How to Install or Replace a Dishwasher

After you turn off the water and electricity to the dishwasher, close the valve and unplug the power supply. Then, unscrew the dishwasher from the brackets on the underside of the counter. You may also need to remove the kicker plate at the bottom of the dishwasher and loosen the feet.

Next, disconnect the water supply line, and use a bowl to catch any excess water. Then, unhook the drain line, which runs from the dishwasher to the underside of the sink. Simply loosen the clamp to remove it. 

Gently lift the dishwasher and pull it out of the cabinet. You'll want to find out what to do with old appliances in your area. You may need to schedule a special curbside trash pickup if you’re throwing it away or bring the dishwasher to a recycling or scrap center.

For the water supply line, you may need to install an adapter elbow, which you should prep with plumber’s tape for a watertight seal. Screw the adapter in until it’s facing the back of the dishwasher, and then install the water supply line. This connection is a compression fitting with a rubber gasket, so avoid over tightening. Note that there’s a track for the supply line on the bottom of the dishwasher.

Next, take your drain hose and connect it to the dishwasher pump by tightening the clamp. There’s a second track for the drain hose.

Connect the power cord to the dishwasher so the appliance can turn on. In some cases, all you'll need to do is plug the cord into the outlet under the sink. 

Some dishwashers are slightly more complicated, though, and require you to connect the power cords to a junction box on the appliance. In this case, your power cord may consist of two gray cords and one green cord, or one white, one black, and one green cord.

If there are two gray cords, the smooth one is the hot wire, while the ribbed one is neutral. If you have black and white cords, the black cord is the hot wire, while the white is neutral. The green cord is the grounding wire. Attach the wires from the dishwasher to the corresponding wires on the power cord, secure them with a wire nut, tighten them, and replace the cover on the junction box.

Adjust the feet of the dishwasher so that it is perfectly level and aligned with the cabinet. You should have about one-eighth inch of space all around the dishware. When the dishwasher is level, push it into the cabinet, then install screws in the brackets to hold it in place.

Lift the dishwasher into the upright position. Screw in the mounting pads on the top of the dishwasher. Then, secure the brackets on the underside of the counter.

Hook up the water supply line to the hot water shut-off valve, and then connect the drain hose. This process differs depending on if you have a garbage disposal. If you have one, remove the knockout plug part of the garbage disposal before installing the drain hose. Otherwise, attach the drain hose to the dishwasher's tailpiece.

Turn on the water at the source, and open the water valve. Check all of the connections carefully for any leaks.

Plug in the power cord, start the dishwasher, and run its first cycle. Again, make sure there are no leaks. Using a flashlight to look under the dishwasher and in the cabinet for any stray water is easiest. In addition to checking for leaks, ensure the dishwasher is draining properly.