I have an investment condo in Midtown. Condo had a no-name dishwasher in the kitchen. Tenant #1 used the dishwasher every day, with no problems. After a few years, the kitchen faucet started to leak a little. Tenant #1 buys an apartment, and so I call the contractor to prepare for new tenant. Plumber #1 comes and installs a new kitchen faucet. Dishwasher promptly breaks. I call the contractor.... [more]
I have an investment condo in Midtown. Condo had a no-name dishwasher in the kitchen. Tenant #1 used the dishwasher every day, with no problems. After a few years, the kitchen faucet started to leak a little. Tenant #1 buys an apartment, and so I call the contractor to prepare for new tenant.
Plumber #1 comes and installs a new kitchen faucet. Dishwasher promptly breaks. I call the contractor. Contractor says, "it's not the plumber, the faucet and the dishwasher have nothing to do with each other. Maybe it's the building plumbing." Building handyman comes by and says, "it's not our plumbing; the plumbing looks fine."
Contractor comes by with plumber #2, and says, "the dishwasher pump's broken -- you might as well replace the entire dishwasher." Contractor installs new, no-name dishwasher. Tenant #2 moves in. Uses dishwasher a couple of times. Dishwasher doesn't drain. Tenant calls me. I call contractor, who sends Plumber #3.
Plumber #3 says, "it's a structural problem with the plumbing -- the pump has to work too hard." [if you can picture it, water leaves the dishwasher on the main level, goes down through a u-bend and then up a little to a top level to exit]. Plumber #3 performs a hack, to raise the level at which water exits the dishwasher [so the water leaves on the top level and has some momentum before going through the u-bend] but then says, "if this doesn't work, you'll have to redo the plumbing under the sink and lower the exit level."
Is he correct? I don't have the time/money/energy for a full kitchen renovation. Should I yell at the contractor for not explaining the structural problem before installing the new dishwasher? Would swapping out the no-name for a more expensive dishwasher solve the problem?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
ali r.
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Response by steveF
almost 10 years ago
Posts: 2319
Member since: Mar 2008
Not fun. Are these plumbers from national chains like Roto Rooter or local businesses? I have had dishwasher issues in the past and I used Roto Rooter with successful results. I also buy from PC Richards. I'm not comfortable with Joe the Plumber. Who knows if what they say is the truth. Don't consult with or pay any more money to the plumbers you are currently using. Try starting with Roto Rooter and if a new appliance is needed PC Richards. Good luck.
The dishwasher drain hose, unless a fancy dishwasher like Miele or Bosche that have electric check valves, is supposed to form a "high loop" -- a U shape as high as possible along the back wall and then enter into the trap at a lower level under the sink. This is not to help the dishwasher drain, but it is to create a P-trap in the drain tube to avoid passing sewer gases and lessen the potential that a back-up in the sink drain will back into the dishwasher. A modern, efficient dishwasher uses a few gallons of water total -- if you can dump a large pot of water in your sink and it empties promptly and without back pressure it is not likely your building plumbing. If I were to guess, your installer kinked the drain tube when installing the dishwasher. Pull it out from the cabinets, and run it when pulled back from the cabinets.
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Not fun. Are these plumbers from national chains like Roto Rooter or local businesses? I have had dishwasher issues in the past and I used Roto Rooter with successful results. I also buy from PC Richards. I'm not comfortable with Joe the Plumber. Who knows if what they say is the truth. Don't consult with or pay any more money to the plumbers you are currently using. Try starting with Roto Rooter and if a new appliance is needed PC Richards. Good luck.
This is fairly helpful in showing what the dishwasher drain hose should look like:
http://structuretech1.com/2010/07/dishwasher-drain/
The dishwasher drain hose, unless a fancy dishwasher like Miele or Bosche that have electric check valves, is supposed to form a "high loop" -- a U shape as high as possible along the back wall and then enter into the trap at a lower level under the sink. This is not to help the dishwasher drain, but it is to create a P-trap in the drain tube to avoid passing sewer gases and lessen the potential that a back-up in the sink drain will back into the dishwasher. A modern, efficient dishwasher uses a few gallons of water total -- if you can dump a large pot of water in your sink and it empties promptly and without back pressure it is not likely your building plumbing. If I were to guess, your installer kinked the drain tube when installing the dishwasher. Pull it out from the cabinets, and run it when pulled back from the cabinets.