What is the purpose of an Air Gap for a dishwasher?

It means that the hose between the air gap and the disposal or the sink drain is partially blocked. Remove hose and clean.

What is the purpose of Air Gap ? Please, not again.... There have been people kicked out of this forum over this question ....

( Agree with Harold: There are food particles in 7/8" discharge hose connecting Air Gap and GD. Clean it. How to prevent this from clogging again ? Clean plates well before you put them into DW )

I agree with Harold and Milo, also you can replace the Air Gap with a high loop, see the image below, Thanks.

John

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Well I didn't answer the question of the purpose of the air gap because I didn't want to start this controversy again.

Its purpose is to give east cost plumbers and west cost plumbers something to argue about.

(Dee this is an inside joke on the plumbing page)

Yes Harold I have read all those arguments before, and also read Milo's mind which he said Please not again,Thanks.

John

Hey Deee, Air gaps, either counter top or high loop are there to preventa direct connection between your sewer and the dishwasher. They also prevent dirty water from the sink draining back into your dishwasher.
. In the top of an air gap is an insert with two holes. Inside the air gap are two divisions. One division connects to the inflow side of the air gap (from the dishwasher) and the other connects to the outflow side (to the disposal). If the top insert is put in wrong, water will flow from it when the dishwasher empties. For correct operation of the air gap both holes in the insert need to be positioned over the outflow division of the air gap.


In case you ever want to do away with that pesky counter top air gap and install a high loop Air gap. I'll be more then happy to help.
Note: In all the hundreds of high loop air gaps that my company's installed we have yet to get our first complaint or service call. This holds true in the high loops that we have advised installing on The Plumbing Page right here.

Good luck, Tom

I am sure this is just a case of wording but you said that the water shoots straight out the top of the air gap. Since you said that I have to ask, is there a chrome cover over the air gap. If not get one.