Before beginning, take some time to read over the installation manual for your dishwasher and assemble all necessary supplies.
Before beginning, make sure that both electricity and water supply to the dishwasher (at its circuit breaker) as well as sink (via its valve under the sink) have been disabled. Also have an empty bowl or rag handy to catch any potential spillage or mess that might result.
1. Install the Drain Hose
Before connecting the drain hose, ensure to turn off both electricity and water (at your circuit breaker) as well as remove the front access panel.
Most dishwashers employ an air gap device to prevent dirty sink water from siphoning back into the machine when its hose is disconnected. The air gap is mounted to either the countertop or sink deck and features two small sides – one where you connect your hose, and another which connects with a 7/8-inch tailpiece on either your sink drain or garbage disposal – that prevent this from occurring.
Connect the dishwasher hose to both sides of the air gap’s small side and sink drain’s large side using hose clamps, or use high loop installation with drain line looped around beneath sink cabinet and above water level for backflow prevention.
2. Install the Air Gap
Air gaps prevent sewage from siphoning into your dishwasher during drain line backups, making them an essential step in making sure that it remains both safe and functional.
Be sure to switch off both electricity (at your circuit breaker) and water (at the valve under your sink) prior to beginning work on an air gap installation project. Furthermore, for easier access remove any front access panels on cabinets as required.
Installation of dishwasher air gaps is relatively straightforward, though you should comply with local backflow regulations and plumbing codes to prevent backflow. If in doubt, consult a plumber or building inspector. If an air gap cannot be installed due to time restrictions or other considerations, consider alternative backflow prevention methods like using a high loop – this method connects your dishwasher directly to a garbage disposal or sink drain through an underground pipe system connected by a flexible hose, such as high loop.
3. Connect the Water Supply
Assuming you’re not hard-wiring your dishwasher (an entirely separate project), you must connect it to a water source line. Most dishwashers connect via the hot water stop valve under the sink using a 3/8-inch copper tube secured with compression fittings attached by compression to a dual outlet valve; please refer to your product manual for exact locations of both valve and its respective hose fitting.
Installing a new dishwasher involves connecting its plumbing and electrical connections behind an access panel at its base. First remove the kickplate to expose its screw holes in order to access these connections.
Locate the junction box (it should look like a square metal box with screws on top). Connect each wire from your power cord into its respective slot, and secure with wire nuts.
4. Connect the Power Cord
Prior to installing your dishwasher, make sure that the electricity and water have been shut off at their respective sources. Furthermore, take steps such as taking away its kickplate and carefully tipping it onto its back so utility hookup connections may be more accessible.
Carefully unplug and remove the terminal block cover (which usually features an “electrical shock” warning sticker) then thread your power cord through its opening and secure with either a wire connector or twist-on wire nut.
Connect the white wire to the terminal block’s white screw, the black wire to its counterpart on the dishwasher and the grounding wire (if applicable) via green screw or bare grounding wire (green if applicable) using wire nuts for security.
5. Place the Dishwasher
Before installing the dishwasher, ensure it will not block access to your fridge or hobs. “Don’t put it where it blocks main pathways into your kitchen where people need to access cabinets,” states Hugh. Ideally, position the machine where your dominant hand lies so it will be easier for you to scrape plates from them into the sink.
Shut off the water supply by closing either your house valve or undersink hot water shutoff valve, and disconnect old supply tube from dishwasher water line by turning nut (usually threaded) counterclockwise.