At first, disconnect electricity and water at your dishwasher by switching it off at its breaker box or shut-off valve. Also unhook its drain hose from your sink pipe or garbage disposal system before redirecting it towards your new unit.
Follow the product manual’s directions when installing any additional connections and make sure there are no leaks and that your appliance sits flush against your cabinets.
Getting Started
Before beginning, turn off both electricity (at your circuit breaker) and water supply (via the shut-off valve under your sink). Place a bowl or pan under any connections that might leak water; take note if any cardboard or blanket was placed under your old dishwasher for support; remove that too, set it aside; install your new dishwasher on top; adjusting its front leveling legs if necessary to make it flush with countertops.
Plumbing and electrical hookups for a dishwasher can often be found behind an access panel on the front bottom of the appliance. Carefully lay it back on its back to remove this panel, then visually identify power cord connection fittings as well as water inlet solenoid valve fittings and remove any covering on wire connection housing before threading end of power cord without plug into housing using twist-on wire connectors (wire nuts). Green grounding screw should connect with appliance cord while white neutral wires connect to white dishwasher leads while black hot wires must connect directly with black dishwasher leads via twist-on wire connectors (wire nuts).
Repete this procedure with your copper water supply line, using a level to make sure that the dishwasher sits level, and adjust the front leveling legs as necessary.
Preparing the Work Area
Installing a dishwasher can be completed independently or by calling in professional services, with either option yielding accurate and long-lasting results. Prep work needs to be conducted appropriately before beginning this project as well as using all necessary tools. For optimal results, we suggest calling in professional assistance from start to finish for accurate and long-lasting results.
Before initiating the installation process, shut off your water source at its shutoff valve – typically found under your sink.
Assure your workspace is free from obstructions, and protect the floor underneath with a drop sheet or cardboard sheet. Keep a shallow bucket nearby to catch any water that leaks from disconnected hoses.
Locate and connect both the power cord and dishwasher drain hose before beginning installation of your cabinet. The drain hose should slope downward at approximately 1/4 inch per foot to reduce backwash. In addition, an air gap should be connected if required by local code.
Connecting the Drain Line
Installing a dishwasher requires leaving enough room for its drain line to operate freely. Otherwise, wastewater could escape into your sink and lead to leakage – so always follow the installation instructions for your specific model to avoid this scenario.
Before connecting anything, be sure to turn off both electricity (at the circuit breaker) and water supply (via the valve under the sink). Also remove the front access panel in order to gain access to connections.
Connect the water supply line to the dishwasher water inlet valve using a right-angle elbow, tightening with a wrench. Connect its other end to a shut-off valve using another right-angle elbow, turning off its handle quarter turn (not full turn, as this could damage fittings) with another wrench before giving both fittings a quarter turn — no full turn should be given as this can damage fittings! For added protection on male threads if desired.
Installing the Dishwasher
Before beginning to install your dishwasher, referring to its manufacturer’s manual is important for following steps successfully. In general, turn off electricity and water at both the circuit breaker and shut-off valve under your sink before gathering necessary tools such as screwdrivers, adjustable wrenches, pliers and levels as well as blankets, old rugs or cardboard to protect floors while working and shallow pans, buckets or sponges to collect any draining out water from connections.
Connect a 90-degree elbow fitting to the water valve on the dishwasher, and connect its fill hose. Make sure all connections are secure by applying Teflon tape over male threads; hand tighten each connection before tightening a quarter turn with your wrench for maximum leak-prevention.
Dependent upon your model, the drain hose may need to be attached either directly to a pipe under the sink or directly to your garbage disposal before running it along the back wall of cabinets. Finally, place your new dishwasher into its cabinet using a level to ensure it fits neatly within its opening.