A kitchen contains all types of small and big appliances, which are like a workhorse regardless of their size, weight, and shape. Two such items are dishwashers and garbage disposals. One looks after your dishes’ hygiene, and the other handles food waste disposal.
Since both perform critical jobs in their area, you should be careful with their installation. After all, any machine’s efficiency and performance enormously depend on its correct positioning and placement. Any error or miscalculation can ruin the entire setup. Some decisions can potentially lead to safety hazards. That’s why evaluating the outcomes before taking any major step is crucial.
Suppose you already have a dishwasher. Now, you plan to add a garbage disposal too. Following the best practices for garbage disposal installation will help you enjoy your appliance’s services for a long time without a hitch. When installing the device, you may wonder if sharing the electrical circuit between the garbage disposal and the dishwasher will be fine. Experts say you can do that, but hooking them to dedicated electrical connections will be much better. It will be safe for you, your home, and the appliances. Let’s delve into this circuit-sharing aspect between these appliances for further clarity.
Electrical circuit demands
Electric circuits in a residential house distribute power all over. People add separate circuits for every appliance and corner to manage electric load safely. Garbage disposals and dishwashers have their specific electrical requirements. Dishwashers usually depend on 120-volt of power and sufficient amperage for efficient operation. Manufacturers and brands provide specifications to enable you to avoid any electrical issues. Like them, garbage disposals also need a power supply from a 120-volt circuit with a unique amperage requirement. Again, you can fall back on the manual instructions for its electrical setup needs.
Things to consider when connecting garbage disposal and dishwasher to the same circuit
As mentioned, there is no problem from the technical viewpoint in adopting this path. But one must consider critical facets like electrical load and performance issues. Both these mechanical devices rely on power to function. When you operate them on the same circuit, you must ensure their combined power requirement is within the circuit’s total capacity. Otherwise, you will face tripping issues. It can also cause electrical hazards. Then, running them on the same electrical connection can disrupt their performance while creating mechanical noise. To be precise, overloading can be one of the major issues when you operate high-power appliances on the shared circuit. Should you entirely drop this idea?
It can be a tough call because putting things on the same circuit can reduce your electrical installation, wiring work, and associated costs. A kitchen with fewer circuits will also want to optimize the available electrical infrastructure. Still, you want to double-check your decision before proceeding.
Best safety practices for appliance installation
Any electrical appliance installation in the kitchen should follow safe methods. If you want to add a garbage disposal and dishwasher to the same circuit, follow the local codes and regulations that prevent the risks of electrical hazards. Consult a licensed electrician. They can guide you better about appliances’ electrical load demands. If they also recommend dedicated circuits, it’s better to prioritize safety over immediate cost-saving. Putting them on the same circuit can lead to problems like circuit malfunction or overload. During those events, circuit breakers usually trip, or lights become dimmer when the machines run. Please get the circuit issues fixed urgently. As for performance issues, one can schedule appliances’ timing to ensure that only the dishwasher or garbage disposal is in use. It’s also better to plan for the kitchen’s electrical load redistribution.
A few vital pointers
Although dedicated circuits are recommendable, certain situations may make you decide otherwise. Still, checking the existing circuit’s capacity is crucial to understand if it can manage both appliances well. Be thorough with the appliances’ amperage and voltage specifications as provided in the instruction manual. They can share the circuit if their combined electrical load requirement is less than the circuit’s capacity. But any mistake in this judgment can prove expensive. You can face issues like wiring overheating, circuit breaker tripping, etc. During installation, you may also wonder about connecting one through an extension cord or power strip due to distance problems. Please be careful with this. Connect them directly to an electrical outlet. Those electrical accessories cannot manage the electrical load. Operating those devices continuously through them will also be risky.
Also, anything that has to do with electrical circuits should be your electrician’s responsibility. Don’t involve a plumber in this. Only licensed electricians would know about proper electrical installation techniques and the safety and compliance rules. The electrician will investigate the health of the circuit before connecting any device. They will look into wiring conditions, circuit load capacity, grounding work, and more. You can also trust them to follow the best methods for installing the appliances.
Remember, circuit breakers can trip due to circuit overload for various reasons. When it happens, your instant response to the situation should be to limit the number of appliances you use on the same circuit. It can offer temporary relief. But the proper step is to get your electrician to update the electrical wiring for more circuits. For example, the licensed technician can connect a part of the kitchen to the circuit available for your living room. To avoid overloading risks, you can run smaller appliances like toasters, mixers, and others on that circuit.
A perfect kitchen needs all types of small and large mechanical items to make your chores faster, easier, and more manageable. Treat everything like an investment because they save your time and energy for other parts of your life. Get the best products from branded stores for quality assurance, even if they look slightly pricey. You can expect the materials to run longer than ordinary stuff if they are good. When your appliances work smoothly, you can finish your kitchen work quickly. At the same time, keep an eye on the condition of the electrical circuits. Get them inspected from time to time. After all, no one wants any surprises from these things. Without care and maintenance, your house can soon become a safety hazard.
