What To Do When Water Is Coming Out of Your Dishwasher Air Gap

Dishwashers are game changers in the kitchen. They speed up cleanup and mostly automate an otherwise time-consuming chore. But they’re also prone to some of the same plumbing issues as your sink and other drains. If your dishwasher’s air gap is spewing water, it’s time for some plumbing repairs.

An air gap prevents dirty dishwater from backflowing into fresh water lines. But ground-up food and grease can build up inside the air gap and form a clog over time. This clog can cause water to shoot out of the air gap, making a mess over your counters and potentially flooding the area under your sink.

You’ll need to fix this problem sooner rather than later or else what started as a simple clog could end up being a lot of water damage. If water squirts out the air gap’s vent holes or you notice a foul smell coming from it, it’s time to clean it. Fortunately, this repair is easy and doesn’t require a specialist or fancy tools. All you need is a bottle brush and some household disinfecting cleaner.

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How to Fix a Dishwasher Air Gap That’s Spewing Water

• Yank the cover off the dishwasher air gap and remove the snap-in or screw-on diverter.
• Remove any loose food particles.
• Soak the bottle brush in household cleaner and plunge it up and down into the air gap.
• This should clear the clog, but sometimes the backup is further down. If you still have a water leak after cleaning the air gap, clean the drain line where it meets the garbage disposer or drain wye (aka “Y”).
• Once the clog is cleared, wipe everything down and then reassemble the air gap vent.

You’ve solved your problem and saved yourself the headache of repairing water damage and deep cleaning your kitchen after running your dishwasher.