Dishwasher air gap question

[Tynee]

Not sure if I’m in the right spot here, but there’s not a plumbing section, so here we go:

The air gap on my dishwasher drain line shoots water out so hard that it splashed all over under the cap and makes a big mess in the stainless sink, and even drips a little under the sink at times, leaking around the base of the air gap.

Not sure if this is proper function? I saw one drawing of an air gap that the tube coming from the dw turned a “u” back down into the larger tube going out to the disposal anybody ever seen one of these or know where to get one? Maybe I’ve got other issues I need to address?

 

[Orangestang]

Is it hooked up to a garbage disposal? If the line going to the disposal is clogged it will spray **** everywhere or your disposal is clogged, I always run the disposal before i run the dishwasher.

 

[Tynee]

Is it hooked up to a garbage disposal? If the line going to the disposal is clogged it will spray **** everywhere or your disposal is clogged, I always run the disposal before i run the dishwasher.

Yeah, it is. This thought has occurred to me, but it seems to be more a function of the velocity coming out of the dishwasher than anything downstream of the air gap. I did run the disposal this evening after disassembling the air gap and all the hoses to check for blockages. None found.

 

[Orangestang]

Maybe just skip the air gap and hook it direct to the disposal, air gaps are code in some towns but i won't tell.

 

[ambenz]

I always thought you either had a air gap or a disposer, one or the other, but not both!
Evidently, at one time, the sink did not have a disposer when the air gap was installed.
Then, the disposer was installed and they kept the air gap too.
We know it never did this before and now it is a all of a sudden problem...has to be a restriction somewhere.
I had the same issue and went to investigate, all my plumbing crumbled in my hands...it was amazing!
I had to repipe the whole underside of the sink and found 2 blockages...the calcium buildup was so massive, I had to grind the inside of the pipe, going into the wall, using a dremel tool!
I think you need to get down there and do a through investigation!
I do hate plumbing because you end up making a half dozen trips to the store for a fitting you do not have.
I don't envy you...better get it done, Christmas is almost here!

 

[NWOhioChevyGuy]

Doesn’t the disposal act as an air gap?

 

[apollo11]

is this a new or existing install?

 

[wadietz]

The hose can be plugged causing it to spray like that. Happened to me once. Just take the hose off and clean it out.

 

[padroo]

My wife never used the garbage disposal and the dishwasher is attached to it and our dishwasher started overflowing suds onto the kitchen floor. I changed the garbage disposal and found old dishwashers detergent collected around the inlet of the garbage disposal choking off the opening. The new garbage disposal fixed the overflowing problem.
I saw a youtube video about cleaning the air gap to fix your problem.

 

[gmwelder86]

Garbage disposal is not air air gap, it’s a direct connection to a waste system. In California I can tell you for sure an air ga is required by code. Not sure if it’s required in the unified plumbing code which is nation wide. Would look and see about a blockage in the line directly from dish washer to disposal or even further down stream in trap.

 

[Tynee]

Existing installation, although I recently replaced the faucet and had to move the air gap to a new hole in the sink.

Had it apart last night to insure the air gap, hose from there to the disposal, and the inlet at the disposal were clear. Maybe a bit of scum built up on the walls of the hose, but I could see daylight all the way through.

The issue really seems to be the velocity coming out of the DW. It comes out of there and splashed against the top of the cover instead of just sort of “bubbling over.” I guess nobody’s ever seen a different style air gap like I asked about above?

 

[Milton Shaw]

Is this a double wide or similar.. I don't think air gaps are required in KY if you are in the heart of Bluegrass like your profile says. Hook dishwasher up directly to disposal and make sure you run disposal before you run dishwasher. Millions of dishwashers are hooked up without an air gap, they are put in prebuilt homes to make them legal in the few localities that require them. Just like microwaves are mounted with sheetrock around them for some strange DOT transportation code, that makes them almost impossible to get down and work on...

 

[BillK]

tynee,
Ours does that every once in a while and it has always been something stuck in the air gap itself. I dont think it is just supposed to just "bubble over" ..... the dishwasher pumps the water out at a pretty good flow.

 

[gungatim]

OT, but what is the purpose of an air gap for the DW? I've never seen one in a stick built house, but my trailer had one. my DW goes to the left sink before the trap, disposer is on right and I figured it was easier to run the drain that way when I replaced the disposer a few years ago. never noticed any splashing.

(the line was really long and I needed to re-do the disposer to drain connection anyway so bought one with the DW spigot on it and didn't bother punching out the disposal port)

 

[Tynee]

My understanding of the purpose of an air gap is to serve as a vacuum breaker to keep nastiness from the sink from backing up into the dishwasher in the event the water level in the sink is high enough to do that.

This is a stick-built house. Not sure of code in my locality, but will likely connect the hoses together. Would have done that last night before I posted, if I had the right size hose barbs on hand. I understand that I’m risking water backing up, but I’d rather risk that than have the certainty of water damage under my sink.

 

[DieselNut88]

Running DW to disposal is not code anymore. I run discharge hose to one of the sink bowl extension pipes. They sells those specifically for that. I also run the hose all the way to the bottom of the countertop and secure it there. This makes a kind of p trap. The manufacture states this should be done. I have never seen an air gap installed under a sink where I live. I believe they are not code anywhere in a dwelling.

 

[6768rogues]

If your dishwasher taps into the drain pipe above the trap and the dishwasher drain hose is fastened higher than that point, so the DW cannot siphon out, it will work without an air gap. I have had several different dishwashers without ever having an air gap over 40 years and never had a disposal. Some places require air gaps, but I have never had an inspector knock on my door and ask to look under my kitchen sink.

 

[captaindiode]

I would install a high loop under the counter top.

]

 

[apollo11]

did you check the disposal for a restriction inside the disposal?
I know you checked the hose.

 

[buzzworth]

Grease from disposal food sometimes builds up in the opening from the DW. (Gets pretty funky in there) I have to use a small bottle brush inside the disposal pushed into the hose opening. The brush is only about 1/2" diameter and i had to cut off some of the wire handle to get it in there.
Unplug or disconnect power before you reach in there !

 

[jgorm]

Garbage disposal is not air air gap, it’s a direct connection to a waste system. In California I can tell you for sure an air ga is required by code. Not sure if it’s required in the unified plumbing code which is nation wide. Would look and see about a blockage in the line directly from dish washer to disposal or even further down stream in trap.

It's either an air gap or a high loop that goes above the sink. The reason is silly... If you get a sewer backup and you don't have a gap or high loop, you could have sewerage end up in you dishwasher. By this time you showers and toilets will be overflowing with sewage and you'll have much bigger problems!

 

[MikeF2316]

It's either an air gap or a high loop that goes above the sink. The reason is silly... If you get a sewer backup and you don't have a gap or high loop, you could have sewerage end up in you dishwasher. By this time you showers and toilets will be overflowing with sewage and you'll have much bigger problems!

I read somewhere the high loop is to keep the weight of a column of water on the drain valve, holding it closed.

 

[jgorm]

Nope, both are related to sewage code bs and both will pass code.

 

[benjamintmiller]

Anything that keeps sewage off your dishes is not a bad idea, and a high loop doesn't cost you anything.

I installed an air gap when I recently remodeled my house, and the inspector told me my city allows a high loop and most plumbers do that to avoid drilling the sink.

 

[trainer]

My wife never used the garbage disposal and the dishwasher is attached to it and our dishwasher started overflowing suds onto the kitchen floor. I changed the garbage disposal and found old dishwashers detergent collected around the inlet of the garbage disposal choking off the opening. The new garbage disposal fixed the overflowing problem.
I saw a youtube video about cleaning the air gap to fix your problem.

We had a similar problem years ago. Cleared up when we switched to a different brand of detergent.