Ok folks, do I need a plumber? *shudder*

[caledesi]

About a month after my new garbage disposal was installed, whenever I run the dishwasher, there is water left at the bottom of the dishwasher. I have removed that "spinning thing" etc. and looked to see whether there was a clog and there wasn't.

TIA.

[MIMStigator]

1. Try.....

use a plunger on the sinks blocking one as you plunge the other one

[Gogi]

2. How much water?

I thought small amount of water was supposed to stay in the dishwasher to keep the seals from drying out.

[caledesi]

3. In the past, there was usually no water. Now, there is about an inch

of water.

[Lefty48197]

4. Make sure the knock out is removed from the disposal

Where the dishwasher's rubber drain pipe attaches to the disposal, there is a little 'nickle'shaped piece of metal inside the connection port. It should be knocked into the disposal and then REMOVED before you turn the disposal on.
I'm not sure if this is the problem, but it's worth checking.

[caledesi]

5. Lefty - I did read about this knock-out. Is it easy to remove?

[DancingBear]

6. Try these two things

1) If you have what is known as an aerator (kind of looks like a giant thimble that sits somewhere on the body of the sink itself) remove the top and see if that is clogged - that will sometimes cause water to sit in the dishwasher.

2) Use the wrench that came with the disposal (looks like an allen wrench and it is used to "unstick" the propeller blades of the disposal) - place it in the appropriate hole in the body of the disposal (got to go under the sink for this one) and turn it 2-3 revolutions. I doubt this is the cause, but a friend of mine who is a plumber always suggests this as preventive maintenance whenever there is standing water.

[Steven_S]

7. Free advice...

Make sure that the discharge hose from the dishwasher rises, at some point, to a level just slightly higher that the bottom level of the disposal.

Don't make me come out there on a Sunday night!!

[caledesi]

8. But can you come out on Monday? LOL! Thanks so much!

[Kolesar]

10. She may need a "vacuum breaker" at that high point

Plumbing code in some communities calls for an air inlet at that high point of the hose. I think it is called a vacuum breaker.

It may be "good practice" to install it nonetheless.

Google "dishwasher installation", there are doubtlessly some homeowner articles.

[Steven_S]

11. You are correct, sir...

It is called a vacuum breaker.

It is sometimes required.

It is always a good practice.

Just by raising the drain hose higher than the bottom of the disposal, however, will prevent water from draining back into the sump. The air in the disposal will act as a vent in the absence of a vacuum breaker.

Steve
Plumbin' since the Carter Administration

[mistertrickster]

9. If you do need somebody, you can probably get a repair person

from the shop you bought it from instead of a plumber. Probably cheaper. Also make sure 1. the sink drain is clear and draining well, 2. the garbage disposal is working and not clogged, 3. the hose is properly installed (probably not a problem since it used to work).

In fact, when the dishwasher is draining, you should be able to see the water running at a pretty fair clip from the side (near the top) of the garbage disposal. Just use a wooden spoon or something to bend the rubber strainer gasket thing-y wide enough so that you can look in there. A flashlight might be necessary.

WARNING, don't put your fingers into the garbage disposer--they could get chopped to bits and the water is going to be pretty hot.