Visited my parents over the weekend. Had to replace a garbage disposal by surprise. Didn’t bring any tools but that’s a gripe for a different day.

I bought whatever decent model was in stock at the local store. The dimensions were basically a replacement except for the diameter of the new unit - larger. I thought that would be an easy adjustment in the plumbing line.

Long story short. It took me a couple of hours at home depot and still couldn’t figure out how to adjust the plumbing. I had to make one section with a threaded compression fitting shorter. Could NOT find a union coupling of the right size. HD was clueless. I ended up at Lowes’s - they knew exactly what I needed. Apparently there is PVC, plastic drain plumbing and ABS pipe. HD didn’t know about ABS I guess. I had an ABS coupling and glue in 5 minutes at Lowes’s. Finished the job in 30 minutes.

Why do we need 3 types of plastic for plumbing? Why can’t they keep this all in one section - ABS stuff was not in the area where they kept other kitchen sink related parts, including parts for disposals. And why is HD so clueless while Lowes’s knew exactly what I needed immediately?

Without pictures, we have a "Blind Rant". But it seems the issue might have been avoided if the replacement disposal was the same diameter as the old one. Like a nice, slim, dependable InSinkerator Badger ½ H.P.

I might have bought a 1.5" Furnco and made do (due?) with that on the drain. Not lately have I seen a disposal piped to tight that the J-Bend could not be made to swing into the outlet. But I did once see a chrome offset coming from under the disposal. Yikes! Who plumbed that?

The Good Plumber will recommend no disposal.

Thought for a second we were going to get a replay of WHY Mr. Castoreni ,the Dad from "Moonstruck" only uses copper pipe.

"It costs money...Because it SAVES money".

ABS is typically used for waste disposal, but not under sink, usually in the walls. It’s just the standard.
Anytime I have swapped out a garbage disposal, I replumb everything under the sink to the waste water pipe in the wall. All the homes I have lived in have a slip coupler where the PVS slips inside the ABS and then tightens with a slip compression type fitting.

That said, I agree. It can be very frustrating trying to get all the pieces to match up.

When I replaced our disposal about 10 years ago the HD sold a kitchen plumbing kit with like a dozen pipe parts for $10. It had everything I needed and then some. I'm surprised that wasn't available.

Sorry - original intent was to pose a question.... But it devolved into a mini-rant. I guess the frustration at HD is still lurking

I can't imagine how each store can't be like Lowe's if you're selling these products in volume. I can't be the only one confused about how to modify existing plumbing to match the new unit.

I'm going to sound like a jewelry store commercial but I should've went to Lowe's. From now on, that's my first stop.

I actually replaced a Badger which in my experience (and those of close friends, family) only lasts for 2-3 years and are not very effective. The replacement unit is basically the Evolution Compact which has worked well for me for 15 years - still works as if new.

Just the opposite here. Lowes employees are useless and HD employees are generally pretty knowledgeable.

It's plumbing! You have to adapt to overcome!

Why do we have multiples of anything?

Too make our lives difficult.
Life would be much simpler, if we only had one oil filter, one type of oil, one air filter size/type, etc, etc.

quote:

Originally posted by mark60:
Just the opposite here. Lowes employees are useless and HD employees are generally pretty knowledgeable.

I find it hit or miss at both stores. And Menard's seems a step down from the other two, although I've come to like some things about Menard's.

We have all three within a few blocks of each other and I go to all of them pretty often.

The best layouts keep all 3 separate because: idiots... I see it all the time. (Lowes is especially bad about this) People will be buying PVC fittings, see the DWV section next to schedule 40 pvc, see that it is a few cents cheaper and off they go...

Add CPVC into the mix (even though it is a different color) and things really get fun. There are 2 piping size standards with CVPC and if the store carries both (rare) it is almost worth buying some popcorn to watch the fun.

Most people learn this the hard way like I did. Yes, I was one of the idiots. But, I learned and now it isn't an issue and I use the correct types as needed.

Mark

The real answer for why there are differing sizes in piping, is due to advancing technology.

Originally there was only copper, and it comes in different thickness. Then the PVC was invented, guess what? It has different thickness(schedule) also, because, reasons....hahaha or should I say muhahahah. Then someone invented bendy piping like abs or PEX and the answers is, because.

[scene finishs by camera backing out away from our hero the plumber laughing maniacally in a thunderstorm ...]

Of all the home handyman chores that befall and have befallen me over the 25+ years of home ownership - I hate plumbing the most. I'd rather do about anything else home related...

quote:

Originally posted by FN in MT:
Thought for a second we were going to get a replay of WHY Mr. Castoreni ,the Dad from "Moonstruck" only uses copper pipe.

"It costs money...Because it SAVES money".

This is where my mind went too!