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Difficulty: Beginner
It's easy to connect a dishwasher to your existing sink's water and waste outlets once you know how. Follow our guide to ensure leak-free operation for many years to come.
To achieve a reliable installation, remember to always adhere to manufacturer guidelines, use proper tools, and ensure tight connections. Please engage a registered plumber if you need to change or install new fittings for the installation.
Steps
Step 1
Review manufacturer guidelines and drill routing holes.
Begin by assessing the routing of your dishwasher's inlet and waste hoses. Refer to the manufacturer's guidelines regarding allowable elevations of the hoses and follow them closely during installation. Proper hose routing helps prevent kinks and ensures efficient water flow.
The allocated space for a dishwasher often has a cabinet panel between it and your connections. To allow access, this panel must have routing holes drilled in it. Take your 44mm hole saw and drill two intersecting holes in the cabinet panel for your hoses.
Step 2
Feed hoses through your holes and install the return bracket.
Push the inlet and waste hose through the holes in the cabinet panel.
Many dishwashers require you to elevate the waste hose before returning it back down and connecting it to your sink S-bend. Install any provided return bracket at the specified height by the manufacturer with the timber screw and drill driver. Clip the waste hose into it.
Step 3
Identify connections and connect inlet hose.
Dishwashers have a larger waste hose and a thinner inlet hose. Some models come with two inlet hoses for both hot and cold connections. The inlet hose has a screwed connector, and you'll need to connect it to the small tap located on the rear wall of the cabinet.
Take the inlet hose connector and align it with the tap threads. Ensure it is not misaligned and screw it onto the tap. If your machine has a hot water hose, connect it as above to the hot water tap.
You can use multi-grip pliers if you have difficulty tightening the connector by hand. However, do not overtighten the fitting as you could damage it.
Step 4
Drill out the S-bend trap spigot (if necessary).
The waste hose needs to be connected to your sink's S-bend trap. Most S-bend traps include a barbed spigot that the rubber end of the waste hose pushes onto. If a dishwasher has not been installed previously, drill out this spigot with a 13mm drill bit and your drill driver. Ensure you only drill out the internal blocking wall and do not drill further inside the pipe.
Step 5
Connect the waste hose.
Add your hose clamp onto the rubber fitting of the waste hose. Push the waste hose onto the barbed spigot. Tighten the strap hose clamp with your flathead screwdriver.
Run a cycle on your dishwasher and check for leaks periodically. Tighten the connections if any leaks are found.
You have now successfully connected your dishwasher.
Materials
- 17 - 32mm Stainless steel hose clamp
- 20mm timber screw.
Tools
- Drill driver
- 13mm drill bit
- Flathead screwdriver
- Hole saw kit
- Multi-grip pliers.
