I get the love for a dedicated line, but honestly, I’ve had more issues with those than with a high loop setup.
In my experience, it’s usually someone shoving potato peels or grease down the disposal that causes chaos, not the loop itself. High loop’s cheaper, easier to install, and if you’re managing a bunch of units, that matters. Not saying it’s perfect, but sometimes “boring” just means extra holes in your cabinets and more stuff to leak.“High loops are fine until life happens—kids, guests, or that one roommate who thinks anything fits down the drain.”
“High loops are fine until life happens—kids, guests, or that one roommate who thinks anything fits down the drain.”
Ain’t that the truth. I once found a whole lemon wedge jammed in a high loop—no idea how it got there, but it wasn’t the loop’s fault. Honestly, I’ve seen more leaks from dedicated lines than high loops, just because folks get creative with where they drill. Sometimes “simple” is underrated.
- Had a guy call me once because his “dedicated” line was leaking straight into his basement—turns out he used a garden hose for the hookup.
- High loops might not be perfect, but at least you can see when something’s wrong.
- Ever had to fish out a fork from a drain trap? That’s a whole different level of fun...
- Curious if anyone’s actually seen a backflow issue with just a high loop, or is that mostly theoretical?
Never actually seen a high loop fail in real life, at least not with any of the dishwashers I’ve owned or helped install. I get that an air gap is technically safer, but honestly, high loops seem to do the job fine if they’re set up right. The only time I had a problem was when the hose sagged and water pooled—fixed it with a zip tie and it’s been good since. Dedicated drain lines sound nice, but if they’re not done properly (like that garden hose story...), they can be way more trouble than they’re worth.
I’ve had a similar experience—never seen a high loop actually fail unless the hose droops, like you mentioned. I do get nervous about relying on a zip tie long-term though.
Have you ever tried an air gap install? I’ve always wondered if they’re worth the extra hassle, especially since they take up space on the sink deck. I’m also curious if anyone’s run into code issues with just using a high loop—seems like it depends where you live.The only time I had a problem was when the hose sagged and water pooled—fixed it with a zip tie and it’s been good since.
