We just moved to a home and ran the dishwasher the first time today. The dishwasher is running fine except that water came out of the "thing" on the sink (the overflow? ) but its steady (not forcefull) when draining during both cycles. How do I fix this?

I assume that it doesn't pump waterall over the counter top and your concern is, "What in hell is this thing?" That "thing" is called a air gap and it prevents dirty water from back siphoning into your dishwasher.
With an air gap (which must be mounted on or above the sink top):... The water will not siphon back into the dishwasher.

If the dishwasher drains completely, then the pump and seals run dry for a couple minutes at the start and end of each cycle and wear faster. A little head pressure on the drain line also keeps water from draining or being pumped out when it's not supposed to be.

Looping the drain hose 20"+ above the bottom of the dishwasher will likely prevent inadvertant draining during the wash cycles even without an air gap. however , without an air gap too much water could be siphoned out of the dishwasher at the end of a drain cycle. I think this is unlikely since siphoning with a 5/8" dia hose will will still leave a little water in the dishwasher.

Hope this answers your question. If not click on back with more details. Regards. TOM

I have the same problem. The water does run all over the counter and is now going under the sink as well. What can I do to make this stop? I have been running this dishwasher for a year and it just started.

I guess you've missed the hassle Growlerand I have had about air-gaps VS. high loops. If you want to get rid of countertop floods run a high loop instead of a air-gap. To make a high loop you disconnect the air-gap on the countertop and loop the discharge hose as high as it will go up next to the bottom of the countertop and secure it with strap iron or a pipe strap. Then connect the end to the disposal or branch tailpiece in the usual way. Your flooding problems are now over. If the hose isn't lone enough you may purchase more hose at your local hardware store. Good luck, Tom

I well remember that "debate"! Frankly, it was interesting... a good learning experience for us amateurs.

If anyone is reading this... I have the same problem! The washer ran great for months, now the water is pouring out of the "air gap" on the top of the sink. My dishwasher hose goes directly to the air gap (to a Y coupler under it) and then the other end of the Y goes down to a hose that leads to the garbage disposal. The white washer hose is looped higher than the sink drain but it still comes out the air gap and it leaks all over inside the cabinet. This is the way the hoses were when we moved in, I don't know what would have gone wrong or changed! ANY HELP PLEASE! THANKS!

You do know the original post was back in 2005. You xan start you own by clicking ASK. You clog is after the air gap in the line going down to your disposal or right where the disposal and trap meet. Disconnect the disposal discharge J pipe and put a bucket under it, does the water go into the bucket and not on your counter?

Newbie here... sorry. This was so much like my problem that I thought would just add to it.

Since I posted here, I did a little more work on it... I looked down the air gap and the inside wall was all sludged up, probably clogging it making the water back up out the top. I cleaned out what I could with a wire baby bottle cleaner and it's MUCH better now (still erupts out the top a little). Do you think running some "slow drain clog remover" like "Draino Gel Foamer" would clean everything out down the air gap, through the black hose out to the garbage disposal or should I see about replacing the air gap and black hose? Would the Draino harm the black rubber hose?

Thanks for the quick reply. I'm no plumber, but like to fix what I can!

Pump in your dshwasher pushes water up to Air Gap. There, water hits top of Air Gap and flows downwards into drain (or garbage disposer )by gravity . This section is usually a 7/8" hose that connects Air Gap and Drain. If overflows occurs than most likely there is a stuck piece of food inside this 7/8" hose, or this hose is kinked. Remove the hose, clean with garden hose, and reinstall. If kinked, than straighten up the kink.

In many parts of the country, Air Gap is not required. If so, than remove Air gap and run DW discharge hose directly to the drain ( or GD ).

Thanks! You were right about the clog... the air gap and 7/8" hose were gunked up with a slimy, black sludge (not food), plus there was a small kink in the hose near the Disposal (closing the hose to about 50% capacity), so I unkinked it. I used a wire baby bottle brush to clean out what gunk I could in the air gap and hose and now it works GREAT, just like before. THANKS MUCH EVERY ONE! :D

In our previous house (California)... no air gap device. Ran hose up under counter as indicated previously in this string... worked great with no drain back.
New house has air gap... water comes out every wash cycle. Question. Will doing both... use air gap and run hose in high-loop work? Or, can you only do one or the other, and doesn't California Code require an air gap?

You can't use them both together. Your code mandates a counter top air gap.
However, if you're having a problem with your air gap you have one of two options. M
1) Replace or repair your present air gap **OR**
2) disconnect the counter top air gap and run a high loop.
What's your pleasure?
Good luck, Tom

You may want to check your cap placement in the air gap. I recently installed a new Bosch dishwasher, plus new faucet and sink. In the replacement process, I inserted the cap (with two small air holes) on top of the air gap (under the stainless cover). The air holes need to be over the larger downflow return side of the split in the air gap valve. This return goes to the larger hose connected to the garbage disposal whereas the smaller line connects to the dishwasher.

The air gap comes up through the hole in the sink and has a housing that slides over it above the sink. The small cap (with two holes) then fits over the top of that neck and then the retaining bolt (plastic) cap that screws onto the neck of the air gap.

The two holes need to be over the large down vent hole. That way they allow air to escape up from the return to the garbage disposal. If, like me, you make the mistake and put the holes over the 'dishwasher in' or split the difference (one over each side)... you'll have a small geyser shooting water into the area under the cover... and it will leak over into the sink or counter top.

Simply remove the cover... unscrew the plastic retaining bolt (making sure you hold onto the air gap pipe so it doesn't fall back under the sink)... and pop off the cap to make sure the holes are over the 'down' vent side not the dishwasher in side.

If that does not work... suggest you remove the return pipe from the air gap to the disposal and make sure it is not stopped up with some debris.

Hope this helps... and is a quick and easy fix.

Thank you ,thank you.While I was replacing my countertops, faucet I decide to replace the airgap because I was having the same overflow problem with the old airgap.
Your solution was much appreciated .There were no directions with the air gap

Bless you! That thing was driving me crazy!
Kori

Have a rental and the dishwasher wouldn't drain, got it to drain, but it comes out of the air gap. I was going to try to do some of the things from above. Wish me luck!

. 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.(see image) 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

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Good Luck. Using the instructions, I got it to work perfectly. No more airGap, drains perfectly into my Badger II Disposer