I'm in SoCal and couldn't get around it. They are so ugly. Moved here from Ohio and had no idea what they were. Plumber told us to just set them on the counters (2 dishwashers)and see if we could get away with it. I was too chicken and it would have worked.....inspector didn't even glance at them!

What a lot of people do with DW's that don't require them is put one in, pass inspection, then change it to a soap dispenser.

Thanks---yep, I'd heard of the soap dispenser trick, and in a pinch that's what we'll do. But we have a wall-mount faucet, which means the air gap will be the only hole we drill in the counter at all, and the soap dispenser will look a little out of place---very irritating if we go with a d/w where it's not needed!

Pllog's idea is a great one!!!

Just remember that ANYWHERE you are - the code MAY be different -
so it's ALWAYS wise to use a LICENSED Plumber THAT KNOWS THE CODES
of the municipality that your home is in.

The air gap/soap dispenser option with a quarterback fake to the left ON THREE -
(sorry - couldn't resist turning that into a football play...HA!)

The "Air Gap/Soap Dispenser" idea is the way to go IMHO - just remember
to hook the Air Gap back up when (AFTER you sell your home) you have your
code inspection prior to closing!!!

I learned this the HARD WAY about 18 years ago when we moved from Wisconsin
to AZ.... Seams the guy who owned the house before me - NEVER took out
any permits to do some electrical work - and THE DAY BEFORE we were to close
on the house we were selling - I was scrambling trying to find an electrician
to FIX and BRING EVERYTHING UP TO CODE!!!!

Lesson LEARNED by me the HARD WAY!!!!

anyways

hth

kevin

Oh! Different story. Do you have a plumber or GC who's at all cozy with the inspectors? I don't mean in a bad way, but my GC, for instance, has a well deserved reputation for thoroughness, and he always has people on site to answer questions for the inspectors, which makes his inspections go smoothly. The inspectors therefore like him for not wasting their time and don't hassle him. It's harder if you're Jane Homeowner and the inspectors have no way of knowing the quality of your work.

What you can do, if you're willing to chance it, is heavily document the quality of a non-airgap installation, with a very clear, illustrated cover sheet. Present it to the inspector if he asks about the airgap. And be prepared to retrofit it if he requires it.

Or if you're putting in a disposer in that sink, you can use the hole for an airswitch.

We are in Southern California (Ventura) and installed a Miele dishwasher that doesn't require the air gap.

We were going to do the old switch-a-roo with the soap dispenser (even bought the air gap), but decided to give it a try without. We had the manual for the dishwasher all ready to show the inspector and he didn't even glance at it. Passed inspection...done deal.

It probably depends a lot on how easy or strict your inspector is.

As for the house sale thing...California is an "as-is" state per contract when selling. All repairs to be performed by a seller are negotiated, but never required.

I called my permit office inspector to find out (I'm in Oakland Piedmont). For us, the only dishwashers that didn't require an air gap are Mieles, which is what we had purchased anyway. We passed inspection fine without the air gap.

Thanks all! Yes, we do plan to use a licensed plumber and I'm very familiar with our local and state codes---that's the frustration, actually. :) Unless it's been explicitly modified by a local jurisdiction (which it hasn't been, in our case), CA code requires a countertop air gap regardless of whether the dishwasher installed requires one. (The thinking is that someone might later replace the d/w with one that does need one, I think, and so you must install it.) I'm actually not sure if you can install the airgap out the outside wall provided it's at the same height---the code just specifies "above sink flood level"---so I'll explore that too, but I think in our case that would cause as much trouble if not more, since our house is stuccoed...ugh!

Not too concerned about resale since the majority of kitchens around here aren't done with permits anyway, so we'll be ahead of the game by just having pulled them to start with!

Thanks Skoo---that's good to hear!! Was that with Oakland or Piedmont inspectors?

Pfft. Fremont wouldn't even consider the possibility of going without an air gap.

Piedmont - Chester Nakahara is the inspector for all Piedmont permits. FWIW, My parents in San Jose were required to put in the air gap for their Bosch DW.

Thanks---if only we lived a few blocks north! :) Promising nonetheless, though, since I know Piedmont is a stickler about a lot of code issues, so if the Mieles get their blessing, that might count for something with Oakland inspectors too. (I think LA also waives air gap requirements for Miele dishwashers.)

Rather than replacing the air gap with a soap dispenser, I had a brilliant idea! How about installing an soap dispenser that was designed to also work as an air gap.

Unfortunately for me someone else also thought of this way back in 2002, and patented it. http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6748966.html

However that means you don't have to wait for me to design, manufacture and distribute one, just google "combo air gap soap dispenser" and you can find many.

Okay, this thread is ancient, but I wanted to post an update nonetheless---we did ultimately pass inspection without an air gap with a Miele Inspira. I had the documentation (manual from Miele website noting that dishwasher has a built-in air gap) all ready to go, but in the end the inspector didn't question it. We asked three different inspectors who were out for the rough inspections, and the answer from all was to defer to manufacturer's instructions (which don't include an air gap) where they are in conflict with code. (My favorite was the inspector who just raised an eyebrow and said "well, let me tell you---appliances advance a whole lot faster than California code!")

I can't believe that it was really 18 months ago that I was asking about this, but that's another story... ;)

Let's revive this discussion thread! :-)

I am resigned to having an air gap, and I understand the principles behind them. But I wonder why the DW can't vent /overflow into the sink plumbing and go away completely. Or why have no clever designers or engineers figured out a more aesthetic design, like lower profile, different shape, built into base of faucet, etc. I just found an air gap/soap dispenser combo, but having a soap dispenser bothers me as much, visually, as an air gap--and the soap dispenser has the added detraction that I would bet a million dollars soap dispensers are (a) difficult to refill and (b) break easily.

Come on plumbing people. Find a solution!

Why resign yourself to an air gap? They are unnecessary with current dishwashers. The CA code is outdated. There is no need to redesign this outdated item, just throw it away. If you live in an area where inspectors look for it, just stick the cheapest air gap you can find (I think mine was $3) in the hole, don't connect it, and then pull it out after the inspection.

As for soap dispensers, mine is easy to refill and there is no reason it should break - it's a pretty simple mechanism. If you don't want one though, don't get one. The hole left from the unnecessary air gap can be plugged with this $6 thingy:

Thanks for this advice. I wish I didn't have to cut a hole in my quartz countertop to accommodate an outdated code!

If the counter isn't installed yet, you can go to final inspection with a plywood counter. Then install the quartz. Otherwise, I'd go back to the building dept and escalate it up. If you can show them that your dishwasher manufacturer doesn't require a AG, then perhaps common sense will prevail.

Be sure to still do a high loop to the drain or garbage disposal with the dishwasher drain hose. This prevents dirty water from going back into your dishwasher and sitting in the discharge hose which not only smells but can defeat the purpose of washing your dishes. Just google high loop dishwasher hose for more informatio, it’s a very easy thing to do as wel. I know this is a pretty old thread but wanted to add this just Incase FYI.

Hi @Barbara Brady what did you end up doing? We just failed inspection and he wouldn’t even look at the Miele specs we had ready to go :(

@elizabeth_eclectic where are you located? we're having our builders replace new counters because they drilled two unnecessary holes in them, one of which was for an air gap after we said to not install. will try for inspection without one, but now wondering if we can just have it vent outside. did you end up installing one?

No not yet. We’re scheduling the final final inspection around getting a specific inspector my contractor has a good relationship with, so we’re trying again. If not i am going to give up and use the hole for a soap dispenser, ugh ugh. We’re in San Jose.

Just had what I hoped was our final kitchen inspection and inspector, a very reasonable guy, indicated that we needed one regardless of that fact our Miele DW has it built-in. We'll put the air gap in and then return to the soap dispenser that's there now later. This is silly, code needs to catch up to technology. We're not selling our house after this end-to-end reno.

My contractor just passed 2 without air gaps! But then my inspection comes and we got a stickler, ughhhh