Hello,

My name is Josephine (not of the plumbing commercial fame). I have a stand alone dishwasher. When we hook up the hot water to the dishwasher, the chatter is quite loud and I might say a little frightening. We have a Kohler two handle faucet. We have a poorly performing separate spray. Both were installed by a professional plumber (whom I would not invited back). When the chatter originally began, if we engaged the spray, the chatter would quit. We've had to place the spray nozzle into the drain in the sink or we have small flooding below. As a non diy person and true idiot at plumbing, I have tried to drain the hot water heater. Do you believe there is something I can do myself?

We've had to place the spray nozzle into the drain in the sink or we have small flooding below.
Please explain that.

The chatter would be caused by a loose washer in the hot water stop valve under the sink, or the diverter valve in the faucet.

To determine which, connect the dishwasher and run it using cold water only. If you get no chatter, replace hot water stop valve. If you get chatter replace diverter valve in faucet.

Inside the spout there is a diverter valve. When you press the lever on the spray, the water coming out the spray closes the diverter valve and stops the water from coming out the spout.


Each brand of faucet is made differently. However they all operate on the same principle. Here are several videos for you to watch. Take note that in the Moen faucet repair video he does not actually replace the diverter valve but you can see in the front after he removes the spout. After watching the videos you should be able to dissemble the faucet and replace the diverter valve. If you know the brand and model number of your faucet, you may be able to Google "Replace diverter in a XXXXX faucet" and find specific instruction for your faucet.

Maintenance: Remove a Diverter - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAfAVOzSKtE)
Moen Style Kitchen Faucet Repair - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BKYZt6DQX4)
How to Repair a Kitchen Sink Sprayer | Video | This Old House (http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,20047177,00.html)
Replace the Diverter on a Single-Control KOHLER Faucet - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuk0-aAZTiQ)

Well, the dishwasher ran WITHOUT chatter when using cold water only. If I interpret what you've said correctly, we need to replace the hot water stop valve.

We watched the "Moen Style" vid as the others referred to the diverter/spray which we've determined is not the problem. It did not mention the hot water stop valve. Is this part of the hot water heater? If so, I'm thinking this is above my pay grade.

To explain the spray nozzle in the drain of the sink: When the dishwasher was operating, the spray would leak. We were getting puddles of water under the sink. If we placed the leaky spray diverter down the drain, all the leaky water went down the drain. I do not know if I've explained this well, but it seemed to keep the water in its place. Also do not know if this was related or additional, but I wished to explain our problem(s) as thoroughly as possible.

The logic is that if the diverter valve for the spray was causing the chatter it would do it using cold water also. Since it did not, the chatter must be coming from a loose washer in the hot water stop valve under the sink. Suggest just replacing the hot water stop valve, not expensive and easy to do.

Is the water from the spray nozzle coming out from the nozzle or from where the nozzle fits onto the hose. If you are getting water underneath the sink I suspect it is leaking from where the nozzle screws onto the hose. If so tighten. If it is coming out of the nozzle itself, I suggest replacing the nozzle. The dish washer must be causing it to leak with its repeated and fast shut offs.


Is this part of the hot water heater?

No, it is the valve under the sink that turns off the hot water to the faucet. It's the part where all the videos say turn off the water to the sink faucet.