From commercial centers to family homes, dishwashers are an efficient way to save time and remove germs. In addition to saving utility costs, they also contribute to a green ecosystem, thus making one an ideal option for your home. If you have been thinking of installing one, this article explains how to plumb a dishwasher yourself. We have also included tips on maintaining your dishwasher to help you gain the best output. Read on to know more.
Learn How to Plumb a Dishwasher
Plumbing a dishwasher may seem complicated when you have never had one in your kitchen. You need a drain line and a supply line to finish the job, and your old plumbing system may not be built for this. Fortunately, there is no need to stress. There are products from manufacturers that help combine both.
In selecting a spot, ensure it is close to your sink, making it easy to reach power and water. We have identified four parts of how to plumb a dishwasher below:
How to Add a Water Supply Valve
Before starting the process of plumbing a dishwasher, stop the water from coming into your home. You can do this with a key to cease the supply at the outside meter. Follow this by opening an outdoor faucet to remove water from the plumbing lines.
Step 1
Clear the underside of your sink to reach the hot water supply valve. On the valve, you will find a nut that links the incoming supply to the faucet. Unscrew this with a pair of pliers. Water will seep out of the line the moment you do this.
Step 2
Next, unscrew the nut joining the supply valve to the copper pipe under your sink with an adjustable wrench. Attempt pulling the supply valve, together with the nut and the copper ferrule under the nut, off the pipe. Afterward, use your hand to fasten the nut back to the valve.
Step 3
You will now need to secure a tubing cutter to the copper pipe right behind the compression nut. Fasten the handle in a clockwise manner so that the blade lies on the pipe.
Step 4
Once you have done this, begin to twist the cutter around the copper pipe. With every twist, increase the tightness of the handle. Keep this up until the cutter cuts through the pipe and releases the supply valve. The pipe cutter comes fitted with a deburring blade; use this to smooth the interior edges of the now-broken pipe.
Step 5
Wipe the pipe clean of any residue with a clean cloth. Proceed to ease the compression nut over the dual shut-off valve so that the threads are forward-facing. You will find a brass ferrule that came with the shut-off valve; attach this to the pipe. Slip the valve onto the pipe. Ease the ferrule and the valve against each other.
Step 6
Push the compression nut over the brass ferrule and into the threads of the valve. Then, make the nut tighter using your hand. The next step is to make the supply valve steady with an adjustable wrench. With another wrench, fasten the nut on the valve by turning it in a clockwise motion.
Step 7
This you should follow by connecting the line that supplies the hot water faucet to one part of the shut-off valves. This leaves the other valve for the dishwasher supply line. Be sure to tighten the handles of both valves in a clockwise direction to turn them off.
Your Dishwasher Drain With a Garbage Disposal
When learning how to plumb a dishwasher, it is essential to know you can either add a garbage disposal or do without it.
Firstly, disconnect the garbage disposal from the power outlet which is under the sink. Unknot the pair of screws that secure the discharge tube to the side of the disposal. Gently detach the tube from the disposal to prevent damage to the drain line.
Next, use a screwdriver, preferably flat-blade, to disengage the disposal from the mounting bracket that holds it to the sink. Be sure you keep a hand underneath as you slowly remove it.
Place the disposal on your cabinet floor and insert your screwdriver into the connection for the dishwasher drain. You will find this directly above the discharge tube connection. Knock the screwdriver’s handle with a hammer to disconnect the drain plug from the disposal wall. Remove the plug from inside the garbage disposal.
The next thing now is to return the disposal to its previous place. Use the flat-blade screwdriver to fasten it back to the mounting bracket, this time turning it counterclockwise. Also, restore the discharge tube to its former place on the disposal’s side and connect it to the power outlet.
Your Dishwasher Drain Without a Garbage Disposal
Using tongue-and-groove pliers, unscrew the slip nut securing the drain tailpiece to the drain basket underneath the sink. As you would do with a discharge tube, carefully detach the tailpiece from the basket to avoid damage to the drain lines.
Turn the nut attaching the bottom of the tailpiece to the P-trap in a counterclockwise motion with the pliers. Lift the tailpiece from the P-trap and remove the slip nuts attached to it.
Next, check for the length of this tailpiece and transfer the same onto a new one. Branch drain tailpieces usually come with a pipe attached to their side to allow the installation of a dishwasher drain line. To make sure both pieces match, cut the new tailpiece to the same length as the old one.
A hacksaw can help with this. Followed by using an emery cloth to smoothen the rough edges and place the slip nuts into the tailpiece.
The next process is the reverse of the earlier ones. Position the underside of the tailpiece in the P-trap, and secure it once again with the slip nut using pliers. Keep the tightness moderate as you might damage the pipe.
After this, place the top of the new tailpiece in the drain basket. Push the nut into the threads of the drain basket and tighten it. Again, to safeguard the drain line, keep the tightness light.
Finally, fix a hole saw, measuring 1½ inches, to a power drill. Locate a space on the wall next to the bottom of the base cabinet. Make three holes through it. One for power, and the other for the supply and drain lines.
Ensure the holes are distant from one another by at least one inch and are near the rear wall of the cabinet. Run your lines through these holes by fitting the supply and drain lines and plugging the machine into a power source.
How to Maintain Your Dishwasher
It is one thing to learn how to plumb a dishwasher but another to keep it running over time. While your dishwasher might seem like the least likely appliance to require cleaning in your house, you must do so. Thus, in this section, we provide tips on how to maintain your dishwasher.
Use Vinegar
Over time, your dishwasher will get clogged with residue from food and detergent. While you would expect that the washer cleans this out along with the dishes, they affect its effectiveness by building up. Preventing this, therefore, requires that you use vinegar which is great at cleaning out residue.
To use it, pour a cup of vinegar into your dishwasher-safe container and get the washer to run hot water. The vinegar will remove any dirt that is stuck inside and purge any infectious agents.
Ensure the Gasket is Clean
The gasket is responsible for keeping water in the dishwasher. It helps to prevent a leak. When residue collects on your gasket, it creates mold and unpleasant smells. Therefore, once every month, clean the gasket with a mixture of water and vinegar. Three cups for the water and half a cup for the vinegar.
Spinning Arms
Spinning arms are essential to the proper cleaning of your dishes. They spray hot water to remove stains from utensils. However, they come with holes that can also be clogged with food particles. You can employ a toothbrush to remove the dirt.
The Filter
To clean your filter, you should first figure out the type that it is. You can do this by referring to the manual. A filter requires that you take it out for proper washing. You can do this once a month.
You will often find it beneath the lower spray arm at the bottom of the machine. Sometimes, the filter may comprise a flat component at the bottom and a cylindrical unit at the top. Take both out and clean using soap and warm water.
Fitting in Your Dishes
The arrangement of your dishes can also be a factor in how efficiently your dishwasher works. The first part of correctly arranging them is to observe the manual for the right cycles for each item. For example, utensils such as pots and pans will typically require heavier cycles, while smaller items demand the opposite.
You should be careful to keep the space free of load. You will get better results when you strategically arrange dishes so that they do not fill the appliance. Also, if your utensils are heavily stained with grease and food remnants, you may want to clean these a little before loading them in. This will prevent them from clogging up the parts later.
Reach Out to Erica's Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Restoration Experts!
Dishwashers are popular for the ease they offer their users. You get to spend less time cooking and use the extra hours to do other things.
In the sections above, we have explained how to plumb a dishwasher and ways to maintain it. We must, however, emphasize the importance of care when installing. This will help to prevent any complications.
Erica's Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Restoration is a full-service company offering top-notch plumbing services in Boca Raton, Florida. Contact us if you need help with plumbing a dishwasher and we’ll be there to satisfy your needs.
