Dishwasher Installation

Dishwasher installation in Aubrey, done to the connection

A dishwasher looks like a simple drop-in box, but it needs a hot water supply, a drain, and a level fit in a cabinet opening. Vor-Tex Plumbing Co. installs dishwashers for homes in Aubrey and across Denton County. It is part of our fixture and appliance plumbing work. Call (469) 552-2881 to schedule.

Where installs go wrong

When a new dishwasher leaks, smells, or fills with water, the machine is rarely at fault. The problem is usually in one of five connection points, and each is something we check.

1. The supply. Dishwashers draw hot water through a small supply line, usually from a dedicated stop valve under the kitchen sink. An old or seized valve is the first thing to find, and a worn line gets replaced.
2. The drain hose. The hose has to rise to the underside of the counter, often called a high loop, or connect through an air gap. Without that rise, dirty water can flow back into the machine from the sink drain.
3. The disposal connection. If the drain hose ties into a garbage disposal, the knockout plug inside the disposal inlet must be removed. If it has been left in, the dishwasher cannot drain. See our garbage disposal page.
4. The fit. The unit needs to be level and secured under the counter so the door seals and does not shift under load.
5. The power. Most dishwashers plug in or are wired to a nearby box. We confirm the power is there, and if the circuit needs work we say so before we start.

Replacing an old dishwasher

A like-for-like swap is the simplest case. We disconnect the old unit, pull it out, check the supply and drain, and set the new one. The surprises show up when the old dishwasher has been in place a long time: a corroded stop valve, a rusty or soft floor under the machine, or a drain hose that was never set correctly. We tell you what we see before we continue.

Installing where there was no dishwasher

A first-time install is a bigger job. It needs a hot water supply, a drain tie-in at the sink trap or the disposal, an electrical source, and a cabinet opening of the right size. We run through those before we quote, so the estimate reflects the real work. If you are planning a larger kitchen change, see our kitchen plumbing page.

Before install day

• Measure the opening: width, height under the counter, and depth. Standard openings are about 24 inches wide, but not all are.
• Clear the cabinet under the sink so we can reach the supply and drain.
• Keep the installation manual with the dishwasher, since models differ on how the drain and supply are positioned.
• Tell us if the old unit leaked. Water under a dishwasher can damage the floor, and we want to look at that before the new one goes in.

After the install

We run a full cycle while we are there, check the supply and drain joints, and watch the base of the unit for moisture. You see the machine fill, wash, and drain. It is the quickest way to catch a loose fitting, and you do not have to wait for the first dinner party to find out.

Call right away if

• Water is on the kitchen floor from around the dishwasher. Turn off the stop valve under the sink, and the unit’s power, then call.
• Dirty water comes up in the sink when the dishwasher drains.
• The floor beside or below the dishwasher is soft or discolored.

What a Vor-Tex dishwasher visit looks like

1. You call. We book the first same-day or next-day window and ask about the model and the cabinet.
2. We quote on site. The $79 dispatch fee is credited toward the work when you approve the estimate.
3. We install and show you. You watch a test cycle before we leave.
4. Warranty. A 5-year warranty on parts and labor applies when we supply the parts.

Related services

A dishwasher drains with the sink, so see sink repair and installation if the sink drain is also slow. If your dishwasher is not getting hot water, the cause may be upstream, and our water heater repair page is the place to start.