How To Clean Dishwasher Drain Air Gap

The fresh air in the air gap ensures there is no way to cause negative pressure in the dishwasher drain hose that would suction dirty water back into the dishwasher.

How to clean dishwasher drain air gap. Check the hose from the air gap to the drain or garbage disposal to make sure it is not clogged. Be sure to face the cover opening toward the sink afterward since water sometimes com. An air gap is a simple way to make certain wastewater and contaminants never re enter your clean water supply. Remove any material that may have accumulated.

Yank the cover off the air gap and remove the snap in or screw on diverter. To clean your air gap follow the steps below. Remove any loose food particles then clean with the bottle brush as shown. A dishwasher air gap is a fitting mounted about two inches above the sink that prevents contaminated water from re entering the dishwasher from the drain via backflow.

Remove the chrome cover of the air gap. Unscrew the plastic cap. Required tools for this project. One way to prevent this is to regularly clean your dishwasher air gap and prevent it from being damaged by a build up of dirt.

The air gap prevents water from a clogged drain from backing up into the dishwasher. When an air gap becomes overwhelmed by dirt from the dishwasher it can become blocked and water will run out of the dishwasher and directly into the sink. The air gap can be removed completely and flushed out with water. If there is no space for air to get into the dishwasher then water won t be able to drain properly.

Instead if the garbage disposal sink drain or air gap drain line is plugged up the water will flow out of the air gap and into the sink through the hole in the decorative head. Another common problem is that the air gap itself becomes clogged.