Dishwashers are a saving grace in today’s fast-paced world. Many people have completely stepped away from washing dishes by hand, and instead, prefer the convenience of the modern dishwasher. Some older homes and homes just being built, do not have the plumbing or water supply installed yet to support a new dishwasher. If you want to avoid washing your dishes by hand, you can follow these tips on how to install a new water supply to the dishwasher.
Step 1. Preparing the Area
In order to avoid a flood in your kitchen, you will want to turn off the main water supply coming into your home. This way, when you begin to connect the water supply to your new dishwasher, the water won’t be gushing out at you and all over your floor. Next, you will want to open a faucet close to the main shut off valve. Excess water should drain out of the system once you have completed this step. Finally, you will want to clean underneath your sink and remove any stored objects, such as cleaning supplies. Removing these items will ensure that they don’t accidentally get wet. Have a bucket close by to catch any water that may not have drained all the way.
Step 2: Adding the New Connection
To add the new water connection, you will first need to modify the old one. To do this, you will want to loosen the compression nut holding the hot water supply valve to the copper pipe beneath your sink. You can accomplish this with an adjustable wrench. You will need to pull the supply valve off the pipe along with the compression nut and then remove the copper ferrule that is beneath the nut.
Next, get an emery cloth and clean your copper pipe to remove any grime or dirt build-up. This will aid in avoiding a clog later on. Once the copper pipe is clean, you will need to slide a new compression nut that can support a dual outlet/dual shut-off valve over the copper pipe. Make sure that the threads of the compression nut face forward. Then, slip the brass ferrule that came with the new shut-off valve onto the pipe. Make sure that you press the ferrule against the new valve. Then you should be able to slide the compression nut over the ferrule and onto the threads of the new valve. (This is why it was essential that the threads face outward.) You should be able to tighten the compression nut by hand.
Step 3: Connecting the Hot Water Supply
To begin this step, you will need to get two adjustable wrenches. Use the first adjustable wrench to hold the new water supply valve in place. Then take the second one and tighten the valve compression nut clockwise. You are then ready to connect the hot water faucet supply line to one of the dual shut-off valves. Leave the remaining valve open for the dishwasher supply line. Make sure to turn both valves’ handles clockwise until tight to ensure that both valves are in the “off” position. This will help you avoid a water disaster when you connect the lines to the new dishwasher.
Adding new appliances to an old house or a house that is being built from the ground up can be exciting. You will definitely want an expert plumber to help make sure that the plumbing throughout the house is set-up and working properly to help avoid a potential disaster. Contact the dedicated team at Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Drain for all of your plumbing needs.