


This is the main advantage of an air gap over a high loop. This means that if the garbage disposal or sink drain line are clogged, wastewater will back up through the sink drain but cannot be sucked back to the dishwasher. According to physics, water cannot be siphoned back through an unpressurized gap of air. The vertical section of pipe is the actual air gap. The ascending branch is where the dishwasher drain hose is connected to while the descending branch is where the drain hose connecting to the garbage disposal is attached to.
HOW TO REMOVE A GARBAGE DISPOSAL KNOCKOUT PLUG INSTALL
It has 2 branches, although dual inlet dishwasher air gaps have 3 branches which allow you to install 2 dishwashers or a dishwasher and a water filtration system. The bigger part is underneath it.Ī dishwasher air gap looks like an inverted Y. What is above the sink is only a small piece of the whole fitting. Most people only know the dishwasher air gap as a small protrusion next to the faucet but never really care much to know how it works. How a Dishwasher Air Gap WorksĪs I have already mentioned, a dishwasher air gap prevents wastewater from being siphoned back to the dishwasher in case of a clogged drain line. Let us briefly look at how an air gap works. To effectively fix a leaking dishwasher air gap, it is important to first learn how it works. When your dishwasher air gap is clogged, it will fail to drain out the wastewater or the wastewater will leak/spurt out of the air gap depending on the location of the clog. If your dishwasher air gap is leaking but the sink drain line and garbage disposal are not clogged, you either forgot to remove the garbage disposal knockout plug or there is a blockage on the air gap drain hose connected to the garbage disposal. When there is a clog on the sink drain line or garbage disposal, the wastewater will have nowhere to go but shoot out through the top of the air gap. If the problem is caused by a dishwasher knockout plug, knock it out with a hammer and punch and fish it out with a pair of tongs.Ī dishwasher air gap can also leak if the garbage disposal or sink drain line is clogged. To fix a leaking dishwasher air gap, disconnect the drain hose from the garbage disposal and then snake it or blow air from the top. It could also be caused by failure to remove the knockout plug if you have a new garbage disposal. If wastewater is leaking from your dishwasher when it is running, there is a clog on the drain hose connecting the air gap to the garbage disposal or sink drain line. That is why the top of the air gap should be about 2 inches above the rim of the sink. Why is Water Coming Out of the Air Gap on My Dishwasher?Ī dishwasher air gap is a simple but very efficient fitting used to prevent wastewater from siphoning back to the dishwasher in case of a clogged garbage disposal or sink drain line.ĭishwasher air gaps are designed in such ways that if wastewater is unable to drain out into the garbage disposal or kitchen sink drain it will shoot out through the top and drain into the sink.
