Garbage Disposal Installation & Repair
Disposal replacement, air switches, and dishwasher hookups done right for Snohomish County kitchens
Stollwerck Plumbing & Sewer installs, replaces and removes garbage disposals across Mukilteo, Everett, Edmonds, and the rest of our service area. A disposal touches three systems at once — the sink drain, the dishwasher and the electrical switch — which is why the install matters more than the unit. Done carelessly, it leaks, traps water in the dishwasher line, or hums at the flip of a switch you cannot reach.
What We Do
Disposal Installation and Replacement
We install disposals you supply and disposals we supply, mount them properly to the sink flange, and re-plumb the trap arm to match the new unit’s outlet height. A disposal that is forced onto old misaligned drain parts will drip from the day it goes in.
Air Switch Installation
An air switch is the countertop button that runs the disposal with a puff of air instead of a wall switch — the clean answer when there is no switched outlet nearby, and a safer reach than a switch behind the sink. We mount the button, run the tubing and wire the control module in the cabinet.
Dishwasher and Disposal Drainage
The dishwasher drains through the disposal, and how that hose is routed decides whether waste water can sneak back into the machine. Where the sink has a third hole we fit an air gap; where it does not, we run the hose in a high loop under the counter and say so on the invoice. Either way, we dump-test it before leaving.
Leaks at the Disposal
A puddle under the sink is not always the disposal body — it is often the sink flange, the dishwasher connection or the discharge gasket. We find which seam is actually weeping before any parts get replaced.
Removal Without Replacement
Some kitchens are better off without one — and some septic systems genuinely should not have one. We remove the unit and re-plumb the drain with a standard basket strainer and tailpiece.
Disposals on Septic and on Whidbey
A disposal sends ground food solids into whatever the house drains to. On Everett and Mukilteo sewer that is routine; on a Whidbey Island septic system it shortens the time between pump-outs. We will tell you honestly whether your system should have one at all.
Real Disposal Work in Mukilteo
At a kitchen remodel on Smugglers Cove Lane in Mukilteo in July 2026, Logan and Willie handled the finish plumbing: the customer's new disposer, its air switch, the dishwasher, and the kitchen faucet. The new sink had no third hole drilled, so instead of an air gap the dishwasher drain went up in a high loop under the counter before tying in — the correct move for that sink, and the kind of detail that never shows but decides whether the machine drains clean.
Then the part most installs skip: they ran several full running dump tests on the sink and three complete dishwasher dump cycles, watching every connection for leaks before calling it done.
When a Disposal Is Done
Leaking From the Body
Drips from the bottom or the seam of the unit mean the internal seal has failed and water is passing through the motor housing. That is not repairable — it is a replacement, and waiting only soaks the cabinet floor.
Rust in the Grind Chamber
Surface staining is cosmetic, but flaking rust around the impellers means the chamber is breaking down. Once metal is shedding into the drain, the unit is at the end of its life.
Old, Loud and Slow
A disposal past the ten-year mark that grinds slowly, rattles or trips its reset regularly is telling you where things are headed. Replacing it on your schedule beats replacing it the week the sink is full.
How We Install a Disposal
1. Match the Unit to the Kitchen
Horsepower, chamber material, and whether the household actually needs a quieter model — sized to how the kitchen is used, not just what is on the shelf.
2. Mount and Wire It Properly
New flange and plumber’s putty, correct trap-arm alignment, and an air switch where there is no usable wall switch.
3. Route the Dishwasher Correctly
Air gap where the sink allows it, high loop where it does not — and the knockout plug removed, which is the single most common cause of a “broken” new dishwasher.
4. Dump-Test Before We Leave
Full sink dumps and complete dishwasher cycles, with eyes on every joint. If it is going to weep, we want it weeping in front of us, not overnight.
Garbage Disposal FAQ
How much does garbage disposal installation cost in Mukilteo?
A straightforward swap of a like-for-like unit is a few hundred dollars and usually done within the hour. The price moves up when the drain has to be re-plumbed to match a different outlet height, when an air switch is added, or when the dishwasher connection needs correcting. We quote before we start.
Do I need an air switch for my disposal?
Only if there is no switched outlet within safe, sensible reach of the sink — which is common in remodels and kitchen islands. The air switch button mounts on the counter or sink deck and triggers the unit pneumatically, so there is no mains switch near the water. It also just feels better to use.
Batch feed or continuous feed — which should I get?
Continuous feed is what most kitchens have: flip the switch, run water, feed scraps. Batch feed only grinds with the stopper locked in, which makes it the safer choice around small kids or when the switch sits somewhere awkward. Both grind the same; the difference is how they are told to start.
Can I have a garbage disposal on a septic system?
You can, but we often advise against it. Ground food solids add real load to a septic tank and shorten the interval between pump-outs — a cost that shows up on Whidbey properties especially. If you are on septic in Clinton, Freeland or Langley, scrape plates into the bin and let the tank live longer.
How long does a garbage disposal last?
Ten to twelve years is a fair expectation for a mid-grade unit in normal use; cheaper builder-grade units often go earlier. Heavy use, fibrous scraps and hard treatment shorten that. When one dies inside its first few years, the cause is usually the install or the use, not the unit.
Does the dishwasher have to drain through the disposal?
When a disposal is present, yes — the dishwasher’s hose connects to the disposal’s inlet so food solids get ground instead of settling in the trap. The hose still needs an air gap or high loop above the connection to keep sink water out of the machine. Without a disposal, it ties into a branch tailpiece instead.
Why Homeowners Call Us for Disposal Work
Licensed Plumbers, Not Installers
Every member of the crew is a fully licensed plumber, working under Washington license STOLLPL780CJ. The drain side gets done to code, not just “attached.”
The Test Happens Before We Leave
Running dump tests and full dishwasher cycles, every install. It is the cheapest insurance in plumbing.
One-Year Guarantee
Our workmanship carries a full one-year guarantee — mount, drain connections and all.
Straight Answers on Septic
If your property should not have a disposal, we will say so and plumb the better setup instead of selling you the unit.
Disposal Swap, Addition or Removal
Call the Mukilteo office and we will get it scheduled.