"Josh" wrote in message
...
My house doesn't have a Garbage Disposal (nor do I foresee wanting
one) but since I'm replacing drywall behind the kitchen sink and
adding another outlet over the countertop, I want to run the wires for
a GD while I'm in there. It might make the house more desirable if I
ever decide to sell. I'm thinking of having a double switch box to
the right of the sink, with one switch for a small flourescent light
mounted over the sink and the other switch for the GD.

Here's my questions:

1. Are GD's usually hardwired straight from the switch near the sink,
or do they plug into an outlet under the sink which is switched on and
off by the GD switch above?

2. Does the wiring code allow an outlet to be mounted under the sink,
in close proximity to the hot and cold water inlets? If so, does it
have to be GFCI? If outlets are permitted under the sink, is it best
to install them high (above the water inlets) or down low?

If outlets aren't allowed under the sink, I plan on installing a
junction box under the sink (again: high or low?) and running the
wires from the GD switch down to the JB, putting wire nuts on the ends
of the wire, and a cover on the JB. If the next owner is someone who
can't live without a GD, at least the wiring will be there already.

You don't need a switch on the counter top for a disposal. Many have the
switch built into the drain stopper, to prevent sticking your hand in and
turning it on. If you want a switch, it may be advisable to install it in
the sink base cabinet, so a deliberate action must be taken, to turn it on.
Disposals use only a small amount of electricity, so a 15 amp circuit is
fine. You cannot wire it to your counter outlet circuit. You can install
outlets in the sink base, and they do not need to be GFCI protected.