Installing a dishwasher

[Crockett]

I am replacing the kitchen cabs (upper and lower) in my mother's house and am thinking of putting a dishwasher in for her. My question, as silly as it may seem is, do I need a plumber to run new pipes for a dishwasher or is there some easy way for me to join the sink and washer? Now that I think of it, I may need to get an electrician to provide a power supply also, right? Perhaps a portable washer is a better idea. Any thoughts are appreciated.

thanks
Al

[LCHIEN]

I am replacing the kitchen cabs (upper and lower) in my mother's house and am thinking of putting a dishwasher in for her. My question, as silly as it may seem is, do I need a plumber to run new pipes for a dishwasher or is there some easy way for me to join the sink and washer? Now that I think of it, I may need to get an electrician to provide a power supply also, right? Perhaps a portable washer is a better idea. Any thoughts are appreciated.

thanks
Al

In my last two houses, the builder's plumbers simply ran a rubber hose from the dishwasher drain pump to a point at the top of the disposal so that any food washed out buy the washer would be ground up next time the disposal was used. I just looked and there's a nipple at the top of the disposal (part of the disposal body) where it's attached. I would assume most disposals have this feature.

I just looked at Sears site and they list disposal specifications with a line:
DISHWASHER DRAIN CONNECTION : YES
on most of their units. So I assume its widely available if not mostly standard.


If you are talking water supply, then I assume it's easy to tee off the supply lines under the sink, no plumber required.

[DaveStL]

Now that I think of it, I may need to get an electrician to provide a power supply also, right?

Many times the dishwasher is on a dedicated circuit with the garbage disposal. Mine is, and when we bought the house I had an electrician in (to replace the main panel and do some other serious mods) and he blessed the kitchen. YMMV...

[Turaj]

2 years ago I had to change our dishwasher. As we had an older machine I had to change some of the pluming as well (we do not have a garbage disposal).

The pluming part was rather easy. You need to tee (?) hat water supply from under the sink and bring back the waste water to the drain (some kind of Y connection). One guy at HD showed me all the right pieces!!!

I did not have to do any electrical work except to connect the dishwasher to the existing wires (no plugs). You may need to get an electrician to provide the line. I am not sure but I believe our dishwasher is on the same circuit as the rest of the kitchen (not the oven).

Hope this helps!

[DUD]

I am in the process of installing a dishwasher at My Daughters in place of the washer that I just relocated.

I am still running to the sink drain, with air vent and wye on sink drain. I am also teeing into hot water under sink. As for electrical I am fishing down the wall to install electric from old washer connection. It is not hard work to do especially if You are putting D/W close to sink. Bill

[captbooshz]

I'll second what's already been mentioned. I installed a dishwasher a couple of years ago. The hardest part for me was tearing out the cabinet fronts and making the small remaining space into a useable cabinet that didn't look bad. The water, drain, and electrical we're bad at all. Lowes or HD will have the dishwasher drain piece to connect your dishwasher drain to your existing sink drain and just put a T on your hot water supply at your sink to supply water. I had an electrical outlet right above the kitchen counter where the dishwasher went, so I just dropped power down the wall from there.


Brian.

[Crockett]

Thanks

Thanks a lot guys, that is very helpful info. It sounds like I can do this on my own. For some reason I thought this was going to be a very complicated process.

Al

[lombard]

I'm in the middle of my kitchen remodel as well. I bought my new dishwasher from HD, and they included a "dishwasher connection kit" which is basically just a stainless steel braided water supply line and a couple of different fittings for the dishwasher and the T fitting on my hot water shut off valve under the kitchen sink. Dishwasher comes with a drain line attached that just connects to either a disposal or a dishwasher/drain vent that connects to the sink drain.

[bpottinger]

This might sound obvious, but if you hook the drain to the input spout on your disposal, make sure you punch out the little plastic seal first so that it will go in. You will have a big mess under your sink if you don't.
Barry