Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We are trying to work out if a space in our kitchen can accommodate a dishwasher. However a friend said that you have to have some hole in your sink or tile for some sort of pipe overflow maybe?
When I mentioned this to a plumber he said- you don't have to have that, only if you are having the house inspected. That threw me as either the feature is needed or not?Anyone know- we are nervous that the worktop which is original 50s ceramic tile could be damaged. I imagine they use a special masonry drill to do it but maybe we can go ahead and not put the pipe in.
Anyone know?
Thanks in advance.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,134 posts, read 80,221,880 times
Reputation: 56968
It's easy enough to make a hole in tile with the proper equipment, but you don't have to. That is an airgap, a backflow prevention device, and prevents the dirty water from running back into the dishwasher after the dishes are clean. You can do that with a high loop, where the hose from the D.W. goes up to the underside of the counter, then down to where it connects to the drain. Also, the hose must enter the drain above the p trap. Unfortunately, some local codes do require the air gap so if you get a permit and/or use a licensed contractor you may have to do it.
Hemlock. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise. That is really helpful to know.Yes CA is soooo strict on codes but we only doing it for us so cant see us ever being inspected. Just hate the thought of damaging the tile. The house has an original 50s kitchen and we just don't want to damage any of the beautiful units that we want to keep- or the ceramic tile on top next to the sink.
I wonder how many inches we need at the back of the dishwasher to put pipes? We may try and fit it ourselves if we do not need to drill that hole.
I am beyond excited about a dishwasher, having never lived in a house with one it is going to be a huge luxury!!
We have had dishwashers in our last 3 homes and have never had an air gap, just had a high loop on the drain line. Our current home was completed in May of this year and passed all current codes. The only way it would be questionable in CA is if your codes are more stringent than the national code.
If you do a search for dishwasher air gap you will find a number of possible installation scenarios where an air gap is installed. Several of them have the installation on the sink deck. I don't know what kind of sink you have or whether this is a possibility, but it might be a consideration to avoid drilling through the tile, especially if you already have a hole for a sprayer or drinking water faucet.
Really helpful. I will search for that. Our sink may be the original one (from 1956)also and we would rather just use it till it becomes unusable but there is just a standard faucet and the sink is ceramic-maybe less risk drilling through that. We are nervous that if we drill through either the sink or the tile and it shatters we then potentially have to replace whole surface and sink unit which is not desirable.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,134 posts, read 80,221,880 times
Reputation: 56968
You may run into a problem with the depth of the countertop on a very old home. There may also be a vertical clearance issue if the countertop drops down in the front. Measure before buying. We bought this house in 1993, and replaced ours soon after, then again a year ago. In both cases the hose and water supply both go in from the side near the rear, down low, and there is no need for additional clearance at the back. Most do not come with the supply line or discharge hose, you may have to buy them as a separate installation kit. For installation, Youtube is your friend, and without experience, the biggest challenge may be the electrical. For mine I added a plug and put an outlet under the sink so that I can easily unplug for service rather than hard-wiring. It's advisable to use a ground fault interrupter outlet though not required for most jurasdictions.
1. The air gap being referred to is required by the International Building Code. Section P2717 "Dish washing Machines"
2. I would be concerned with any professional that tells you "you don't need that unless you get a permit" I would wonder what other safety or quality shortcuts he may be taking. This is the reason to always get a permit. Permits are cheap insurance that the work will be done comply with all safety standards.
3. The air gap assurures proper operation of your dishwasher. Thats why manufacturers design them with that in mind.
The discharge pipe which is standard with all dishwashers should be connected to a wye fitting attached to the tailpiece of the sink. No need to drill through the sink or ceramic counter-top. Section P2717.2 refers to sink and dishwasher installation, while P2717.3 refers to sink, dishwasher and food grinder proper installation.
You may run into a problem with the depth of the countertop on a very old home.
I was space challenged when I did my kitchen remodel. I recessed the dishwasher into the wall and used a 21" countertop instead of a standard 24". I also recessed a countertop depth French door fridge and a lower cabinet box into that same wall.
You can see the dishwasher and two lower cabinets sunk into the wall and the space for the French door fridge.
From this shot, you can see why grabbing another 3 inches was a big deal.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
3 Reasons To Ensure proper air gap installation
