Air gap is installed through the sink or the counter top. It connects the dishwasher to the kitchen drain and prevents wastewater from moving backward into the dishwasher. It has two outlets; one is smaller than the other. The smaller one is connected to the dishwasher drain hose and the other one is to the disposal inlet. The branches are separated by a gap of air. the dishwasher air gap leaking sink can be a big problem as when a dishwasher goes through the draining process, the used water goes through the hose to the air gap and falls through the gap of air into the second branch into the drain under the sink of your kitchen.
Dishwasher air gap leaking under sink
If the air gap under gap is leaking, then there must be a draining problem; either in the dishwasher or the drain could be blocked by something. Without the air gap, the dishwasher must siphon out all the used water into the dishwasher to drain. Any problem in the air gap can stop the dishwasher from draining.
The issues that can cause an air gap to leak are listed below:
1. Loose connections
A dishwasher with the air gap leaking can also be due to poor and loose connections. As the air gap is connected to the dishwasher at one side and the drain on the other side with the help of two hoses. The whole assembly is connected through the clamps that are holding the hoses in place. Clamps are very reliable, but sometimes there can be a loose connection that can cause leakage that needs to be tightened up. Look for that and if you find any, then tighten the connection and there should be no leakage afterwards.
2. Drainage blocked by the Clog
With a clogged passage, you can experience water rushing out of the air gap. Check if there is any food debris or any other junk blocking the passage. For that, remove the hose that is connecting the air gap to the drain of the sink by unscrewing the screws that are holding the clamp in place on both sides of the hose. Clean the hose with the help of a stick and you should be done.
3. Drain Tubes
Drain tubes make the draining happen. All the wastewater passes through them to the drain. If they are clogged, the dishwasher can no longer drain any more water coming out of dishwasher air gap.
Sometimes, the junk or particles block the tubes; mostly from where there is no steep to allow them to fall freely. From a tiny piece of food, it converts into a large amount of food debris in a matter of time if the drain tubes are not cleaned after regular intervals of time.
Even grease can clog the drain tube if not cleared fully. This can cause a blockage in the way of draining water and hence a leakage in the air gap takes place as the water flows backwards. You can remove the grease by passing hot water through the tubes. You may clean the tubes or replace them with the new ones and the problem will be solved. Keep in mind to regularly make sure that there is no blockage in the draining tube for your dishwasher to drain properly.
4. Knockout plug
There is a knockout plug from where the hose enters the disposal. The dishwasher will not drain properly if this plug is not removed. This can be a problem when the disposal is new. See if there is a plug present. If it does, then knock it out by the help of any solid thing (for example, even a screwdriver can do this by simply placing the metal side of the screwdriver on the center of the plug and hammering on the other end of it.
5. Plastic hose
Plastic hoses are easily damaged and can start leaking over time. Try to use rubber hose as they last longer and are more durable because they are more flexible and stronger than the plastic ones.
6. Leaking holes in the hose
Remove the drain tube and reconnect the hose to the air gap leaving the other end free. Place the free end of the hose in the sink. Turn on the dishwasher and fill some water in it. Command for draining and see if there is any leakage through the hose.
These holes can be tiny and cannot be spotted easily so for your convenience, use paper towel and press it on the outside of the hose to spot if there is any tiny leakage. The wet paper towel will indicate the leak. Fix those holes or replace the hose with a new one according to the model of your dishwasher.
Final Verdict
The air gap serves a connection point between the dishwasher and the drain. The dishwasher air gap under sink can become a bigger problem if not treated at the right time. Leakage in the air gap is directly related to the drainage system of the dishwasher.
We hope this article would have helped you in pointing out the culprit that is causing the air gap to leak. With the help of the above points, we hope you have solved the problem yourself. And if still for some reason, you couldn’t fix it, then maybe a call to the dishwasher technician would be the right choice.
Here, we have attached a video from YouTube that may be of your help
