I’ve definitely had my share of “duh” moments with dishwashers. Last time I tried to fix one, I spent ages checking the wiring and water supply, only to realize the float switch was stuck with a bit of gunk. Felt pretty silly after that. Has anyone ever had issues with air gaps or high loops? I keep hearing mixed advice about which is better for preventing backflow.
I’ve wrestled with the air gap vs high loop debate too. Honestly, I’ve had fewer issues since switching to a proper air gap, even though it looks a bit awkward on the sink. The high loop worked fine for years, but after a nasty backup during a big holiday dinner, I lost faith. Maybe it depends on how your plumbing’s set up? Some folks swear by the high loop, but I’d rather have the peace of mind… even if it means one more thing to clean around.
Never loved the look of the air gap either, but I get why folks go that route. When I moved into my last place, it had a high loop and honestly, it worked until I started running the dishwasher at the same time as the washing machine. That’s when I started seeing water backing up into the sink. Switching to an air gap fixed it, but yeah, cleaning around it is a pain. I always tell people—if you’re having recurring backups, check both the loop and the air gap for clogs. Sometimes it’s just gunked up in there and a quick clean does the trick.
I get what you’re saying about the air gap being more reliable, but I’ve always wondered if it’s really necessary in every setup. I’ve had a high loop for years and never had issues, even when running the dishwasher and washing machine together—though maybe my plumbing is just lucky? The air gap does seem to be the go-to fix for a lot of folks, but I can’t help but think it’s just another spot for grime to collect. Plus, I’m always trying to avoid extra plastic bits on the sink if I can help it.
Have you ever tried just clearing out the drain line or using an enzyme cleaner before switching to an air gap? Sometimes it feels like we jump to hardware fixes when a little maintenance could do the trick. Not saying the air gap isn’t useful, but I’m curious if anyone’s had luck keeping things flowing with just regular cleaning and maybe a mesh filter in the drain.
Title: Getting That Stubborn Dishwasher Working Again Without Calling a Repair Guy
I hear you on the air gap being a bit of an eyesore. I’ve always thought it looked like a little plastic periscope for the sink—like, what’s it even spying on? I ran with just a high loop for years too, and honestly, never had any backup issues. Maybe it’s just that some setups are more forgiving than others, or maybe we’re both living on borrowed plumbing time.
I’m with you on the maintenance angle. I’ve had way more luck keeping things clear by running hot water and tossing in some enzyme cleaner every couple months. The one time I did get a clog, it was because my kid thought the dishwasher was a great place to stash his PB&J crusts. Pulled out the drain line, gave it a good rinse, and everything was back to normal—no fancy gadgets required.
That said, I know some local codes actually require an air gap, so sometimes it’s not even about what works best but what’ll pass inspection. Still, if you’re not having problems and you’re keeping up with cleaning, why mess with success? I do wonder if anyone’s ever had a high loop fail spectacularly though. Like, is there some horror story out there where skipping the air gap led to a kitchen flood or something? Or is this one of those “better safe than sorry” things that plumbers push because they don’t want callbacks?
Mesh filter in the drain is smart too—caught a rogue toothpick once that way. Anyone else ever find weird stuff in their dishwasher drain? Sometimes I think mine doubles as a lost-and-found for tiny kitchen gadgets...
