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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.!

Your welcome! I’m Happy you found it helpful

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

Your welcome. I hope you get the problem fixed.

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

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

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.

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 🤙🏼

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

Thank you so much. I really appreciate that 🙏🏼

Thank you I really appreciate that 🙏🏼

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

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!

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.

That’s awesome! Happy I could be of help

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!

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

Your very welcome

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. 🤙🏼

That’s awesome to hear. Your very welcome

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

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

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

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

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

@@littlefriend420 nice good job!

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

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

Thank you I really appreciate that

Your welcome!

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

Thank you. Hoping to help some

Thank you

Thank you 🙏🏼

Your welcome

Thank you

Your welcome 🤙🏼

Thank you. Im happy to be of help

Your very welcome

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

Your very welcome

Awesome! 👍🏼

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

Your very welcome

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

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

Happy to be of help

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!

@@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

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

Thank you. I appreciate it.

Thank you!

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.

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

@@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.

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.

That’s awesome to hear. Your very welcome

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

@@FortKnoxCo thanks so much! Got it!

@@janeaustenfan1979 awesome

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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!

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

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

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.

@@FortKnoxCo Good info, Thanks!

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

Thanks@@FortKnoxCo

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

@@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

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

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.

@@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

@@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 !

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.

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.

@@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

@@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.

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

@@chrystaldefreitas6838 No problem at all.

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.

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.

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.

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.

@@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!

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

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 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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

Your welcome

Thank you!