I watched four or five videos to figure out why my dishwasher wasn’t draining and none of those videos suggested to look at the airway you showed. Thank you so much! You helped me find the clog in the air gap! There was some plastic from a fork stuck in there. Next time I will check there first. Thanks again!

@FortKnoxCo

8 күн бұрын

That’s awesome to hear. I’m very happy I could be of help.

My old GE dishwasher stopped draining at 12:30 am I was staring the dishwasher run before morning and i was almost in tears at 1:30 am after alot stuff happening in this old house this was the final straw, I decided to google for possible help after searching and scouring the internet for help and by some miracle I came a crossed your video about the air gap valve and I got an old long flexible clear plastic tube that was attached to my grandsons led ballon , I inserted it and it came back filled with gunk and after a few tries it was cleared and at 2:35 am, my dishwasher is draining better than before, you saved me a repair bill I could not afford and relieved me of so much unneeded stress , so thank you so very much

@FortKnoxCo

Ай бұрын

Wow, that is amazing to hear. I always wonder if people are going to find any of the videos I make helpful and when I hear things like this, it’s nothing but motivation for me to keep on going. I’m always trying to put something out there that I feel people could truly get some value from, so thank you for the kind words and I’m so happy that you got this fixed. Happy that I could be of help.

I just paid this company to come fix my dishwasher draining problem and he told me to KZread "air gap installation" and you popped up. The tech said most all techs use KZread for repairs. Thanks for helping me do the job myself!! Hopefully 🤞$165 for their company to tell me that.😔

@FortKnoxCo

8 ай бұрын

Well I’m glad I could be of help. Yeah no a days there’s pretty much anything you’d need to know on KZread. I’m trying to be one of those resources people find when they have a unique or common problem.

Just wanted to thank you for this very well laid out video. Earned a sub for the no fluff, information full video style. Looking forward to the rest of your channel

@FortKnoxCo

12 күн бұрын

Thank you so much. I really appreciate that 🙏🏼

I almost grabbed one of the clear tubes. I bought the exact one you showed. I'm running the rinse cycle now. I did it all by myself! My husband will be impressed!! I started watching another video before I came upon this one. Both very helpful. Thank you for uploading!

@FortKnoxCo

Ай бұрын

Nice! Happy you got it figured out. Save some money in the process too I bet. Good job!

This video was perfect. After watching this video I inspected my air gap tube that went to the garbage disposal and found it clogged. 5 min fix. Thank you!!!!

@FortKnoxCo

4 ай бұрын

That’s great to hear! I love seeing these success stories! Happy to be of help.

This video probably saved me a ton of money on a service call for 3 minutes of work cleaning a clogged air gap. Thank you so much!!

@FortKnoxCo

9 ай бұрын

Nice! That was the goal. I knew someone out there could be needing to know this so I wanted to share. Thank you for finding my channel/video

I was just wandering around KZread to find out what kind of hose to use for my air gap. For some reason tapped on your video first and got my answer, thanks.

@FortKnoxCo

3 ай бұрын

That’s awesome to hear! Happy I could be of help

Thanks for the diagram of where the hoses are and how the water flows! So helpful! I'm 82yrs young and fixed it all myself!!! I'm strong, so getting the hose off once clamp off was a tussle, but I DID IT! Thank you so much for the clear directions (especially the diagrams!)

@FortKnoxCo

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much. I’m happy that I could be of help. I knew that I probably was not the only one who had this problem and it was wondering how to fix it. So I did my best to explain, in depth, the steps that I took, and to help other people problems solve. I’m happy you got this done good job.!

ok, thank you so much!!! We have had this flooding issue for a year, and I was about to spend a lot of money to try and repair it. Your solution was exactly the problem. "Clean the hose all the way through to the disposal." I found a 2 inch long piece of gunk in the line. Removed the gunk, and its works like new. You are so awesome. Thanks, mark2

@FortKnoxCo

10 ай бұрын

That’s awesome!! I’m happy you found my video. I really appreciate you commenting and the kind words.

fixed my flooding sink area in literally 30s thanks to this, the line to the disposal was reduced in diameter from 1/2 to 1/8" with food junk and the water would spray back. Thanks dude

@FortKnoxCo

10 ай бұрын

Nice! I’m Happy to hear this. Thank you for finding and watching my video.

The pictures you show really explain this well!! Thank you !

@FortKnoxCo

3 ай бұрын

Your welcome! I’m Happy you found it helpful

Not me sitting here thinking I can’t fix this without my exhusbands help …. Thank you so much 🙌🏼 I feel so proud of myself

@FortKnoxCo

4 ай бұрын

You’re very welcome. Happy I could be of help. You can for sure do this !👍🏼

I wasn't able to push any debris through, as you suggested, so took a cardboard tube (from toilet paper) , created a seal and blew. This pushed the debris through after only 2 tries. Thanks for your easy to follow video!

@FortKnoxCo

9 ай бұрын

That’s cool you figured out another way. Yeah the wire sometimes doesn’t get it all. It’s good to punch through a blockage and hopefully get everything else flowing and cleaned out. But the next step would be to remove the tube completely and physically clean it all out. Good job!

I replaced the kinked black rubber hose thanks to your help! Thank you for the short and easy explanation.

@FortKnoxCo

9 ай бұрын

You’re very welcome. I’m happy you got it all figured out. I was hoping that some people would find this video helpful so I felt like I needed to put it out there. Thank you for finding my video in my channel.

Thanks for the help, definitely saved me from having to hire a plumber. I took out the little vent cleaned it all out it was full of grease and food. Cleaned out all the hoses and everything seems to be working without an issue.

@FortKnoxCo

Ай бұрын

That’s awesome! Sounds like you got it handled.

Thanks for this video, very detailed w/o excessive narration. Im going to do this today!

@FortKnoxCo

Ай бұрын

Your welcome. I hope you get the problem fixed.

Thank you...best video I've seen so far; I like the close up video of the area itself.

@FortKnoxCo

Ай бұрын

Thank you I really appreciate that 🙏🏼

Nice explanation. One thing you didn't show which would be useful is seeing the hose being attached to the top of the air gap.

@FortKnoxCo

Ай бұрын

Thank you. I might do another video where I’m replacing my air gap completely with a new one. And I’ll make sure to show the connections in the video

good info, brief and to the point( and bonus points for no anoying background music!). One thing: you said 'some dishwahsers do not require an air gap' but I think you might mean 'some states (codes) do not require air gap for dishwasher installs'?

@FortKnoxCo

6 ай бұрын

Yes. You are correct. Some codes done require the air gap. I appreciate the feedback back. Thank you for watching and finding my channel

thank you! your coaxial cable trick solved my problem. you saved me so much hassle!

@FortKnoxCo

Ай бұрын

That’s great to hear. It’s funny how such a random idea like using a coax cable could be the fix. Gotta be creative sometimes.

Very informative/ functional video. Your instructions WORK 💯.. thank you...

@FortKnoxCo

7 ай бұрын

That’s awesome! Happy I could be of help

The coaxial cable was the secret!!! Thank you so much! I had a little snake, but it kept getting caught at the hose curve, I think. The coaxial cable pushed the clog right out. (Knew I kept a few of those around for something...) Thanks again. 😁👍

@FortKnoxCo

2 ай бұрын

That’s great to hear. Yeah it’s funny how the simplest or most random suggestion could be the quick work around to get something done. I’m all about problem solving 🤙🏼

nobody ever mentions the tube. awesome. thanks

@FortKnoxCo

10 ай бұрын

Thank you! I appreciate the comment. I try to cover everything I think could help.

Super well explained. Deserves a like 👍 !

@FortKnoxCo

6 ай бұрын

Thank you I really appreciate that

thank you for making this video! you helped me fix my clogged airgap

@FortKnoxCo

7 ай бұрын

That’s awesome to hear. Your very welcome

I watched 2 other videos b4 getting to this. Your solution was the one that fixed my problem. The systematic approach worked well, try the easiest fix first as a "check" then get down n dirty in the garbage disposal black drain tube. Lots of gunk. I didn't have a coax cable but a long folded over/twisted bailing wire worked well. Thank you !

@FortKnoxCo

2 ай бұрын

Nice! Good job on figuring it out. I know a coax cord is random, but it was all I had that was flexible enough but still Ridgid enough to push through any gunk. Happy you found the video helpful. 🤙🏼

Dude! Thank you very much. I watched the video and did exactly as you recommended. When I disconnected the hose from the disposal, the hose was clogged with some disgusting old food and stuff. I cleaned the hose very well, reassembled the hose and vent.... voila! it works perfectly.

@FortKnoxCo

3 ай бұрын

Man that’s awesome to hear. I’m always happy to see when someone finds my videos helpful. I know the feeling when you fix something yourself that is a headache but now it’s up and working. Good job!

Thank you so much. You saved me a lot of time and effort.

@FortKnoxCo

7 ай бұрын

You’re very welcome. I was hoping this video would help a few people out. I know how frustrating it is having to wait for a plumber when maybe it’s something you can do yourself and save some money

ABSOLUTELY BY FAR THIS IS THE BEST REMEDY...Obtain the cardboard tube feom you typical paper towels. Remove the cover to the air gap cover. Then place one end of the tube snuggly onto the air gap, no need to remove anything other then the cover. Once snug in place, take A DEEP BREATH and blow hard into the tube, there will be some resistance and BOOM you've just blew out the clog... WORKS 100% of the time😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

@FortKnoxCo

6 ай бұрын

Haha. Nice! Thats an awesome trick! Thank you for sharing that. I appreciate it

THANK YOU, IT WORKED! SO SATIFYING TO BE ABLE TO FIX IT MYSELF!

@FortKnoxCo

2 ай бұрын

That’s awesome!! I know the feeling. And saving that money too!

Thanks man, i was able to trace my clog to the airgap itself but your video helped show how to pop the two caps above the counter. Cleared it, much appreciated. btw i detach the black drain hose and use a length of rebar w/ a small piece of damp rag on the tip to clear out the grease buildup inside every 3-4 years, works pretty good.

@FortKnoxCo

Ай бұрын

That’s awesome to hear! Good job! Yeah sometimes you gotta be a little creative to fix these things.

Looks like an easy (and cheap!) fix for the water that started leaking out of our air gap earlier. Thanks!

@FortKnoxCo

2 ай бұрын

Yep, definitely something you can do yourself. Hope you can get it done 🤙🏼

@littlefriend420

Ай бұрын

@FortKnoxCo Got it done exactly as shown and no leaks since!

@FortKnoxCo

Ай бұрын

@@littlefriend420 nice good job!

EXCELLENT .... thanks for the lesson.

@FortKnoxCo

3 ай бұрын

Your welcome!

Thanks! A clogged air gap… that was it!

@FortKnoxCo

10 ай бұрын

Awesome you got it fixed! Happy to be of help.

great explanation.

@FortKnoxCo

Жыл бұрын

Thank you. Hoping to help some

Oh wow. It worked! Thank you so much!

@FortKnoxCo

11 ай бұрын

That’s awesome to hear! Good job! What a relief it is to fix stuff like this and be back on the road.

Brian God bless you ! You are thee man!

@FortKnoxCo

4 ай бұрын

Thank you 🙏🏼

Great job!🙏🏼💚

@FortKnoxCo

2 ай бұрын

Thank you

Good job of explaining

@FortKnoxCo

5 ай бұрын

Thank you

Brilliant! Cost me $200 a couple of months ago just to have the airgap cap cleaned out. Same problem again now. I could fix but my fingers are not strong enough to get cap off.

@FortKnoxCo

9 ай бұрын

Well I’m happy the video could be of some help. Saving money is always a nice feeling

Very helpful. thank you for posting.

@FortKnoxCo

Жыл бұрын

Happy to be of help

@anthonyzarrillo6565

11 ай бұрын

your diagram of the dishwasher connection with the air adaptor was super helpful. I was able to clean. the hose with a long wire brush, cleaned it with bicarb and vinegar, now the dishwasher drains perfectly. thanks!

@FortKnoxCo

11 ай бұрын

@@anthonyzarrillo6565 awesome! That was my goal, to try and put some Info out there that people could follow and get their problems fixed or maybe even self diagnose once they understand what’s going on. Happy to hear this

Thanks for sharing 👍🏽 😊

@FortKnoxCo

3 ай бұрын

Your welcome 🤙🏼

By the way, that was very helpful on the how to change that out and check everything

@FortKnoxCo

8 ай бұрын

Thank you. Im happy to be of help

Very helpful, thanks

@FortKnoxCo

4 ай бұрын

Awesome! 👍🏼

Thank you

@FortKnoxCo

5 ай бұрын

Your welcome

Thank you so much

@FortKnoxCo

10 ай бұрын

Your very welcome

Thank you so much! This was the issue for error E24!

@FortKnoxCo

7 ай бұрын

That’s awesome you got it figured out. Good job

It was great help!

@FortKnoxCo

8 ай бұрын

Awesome to hear! I’m Happy you found the video helpful.

Awesome, thanks.

@FortKnoxCo

9 ай бұрын

Your very welcome

Thanks

@FortKnoxCo

5 ай бұрын

Your very welcome

Dope AF. Thanks

@FortKnoxCo

5 ай бұрын

Thank you. I appreciate it.

Even I could do this. I used a rigid wire down the air gap and could actually see it come out via the space above the garbage disposal- Wasn't a ton of gunk, but ew that disposal was gross. Cleaned that rubber fitting and put the air gap back together and presto! $500 saved. Thanks FKC!

@FortKnoxCo

4 ай бұрын

Freakin’ awesome! Good job! 🤙🏼🤙🏼 I appreciate it! Happy to hear you saved some $$

I thought it draining into my sink was normal! I feel so stupid!! Omg thank you 🙃🤦🏽‍♀️

@FortKnoxCo

8 ай бұрын

Oh no, Yeah it draining out of the cap is not normal. Happy I could be of help. Save some money not having a plumber come out for an easy fix.

Thank you, it worked :)

@FortKnoxCo

10 ай бұрын

That’s awesome to hear. Your very welcome

4:36 - I appreciate the deeper explanation of the air gap purpose. Our entire countertop flooded thanks to the discharge hose clog, along with that broken white plastic cap. Speaking of.. what is that white plastic thingy called (4:36). I think that cap plus the top part that screws in needs to be replaced.

@FortKnoxCo

9 ай бұрын

Thank you! That piece is called different thing on different brands as they have slight variations on design. But it’s usually referred to as a cap/top in some diagrams. I don’t believe they sell it by itself. You would most likely need to buy a new air gap all together.

@ChristopherDillman

9 ай бұрын

@@FortKnoxCo Thank you! Yup, entire air gap assembly is one piece and needs to be replaced anyways.

@FortKnoxCo

9 ай бұрын

@@ChristopherDillman your welcome. I have a link for them on Amazon or you should be able to grab one easily at any big box store.

Super!!!

@FortKnoxCo

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

This video was so helpful thank you! But which hose do I need for the dishwasher to the air gap?

@FortKnoxCo

10 ай бұрын

Your welcome! The dishwasher to the air gap should come with the dishwasher. It’s usually a corrugated hose, and it has rubber fittings on both ends that a clamp goes over to hold onto the dishwasher and the end piece of the air gap. You can search on Amazon or find it at Home Depot easily. Very common. They just call it a dishwasher drain hose

@janeaustenfan1979

10 ай бұрын

@@FortKnoxCo thanks so much! Got it!

@FortKnoxCo

10 ай бұрын

@@janeaustenfan1979 awesome

You mentioned in your air gap connector video that you don’t necessarily need it as it’s no longer code in some states/cities. Can I bass and hook my dishwasher hose directly to the garbage disposal ?

@FortKnoxCo

3 ай бұрын

Yeah You can. Just some areas require it for code I believe. But it’s not necessarily required.

@FortKnoxCo

3 ай бұрын

But when you do it you just want to make sure it goes up above the garbage disposal and back down to the connection to the garbage disposal hook up. You done want water from your sink making its way from the garbage disposal down to your dishwasher. So it needs to go up, like maybe touching the underneath of your countertop and then down to your garbage disposal. If that makes sense

Yep, nobody believed me. " An air gap? What is that?" Now they know as well. Great explanation and breakdown. For those non-believers. I'm subscribed now. Let's go fix more stuff!

@FortKnoxCo

10 ай бұрын

That’s what I’m talking bout! The more you know. It feels good to fix things yourself and the more you do the easier new things become. It all adds up. Thanks for subscribing!! I appreciate it!

I change the dishwasher airgap put a new one on and I have a new garbage disposal and a new dishwasher that was put in about six months ago. I noticed that there was water on the countertops and on the floor when I came in one afternoon so I’m still seeing after changing all that stuff out. I am still seeing the water come out same way out of the dishwasher airgap

@FortKnoxCo

8 ай бұрын

Did you make sure the air gap has the small plastic cap that sits above the two tubes inside it? That piece redirects the water and keeps it from just overflowing in there. I’ve seen that be a very common reason.

Get video and diagram! My hoses don't seem to be cloged but the white plastic cap of the air gap has come off the counter. What bonding material should I use to secure it in place to the Caesar stone countertop? Thank you.

@FortKnoxCo

5 ай бұрын

Thank you. If you’re just referring to the cap that covers the air gap, they are usually just held in place by friction. They slide overtop and have a tight fitting or possibly a rubber ring to create a seal and friction between the surfaces. I’d check that and see if there something you can clean or replace to make the contact tighter If your air gap is loose and not secured tightly to the counter top then you might need to tighten the ring that goes on under the counter top that secures it down. If the plastic nut is missing you may need to replace the air gap itself so you have all the proper pieces. And if the hole in your countertop is too big for the washer /nut under the counter to secure tightly you may need to use a larger washer on top or below the counter to create a tighter fit. The air gaps are not usually held in place by any bonding material.

@melissalewis2120

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for your quick reply and tips. The cap needed to be screwed into the air gap hose tightly to create a tight fit with the counter. I didn't realize there were threads!

@FortKnoxCo

5 ай бұрын

@@melissalewis2120 oh nice. Thats awesome you figured it out! Good job 👍🏼

Curious if it's common for the 'correct' air gap to disposal tube to fail over time? It seems every couple of years that hose collapses into a kink or two and I have to replace it.

@FortKnoxCo

2 ай бұрын

That could be a possibility. Depending on what brand you might notice different thicknesses on the pipe wall. Also, when installing you want to make sure there isn’t any torque on the pipe, especially when it’s corrugated. That can cause it to collapse on itself. But I have noticed that the pipe does Seem to kink easily if you twist it too much. And sometimes the ones that come with the dishwasher are pretty cheap.

@igetnoslep

2 ай бұрын

@@FortKnoxCo Good info, Thanks!

Do you always have to replace the tube or can you just clean them?

@FortKnoxCo

14 күн бұрын

You can just clean them. But worst case you can replace.

I have a new Bosch dishwasher… Which I hardly use. When I was looking under the sink for some thing, I noticed at the drain line coming from the Bosch into the disposal had water in it. The water was nice and clean but I wondered why that line isn’t empty. I reset the cycle and ran it through manual rinse and drain cycle. The hose is clear so I could see the water being flushed to the disposal but when it was done it still had left water in the hose. Is this normal? If not what should I look for?

@FortKnoxCo

7 ай бұрын

That’s usually fine. You don’t want any big dips or low spots if possible . You want a clean run to the air gap and a smooth run down to the garbage disposal. The low spots can act like a P Trap and hold water that isn’t forced out during the flush. It’s not a bad thing, but you don’t want a lot of water sitting in the lines if possible. As long as it’s clear and you can see the water flowing through during the cycle it should be fine. You might be able to get rid on the dips in the line and help that water make its way out.

I just followed all the steps apart from replacing the hose because it is a proper one. It didn’t work unfortunately. What could be the next thing the check?

@FortKnoxCo

2 ай бұрын

What is happening? Water coming out of the air gap and not going down to the garbage disposal? Or is the dishwasher not getting water up to the air gap? If water is coming out of the air gap then the washer is obviously getting water forward to the air gap, but something is either not redirecting it back down to the other hole/hose to the garbage disposal. Or it’s plugged from the garbage disposal to air gap, which means you might need to focus on the tube connected to the garbage disposal, possibly replace it with a new clean tube, remove the garbage disposal and look more closely to the opening/connection for the tube, sometimes that is heavily plugged. And make sure you have the small plastic water redirecting cap on your air gap. If that’s missing or not correctly pushed into place it will most certainly let water get everywhere and leak out

No garage disposal. But the hose from air gap to sink drain appears to be kinked. Could that be causing the overflow?

@FortKnoxCo

8 ай бұрын

Yes very much so. That line needs to be unobstructed and no sharp bends. You want very smooth flow.

Do you have any other recommendations on how to fix? We cleaned out the water gap and even removed the pipe connecting to the dishwasher - a bunch of food came out and we positioned it back to place. but when we tried to run the cycle again water still continued to come out from the water gap.

@FortKnoxCo

2 ай бұрын

Did you also clean out the tube that goes from the air gap to the garbage disposal? You need to make sure that the tube from the dishwasher to the air gap is clean like you said, the air gap itself is clean and it also has that little plastic cap that redirect the water from one hole back down to the next. and then you need to make sure that the tube from that other hole going down to the garbage disposal is clean. Food commonly gets stuck in the tubes. The one going from the air gap to the garbage disposal can get gunk up just as easily as the other, but you also wanna look into the opening where it connects to the garbage disposal. Sometimes food will build up right there where it feeds into the garbage disposal and it gets backed up like a plug. So if that is also jammed up, it will cause the water to backfill and spill out of your air gap.

I tried this but it's still leaking/overflowing. The hose is ribbed/corrugated, which I'm assuming is wrong, but also there is a solid cupboard wall hiding the dishwasher end of the hose making it hard to replace. Do you have a video/tips on how to access that end? I have zero dishwasher experience, except for the dishes part

@FortKnoxCo

7 ай бұрын

To get to the hose connection on the dishwasher you’d need to pull the dish washer out of the base cabinet. It’s usually pretty easy to do. If you open you dishwasher door and look at the area where the dishwasher meets the under side of the countertop you’ll most likely see a couple screws that are holding down two metal tabs that connect to the dishwasher. They are usually small screws that screw into the bottom side of you countertop underlayment. You under those screws and the washing machine should slide out like pulling a stove/fridge/washer dryer away from the wall. It’s usually just a couple simple screws holding it in place. As far as the water still coming out of the air gap I’d check the hose going down from the air gap to the garbage disposal/drain and the air gap itself. Usually the tube from the dishwasher to the air gap isn’t the problem in this situation. Water is obviously not having a problem getting to the air gap, it’s having a problem at the air gap or from the air gap to the drain. If the dishwasher was having problems with water/food/draining during the wash cycle then I’d be more focused on the washer drain line and the washers itself. Make sure the air gap is clear, that the washer line and the line going to the drain are on the right parts of the air gap. And make sure the air gap has the little plastic piece that clips in over the two holes that redirects the water back down into the drain line. When that little piece is missing it will allow water to get everywhere inside the air gap and cause the overflow or spilling.

@Casadero1

7 ай бұрын

@@FortKnoxCo thank you for such a clear explanation! I tried your wire trick, and when that failed, I blocked the outlet to the small dishwasher tube with clay, used a toilet paper roll to make a tight seal with my small makita blower, and pushed air through for a minute, and that cleared up the problem! Does this sound to you like a safe method to try again if the problem comes back? I wasn't sure if the air pressure might risk damage to any parts of the system

@FortKnoxCo

7 ай бұрын

@@Casadero1 sounds like you figured it out. Pushing air shouldn’t hurt so lang as your not over pressurizing the pipe/tube. They can withstand a good amount of psi but if what you did worked then that could be a future solution. Just be cautious with the amount of pressure you trap in the pipe when clearing it up and gauge it. That’s awesome you got it figured out. Good job !

Should there be water in the dishwasher drain hose going to the air gap/overflow? I can take the cap off the overflow and see water in the smaller hose (dishwasher drain hose) when dishwasher is not in use. There is no leaking and no standing water in my dishwasher after running a cycle.

@FortKnoxCo

9 ай бұрын

The line usually stay open and clear. But depending on your dishwasher it may not eject all the water and finish with a push of air to clear that out. The main thing is that it’s not standing in your dishwasher obviously. It it’s sitting between the washer and the air gap that could be ok so long as it’s not because it’s clogged or jammed and not allowing some water to escape. Usually the dishwasher install instructions will show how the line is supposed to run as to not have any dips or unnecessary twists to avoid sitting water.

Trying to help mother with her dishwasher. She has had dirty water in bottom after running a load and water gurgling out of air gap while cycle is running. Her drain hose enters bottom of cabinet from about 3' horizontally away from where the air gap is. The drain hose was extra long, entered cabinet, went downhill a couple inches almost the whole 3' before turning up to meet the air gap. Then she has the stiff black hose from air gap going to garbage disposal. Backwards water slide action though as inlet to garbage disposal was on opposite side from air gap. It too was long and it was swooping down below where it connects to the garbage disposal. Removed black hose and flushed with warm water, several big chunks came out. Then reinstalled making sure no longer going down and back up into garbage disposal using zip tie to hold it up. Now don't have any more gurgling out of air gap, but still standing water in bottom of dishwasher after a cycle. Do you think both hoses & air gap need to be disassembled and properly cleaned to be sure there aren't any clogs elsewhere? How about the extra long drain line essentially laying on the cabinet floor for 3'? Does this need to be picked up like a high loop above the filled sink line before reaching the air gap or is that redundant to the purpose of the air gap? Does the trajectory (up/downhill) matter for that portion or does the dishwasher pump it regardless? Any idea if there is a standard for how much gravity slope for any of this stuff like in plumbing drain? Thanks!!

@FortKnoxCo

7 ай бұрын

Sounds like you have a good understanding of what’s going on. The fix from the air gap to the garbage disposal is key. You need that to flow smoothly. The part from the dishwasher to the air gap isn’t as critical in the way to line lays because it does have the pump from the dishwasher pushing the water. It’s a good thing to not have excessive length if not needed. And less ups and downs as possible. But it is starting at a down by the floor of the dishwasher and making its way up to the air gap. So not too critical. That line is usually a smaller diameter though, so that’s usually the hiccup. That line gets clogged pretty easy with gunk. So make sure the line from the dishwasher to the air gap is clean and clear. Also if you have standing water in the bottom of the dishwasher make sure you have the drain & screen inside the dishwasher cleaned out as well. That is usually the first thing people check because it catches all the big stuff and if that clogs up it will not let the water properly flush out. It’s on the floor of the dishwasher inside the unit. Usually an easy 1/4 turn and it will come out by hand. Clean that as often as needed.

I got ok flow the plastic hose that runs to the dishwasher I used a hook vertical or clothes hanger got a lot food out on one side should I completely pull out dishwasher to clear out the other side of the plastic hose

@FortKnoxCo

11 ай бұрын

If you have food and debris clogging up the dishwasher side pipe going down to the washer I would say it’s a safe bet to pull it out and clean it all the way. That pipe is usually a little more narrow and has ridges sometimes and catches stuff. So to clean it all the way out 100% would be best if you can. Otherwise get as much as you can out and then run the dishwasher empty and see if it flushes the rest of anything out.

@MarkAranita-rg2gv

11 ай бұрын

@@FortKnoxCo exactly what I'm do it's working now no more smell coming from the air top air flow had old food and stuff took all rubber hose etc off cleaned it out yea I'm unplug plastic hose to the dishwasher pull it out and clean it I almost messed up by using a metal hanger as a hook and didn't wanna rip hose thank God lol got lucky

@FortKnoxCo

11 ай бұрын

@@MarkAranita-rg2gv we’ll good job. Sounds like you got it handled. And good call on taking the hose off and not risking it.

Great vid ! Would a clogged drain possibly explain my clean dishes smelling like a wet dog after a wash? Thanks.

@FortKnoxCo

10 ай бұрын

Yep. That could be park of it. It may not be draining properly and having the old food gunk in the line leaving bacteria causing the smell. But I would also check you actual dishwasher screen/filter. It should be in the bottom of your dishwasher when you open it up look under your bottom rolling rack. On the floor of the inside of your dishwasher there should be a thing you tune and open and can clean out the screen where the water drain from. I’d check that for sure

@carminemasi

10 ай бұрын

Thanks@@FortKnoxCo

This inf, saves me around 80. 90 dllrs in labor plumbers are very expensive they increase prices, like every body.

@FortKnoxCo

28 күн бұрын

That’s awesome to hear!! Happy I could be of help! It feels good to save that money for sure. I appreciate you finding my video and giving it a chance.

Hello, I have checked all the clogged areas that are mentioned in this video, and all seem clear. What now?

@FortKnoxCo

3 ай бұрын

Waters still coming out the air gap when the washing machine is draining? If it is that at least means your washing machine pump is working and water is getting from the machine to the air gap. So you need to focus on the air gap itself and the path to the garbage disposal. Make sure the water line from the washing machine to the air gap is connected to the correct side. Sometimes the hose connections are switched at the air gap. Also check the air gap again to make sure you have that small plastic piece that clicks in over the top on the inside. That small plastic piece is critical in redirecting the water from one hole back down to the other. If all of that is good then consider taking off the hose that goes down to the garbage disposal. That easily gets food stuck in it especially at the garbage disposal itself. Clearing that path will allow water to flow freely.

Hi and Thank You for the video - very helpful but I still have questions. I was able to snake a cable cord through one of the two opening on the tube on the counter, and it goes straight to the garbage disposal, with a little effort but it seems clear. The air gap still leaks - so I tried to snake the cord through the second opening that leads to the dishwasher and it goes up to a certain point. No sure what to do next. The garbage disposal seems to be working fine and so does the dishwasher but a ton of water comes out the air gap on the counter. Can you help of figure out my next step? Thanks again - Chrystal

@FortKnoxCo

Жыл бұрын

Does your air gap have the cap above the two holes when you remove the metal covering? That little plastic cap that goes over the two holes helps redirect the water up and down. The only other thing to do that I can think of is to actually remove the hoses from the bottom of the air gap especially the one connecting from the air gap to the garbage disposal and look through it and possibly physically clear it out. Ideally, the hose from the dishwasher should be able to push water out, but the back up is usually caused from when it Hass to turn and go down to the garbage disposal. If that flow from that point to the garbage disposal is restricted that causes the backup of water. So sometimes you have to remove or replace that hose between the air gap in the garbage disposal.

@chrystaldefreitas6838

Жыл бұрын

@@FortKnoxCo Hi - thank you for your quick reply. Actually, I remove the metal cover and I right away see the two holes, so, no, there is no little plastic cap to redirect the water. This makes a lot of sense to me!!! YAYAY!! So I replace the whole thing? Doubt they will sell that little plastic cap. thanks again - Chrystal

@FortKnoxCo

Жыл бұрын

@@chrystaldefreitas6838 oh wow. Yeah that little cap is what actually causes the water to turn back down and stay in line. Without that cap it’s just shooting water up and spraying everywhere. Most likely you’ll probably have to buy a whole new air gap. Luckily they’re not too expensive and you can find many different options on Amazon. Could probably be to your house by tomorrow.

@chrystaldefreitas6838

Жыл бұрын

@@FortKnoxCo Ahhh - Headed to Ace Hardware Store. Thanks again! 😃

@FortKnoxCo

Жыл бұрын

@@chrystaldefreitas6838 No problem at all.

I see 2 hoses running. How many should I have.

@FortKnoxCo

10 ай бұрын

Two. One from the washer to the air gap. And one from the air gap to the garbage disposal/drain.

I notice the water drain line from the dishwasher goes directly to the air gap. And when the dishwasher drains I see water coming out the air gap then flows down to the drain line to the disposal. If I take the plastic cap off the air gap water will overflow all over the counter when the dishwasher is draining.. is this normal

@FortKnoxCo

Ай бұрын

Are you referring to the plastic cap as in the cover of the air gap? Like the silver or gold finish cap? Or the small plastic piece that clips in above the hole in the top of the air gap? The small plastic piece that clips in redirects the water from one hole , the dishwasher tube, to the other hole , the garbage disposal. If you remove that small clip in cap it will just let water spray all over. It’s there to act like a U-Turn for the water to go back down and find its way to the garbage disposal and drain. The air gap cover that usually just pulls off is mainly for cosmetic purposes and doesn’t really have a function other than cleaning up the look of your air gap.

I did all that and it still doesn’t work. Should I buy a new air gap?

@FortKnoxCo

Ай бұрын

I would check the filter in your dishwasher. Usually an easy twist to a plastic piece in the bottom of your dishwasher and it pops off and you can see if it’s clogged up. Then I’d check the garbage disposal itself. Take the pipe off and see if it has gunk in it that you can remove by rinsing or scraping. Sometimes the plug of gunk is at the garbage disposal itself at the connection where the tube is. Clean that out. If all of that is clean and working then it may be something with the air gap. So replacing the air gap could be the final step. But making sure the hose to the air gap and hose from the air gap to the garbage disposal are clean is a must.

So this has been happening consistently for a while and I’ve tried snaking that line a few times. Each time I can feel the snake coming out into the garbage disposal, but the next time I run the dishwasher, the water still comes out the air gap. Am I missing something? Thanks!

@FortKnoxCo

10 ай бұрын

I’d check the line from the dishwasher to the air gap and the line from the air gap to the garbage disposal. Make sure they are both clean and clear. And then check your air gap and make sure you have that set up correctly. Which side is connected to the dishwasher and which one down to the garbage disposal. Then make sure you have the air gap assembler correctly with the plastic piece that covers over the two holes, the piece that redirects the water back down. I’ve heard of people not having that plastic piece in there and that will make water just spill out into the air gap cover and obviously spill water everywhere. So make sure you have that piece that redirects the water down and into the line going to the garbage disposal.

@itayneta

10 ай бұрын

@@FortKnoxCo Thank you! Just to close the loop, I ended up snaking it again with a much bigger diameter snake (the first was one of those flat ones with barbs to get hair out of a sink, this one was a metal coil) while also putting my finger down into the garbage disposal to the inside end of that line. I felt a large clump of food in the perimeter of that line and had to work that snake back and forth a number of times to clear it out. Combined with trying to fish it out with my finger. Finally, I poured some water down into the air gap (with a funnel) to make sure it was coming out before trying the dishwasher again. All clear!

@FortKnoxCo

10 ай бұрын

@@itayneta nice! Good job!! Happy you got it fixed!!

Could it be that the dishwasher's bottom is filled with water because of the air gap?

@FortKnoxCo

3 ай бұрын

That could cause it to back up into the washer. But you could also have a clogged washer filter. If you open the washer , look on the inside floor of the washer. Probably have to pull the bottom rack all the way out, you can see a cap/filter, you usually turn it a 1/4 turn and it comes off and you can clean out any large food/debris that might be stuck in there. From there it goes to your washer pump, to the hose and to the air gap. So anything along that system could be clogged. Worst case you washer pump is not working.

What if I have done everything in this video and water still comes out the air gap

@FortKnoxCo

3 ай бұрын

If it’s still spilling out then there’s something wrong from the air gap forward. It should drain into your sink drain or garbage disposal freely. So you have the small plastic cap in your air gap that redirects the water back down? From one tube to the other. That sometimes is missing or not in correctly and allowing the water to just shoot up into the cap from the washer. Also make sure the water is connected to the air gap sides correctly. Usually one is specifically meant to be connected to the washer and the other to the drain.

Water just sits in mine. Is that still a hose problem?

@FortKnoxCo

11 ай бұрын

Water shouldn’t sit. May not be running the right way up and down. Ideally the washer will push the water up, the air gap redirects the water back down and the water runs down through and out into the garbage disposal/drain. It shouldn’t sit anywhere. If it sits in a spot the hose may need to me adjusted so it has no low spots that water wouldn’t naturally flow down and out. May require shortening the hose if the length is too long and has those low areas

@cutestlittlething17

11 ай бұрын

@FortKnoxCo thank you. I found out the problem. The person who installed it hooked it up backward.

@FortKnoxCo

11 ай бұрын

@@cutestlittlething17 welp that’ll do it. Good thing you caught it. Happy you got it figured out.

Why is it going up into the gap and then down into the disposal? Who thought that was a good idea?

@FortKnoxCo

11 ай бұрын

That’s exactly what the purpose is of the whole thing. It’s called an Air Gap. Creates ventilation in a line where water needs to drain. You don’t want water sitting and this is one way to clear that line. Some codes require an air gap, some don’t. And now there are some other methods of installing that don’t require an air gap.

@sweepingdenver

10 ай бұрын

It's to prevent dirty water -- essentially sewage water -- from contaminating the water supply. The dishwasher is the only item in the house whereby if the soiled water didn't drain from the appliance, it would have a direct path via gravity into the water supply line of the same appliance. Yes there is water pressure on the supply line but there could still be contamination when the water is running and is then shut off.

@FortKnoxCo

10 ай бұрын

@@sweepingdenver very good info right there. thank you for adding this information.

@carminemasi

10 ай бұрын

I don't get it. How could the fresh water supply into the dishwasher be contaminated by the drain water, aren't they separate lines ? @@sweepingdenver

By the way, that was very helpful on the how to change that out and check everything

@FortKnoxCo

8 ай бұрын

Thank you!

Thank you

@FortKnoxCo

7 ай бұрын

Your welcome