on when washing dishes? I have an engineering background and some experience with electrical and plumbing work, but I'm unsure if this would be safe or effective.
4 Answers
Honestly, do you really need a garbage disposal? It might be better to scrape food waste into a trash bin instead of modifying the apartment. It’s your friend’s place, and investing in such changes might not be suitable without her consent.
As an engineer, you should know that plugging a garbage disposal into an extension cord is not the best idea, especially in a rental. Instead of making changes, try focusing on better ways to deal with food waste that don't involve significant electrical work. It's not worth the risk.
Technically, you can use an extension cord, but this approach could expose you to liability. You still need some basic electrical skills to adapt the disposal to work with your setup. Don’t forget you'll need to handle the plumbing as well, and be cautious about the size of the sink compared to the disposal you’re choosing.
If the disposal fits and you have enough space under the sink, yes, you can do it! You’ll need to modify the drain pipes with PVC fittings to make it work. For the electrical part, you can use a heavy-duty light switch and a cord to manage the power without constantly fiddling with the plug. Just remember to revert everything back to its original state when your friend moves out.