Check out some similar questions!

JLBarny · May 26, 2009, 10:40 AM

Is it possible that you also installed a new garbage disposal when you added the granite? If so I suspect you did not knock out the plug in the air gap Garbage disposal line. You just take a long screw driver and insert it into the Garbage disposal air gap return line orifice and hammer out the plug. The plug will end up inside the disposal where you can retrieve and dispose of it.

After that I think your mystery air gap issue will disappear.

Milo Dolezal · May 26, 2009, 10:46 AM

Or, you may have a kink in the 7/8" hose (connects air gap and garbage disposer ). Also, remove trim from air gap and make sure the actual tip of air gap is installed properly.

speedball1 · May 26, 2009, 04:12 PM

Barny, Milo,
Do you guys realize you're responding to the last post of a year old? Barny, how did you get involved in answering a thread thnay was posted over two years ago. Inquiring minds want to know! Tom

CSI-Stkn · Jun 6, 2009, 12:43 PM

Speedball1 - I actually have this site saved on my lap top to show clients the controversy with air gaps and why I also recommend the loop method- in 20+ years I have never had a complaint with a loop, but with air gaps... at least 40% of installs. I asked a friend who is a mechanical engineer about air gaps and this is his response- poor design! "The air gap was designed in the mid '50's when DW pumps were as efficient as my Dad's Buick Roadmaster. Today's pumps are far more efficient - hence today's DW uses about 30% of the volume of water as a unit 20 years old. Higher efficiency comes with higher pressure and frequently air gaps cannot handle it. Any slight obstruction- food, hair, toothpicks etc. will cause backpressure and viola! out the air gap it goes!" No one ever maintains their air gaps, checking for obstructions etc until water starts pouring into the sink or onto the counter tops. I am sure that over the years you have worked on AG systems only to find food/sludge/gunk built up on the discharge side of the AG and thus causing overflows. Maybe it is time to reinvent/redesign the Air Gap! They look prettier, but they still cause the same problems.

speedball1 · Jun 6, 2009, 03:01 PM

Damm! I think I'm in love! Are you listening Growler and all you UPC guys that think a counter top air gap out performs a high loop? CSI! Thank ya-Thank ya-thank you!!
Cheeers, Tom

iamgrowler · Jun 6, 2009, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by speedball1

Damm! I think I'm in love!! Are ya listening Growler and all you UPC guys that think a counter top air gap out performs a high loop?? CSI! Thank ya-Thank ya-thank ya!!!
Cheeers, Tom

No one, including myself, has ever claimed a 'counter mounted air-gap out performs a high loop' -- Our argument has always been that it is an issue of code compliance.

We do not get to pick which sections of the code we will be in compliance with, Tom -- It's as simple as that.

MIKIRKER · Jun 6, 2009, 08:45 PM

TSainta, I'm having a similary problem, but can't follow your explanation. I pulled the insert and see the small inlet hose and larger outlet hole across from it. To either side of these two holes are discharge ports. It looks like water would come out of the Dishwasher Pump, spray onto the bottom of the insert, and in threory be redirected to the drain. I believe it just sprays off the bottom of the insert and spreads out; some goes down the drain and some comes out the main overflow to the sink, and some comes out from the bottom of cover. I did not see anything dividing the area. Can you send me a picture or something similar? Also, are the two interior ports supposed to pointed in a particular direction such as towards the Cover vent and ultimately towards the sink?

speedball1 · Jun 7, 2009, 04:48 AM

Mikirker,
. 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.

Growler; Don't be so touchy! I was just having some fun. We are allowed to have fun doing this aren't we? Cheers, Tom

iamgrowler · Jun 7, 2009, 06:45 AM

Originally Posted by speedball1

Growler; Don't be so touchy! I was just having some fun.

You might call misrepresenting what I said "fun", but most anybody else would call it 'lying in your teeth'.

speedball1 · Jun 7, 2009, 07:06 AM

Originally Posted by iamgrowler

You might call misrepresenting what I said "fun", but most anybody else would call it 'lying in your teeth'.

Then we're in agreement. High loops rule! Say it!

jlisenbe · Jun 7, 2009, 11:46 AM

Growler, what is the deal with the cat picture? Just curious.

photoman91709 · Feb 10, 2010, 05:55 PM

I have this problem too. I had to change the old hose from the air gap to the disposal with a longer one because my new undermount soap dispenser was getting in the way of the old hose. I have a much longer hose now and water shoots out the air gap. I'm thinking that the longer hose has created more resistance at the air gap, resulting in water discharge. Haven't tried to shorten the hose yet.

Milo Dolezal · Feb 10, 2010, 06:54 PM

Photoman: Make sure that that hose is :

1. Not kinked and/or flattened and that is has long, continuous loop
2. is 7/8" in diameter
3. you removed plug from gargage disposer inlet
4. there is no obstruction in garbage disposal inlet
5. air gap cap is put in the right way ( applies only to some air gaps )
6. hose should slope from air gap towards garbage disposal

Unitedcapt · Dec 6, 2010, 03:47 PM

Everything you've described... put me down also. I've taken everything apart and cleaned. Put it back and water
Still shoots out top of gap while also draining what it can into the disposal. The gap mechanism is clean and undamaged.
I'm about ready to just put the damned drain hose right into the disposal like the first guy said

Unitedcapt · Dec 6, 2010, 04:14 PM

OK, I solved my problem. Since your description so closely matched mine.. I'm posting this. The last thing I had to do was PUT THE SMALL
SCREW ON CAP BENEATH THE LARGER CAP BACK ON. That stopped the water flying out of the unit... but here's what I did:

1. Remove the air gap. Unscrew cover and retainer from top and pull it down under the sink.
2. Take the drain hose to disposal off. Run your garden hose through it and clean it out good. Make sure
Water runs easily through and no kinks.
3. Do the same with the plastic air gap. Clean it with the hose also.
4. Put it all back as before. Do make sure the disposal plug is knocked out beneath the drain hose. Clean
All of the fittings well leaving no debris. Put the small screw on cap back.
5. Put your dishwasher on 'rinse' for a minute or so, then cancel it to let it drain and see if you fixed it. If you
Don't have the 'cancel' feature-you'd have to let it go through a cycle to drain... Water
Should be flying into the disposal. I had NONE out the top... woo hoo.

speedball1 · Dec 6, 2010, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by ;

I'm about ready to just put the damned drain hose right into the disposal like the first guy said

And I'm thinking that would solve your problem. Run a high loop, (see image) and replace the old air gap with a soap pump, a chrome cock hole cover or a hot water dispenser. Good luck, Tom PS. In all the hundreds of high loops my company has installed plus the countless counter top air gaps that we have advised on this site we have NEVER got the first complaint from anyone.