Dishwasher draining via airgap into sink & NOISE

[LuckyLex]

Hi... I hope someone can help me figure out a problem with my new dishwasher.

Landlord hired her boyfriend (who is supposed to be a contractor) to install a new dishwasher and garbage disposal in our house.

When the DW runs, it drains water from the whole wash cycle through the airgap.

Contractor claims this is normal & his DW does the same! I KNOW it is not normal! Can someone tell me what could be wrong & how to fix so I can explain it to him (or possibly do it myself, since he seems incapable of following instructions)?

Also, periodically during the cycle - like every 10 minutes or so - we hear a "BANG" that sounds like it's coming from the pipes, which we can hear through the whole house (it's not the spray arms hitting dishes in the DW.)
Any idea what could cause this?

[irregularjoe]

That's funny! (Although not for you, I guess)
Of course the DW should not drain out via the airgap.
Your "contractor" probably forgot to remove the knock out plug from the disposal. This is located inside the disposal where the DW drains into it. To fix this, remove the disposal, and remove the plug.
"Banging" coming from the pipes sounds like air hammer. It is caused by air trapped in the pipes. To fix it you have to have someone add an air damper onto the hot and cold pipes. This entails cutting into the wall and modifying the pipes. Call a plumber, unless you can sweat pipes. But wait until you recify the DW problem first. The banging might go away after the water is able to drain properly.

Did you ever see OHM'S mother in LAW?...... SHOCKING!

[LuckyLex]

I know it's funny! He's here right now trying to fix it. Mid-job, he gets a call from someone who he's giving a quote for AUTOMOBILE REPAIR! He also installed a new window and managed to also install 3 huge scratches and a tear in the middle of one of the screens! If this was my house, I would have fired him the minute he started working; it's not my call. But, I digress...

First, a kink made the hose from the disposer to the drain 1/4 normal size. Fixed that, but water still drains via airgap.

Then, he opened up the airgap and cleaned it out, claiming it was clogged and that was the problem. But, DUH, if the airgap was clogged, how could water get through? That's not the problem.

Then, he suggested rerouting drain from the DW to the main drain, bypassing the disposer and airgap. I told him not to -- there must be a reason to have an airgap, even if the "instruction book" that came with the DW offers installation instructions w/o disposer & airgap. I think it's part of bldg code, also.

When I asked him if he had taken out the plug, he said he did.

Is there any other reason water is draining via the airgap?

[irregularjoe]

hmmmm.....if he offers to do any kind of medical work, I hope you decline.
"Is there any other reason water is draining via the airgap?"
No. Either the drain is clogged,in which case the disposal/ sink will also be very slow draining, or the plug is still in the disposal. The kinked hose that you mentioned would of course contribute to slow draining also, but it sounds like you fixed that?

Did you ever see OHM'S mother in LAW?...... SHOCKING!

[kentry]

quote:Originally posted by irregularjoe


Your "contractor" probably forgot to remove the knock out plug from the disposal. This is located inside the disposal where the DW drains into it. To fix this, remove the disposal, and remove the plug.

HI,
can you elaborate on this? by disposal, do you mean the garbage disposal? i don't see where the DW connects to the disposal under my sink.

thanks.

[Jimmer]

Ken,

Your garbage disposal may not have a dishwasher hookup. But if it did it would look something like this...



If yours does not have one you can add a connection to your drainpipe.

Good luck, Jim

'Just a handyman trying to help'

[kentry]

jimmer,
so if it doesn't have a dw hookup, i pop off the drain inside the DW. if it does have a dw hookup, the plug could be at the disposal. is that right?

thanks!

[irregularjoe]

most garbage disposals have the DW drain. The reason it is plugged is that not everyone has a DW. So you just knock it out if you do want to hook up a DW......If the disposal doesn't have the DW drain (I've never seen this) you need to remove the tailpiece from the other side of the sink (second drain) and install a tailpiece with a 5/8" tee to hook the DW to.

Did you ever see OHM'S mother in LAW?...... SHOCKING!

[Jimmer]

Ken,

Let's backup a second. You have a dishwasher, you have a garbage disposal. Have you recently installed either? Have you got a problem with the dishwasher draining? If so did it ever drain properly?

Let us know some more details.

Thanks,
Jim

'Just a handyman trying to help'

[kentry]

sorry, i'm not much of a handyman. but yes i have a DW and a disposal. after seeing another DW/disposal set up, i think the problem is that the person who installed the DW installed only the drain up to the airgap, but not the pipe from the airgap to the disposal.

let me know if i'm wrong.

thanks for all the help!!

[Jimmer]

Ken,

Okay, so if there is a drain hose going from the dishwasher over to the large connection on the airgap then you need another hose going from the small connection on the air gap to your disposal.

Some areas (like mine) do not require the airgap and the drain line goes directly from the dishwasher to the disposal.

If you have other questions, a picture or two (or even a drawing) would help.

Jim

'Just a handyman trying to help'

[problems]

quote:Originally posted by LuckyLex

Hi... I hope someone can help me figure out a problem with my new dishwasher.

Landlord hired her boyfriend (who is supposed to be a contractor) to install a new dishwasher and garbage disposal in our house.

When the DW runs, it drains water from the whole wash cycle through the airgap.

Contractor claims this is normal & his DW does the same! I KNOW it is not normal! Can someone tell me what could be wrong & how to fix so I can explain it to him (or possibly do it myself, since he seems incapable of following instructions)?

Also, periodically during the cycle - like every 10 minutes or so - we hear a "BANG" that sounds like it's coming from the pipes, which we can hear through the whole house (it's not the spray arms hitting dishes in the DW.)
Any idea what could cause this?

Hi, My daughter has this same problem!!!!! It is so totally frustrating. They had a contracter put in new cabinets, dishwasher, and stove. He hooked up the dishwasher with faucet, airgap, garbage disposal and when my daughter used it for the first time, tons of water leaked from the airgap into the sink. Needless to say, he was called back twice. It seemed after the second time, it was fixed. Now again, water is coming out from the airgap each rinse cycle and it is leaking underneath the sink. Called him this morning and told him that I will call a plumber and would he reimburse my daughter. He said he would. A plumber is coming out this Friday and hopefully it will be fixed. Does anyone out there have any idea of why this is happening. The think from the garbage disposal was removed already.
I read these pages regarding this problem and do you think that Kentry was right in saying that the pipe from the airgap to the disposal was not connected??? I just called my daughter and she is totally upset and really doesn't want to even deal with this anymore. I guess I don't blame her. So, if anyone has any more info on this problem, just let me know.
Thanks, Problem

[Jimmer]

Maxine,

If it worked once then I would have to assume that the drains are now hooked up correctly. Is it possible that the disposal is plugged with food waste? Does water drain properly from the sink?
Hopefully the plumber can quickly find the cause tomorrow.

Good luck, Jim

'Just a handyman trying to help'

[problems]

Jim, the garbage disposal is brand new, just hooked up with new pipes. I don't think there is any clogs in it, but the plumber will check everything tomorrow. Hopefully, cross your fingers and toes, this problem will be solved tomorrow. Will let you know what happens. I will show him these message regarding this problem and see what he says. thanks for your reply! maxine

[problems]

[?] Jim, the plumber came over to my daughter's house and checked under the sink for the problems she has been having.

1) water rinsing from the dishwasher draining from the airgap (overflow valve) into the sink. He looked and said the contractor didn't do it right. The hose that connects from the overflow value to the garbage disposal was too low causing the water to back up to the overflow value into the sink. The washer for the overflow vent was inserted above sink instead of below and therefore the overflow valve wasn't high enough.
My daughter hasn't used her dishwasher yet. I think she is a bit nervous about using it at the moment... But she will.
Do you think this sounds about right?????
Let me know what you think, ok??????

Thanks for your informative information.....
Maxine