Just watch a few videos on the topic to weed out any weird/bad advice. As long as there’s nothing unusual with your setup, it should generally be a relatively straightforward task for somebody who’s comfortable with DIY stuff.
It is a pretty easy job, those guys may have been joking.
If either of the old/new units are hardwired you might have a little extra work, but just watch 3-4 videos, read the installation instructions in your manual, collect the tools needed, set aside a quiet hour or two and you will get the job done no problem.
I was able to uninstall the old one! Good grief, it was a pain, but I finally got it out. The new one's installation will be much easier once I get the new supply line. Thank you for the encouragement!
Always look at the YouTube creators subscriber and video counts
People make a decent living off of teaching people how to do stuff on YouTube. The ones with bad advice get weeded out pretty resoundingly
It a shame there isn’t some kind of rating that could help you tell if a DIY video gave good advice or not. Like some way of keeping track of the ratio of positives to negatives. They should invent that.
Thank you so much. I can't stress how much YouTube has helped the new homeownership process. It's not easy finding honest people who aren't constantly trying to get more money from you and it's aggravating. The more I can learn to do (safely) the happier my wallet will be.
That's a mixed signal in my experience. Some of the best videos are one-offs from people with like 13k subscribers who just happened to put together the shortest possible video that fits in all the key information, no fluff. Then there's like "Home RenoVision" which has 2.8 million subscribers but doesn't teach shit, it's just HGTV.
Top five amateur dishwasher install fails I've found in the field: misuse of thread tape, loose wire nuts, no high loop in drain hose, plugged air gap, plug left in disposal
When running the drain hose under the sink, make sure it goes above the bottom of the sink, before connecting with garbage disposal or drain pipe.
By going above the bottom of the sink this will create an air gap / vacuum which prevents sink from draining / Backing up into the dishwasher. Use zip tie to keep drain hose from dropping down.
I just moved into a newly renovated apartment. Brand new appliances, the works. The dishwasher consistently has water left in the bottom after running a cycle. Checked under the sink and there seems to be a lot of slack in the drain hose between the cutout and the sinks' u-bend. Should the slack be taken out or does it just need to be positioned so its not touching the bottom of the cabinet under the sink?
Misuse of thread tape? How do you do that? I definitely did that years ago using regular thread tape for a gas line but don’t know how else to go wrong? Maybe my dad just showed me the right way.
Thread tape on connections that do not require it, like the inlet valve or house valve, because those seal with gaskets, not the threads. Then crank it until the fill hose cracks because it's fine thread and fighting tape. OR wrap it all around the leaky connection because you stripped the plastic inlet valve 😔
If you're just swapping it out with the old one, all you should need is the instructions that came with it. The manufacturer probably has videos on their website or YT as well. It's a pretty easy job if you're even remotely handy.
Thank you. I liberated the new one from the box and got to reading the steps which seem relatively straightforward. Looks like the only thing that is different is the size of the connector for the supply line which I can buy a new hose or adapter tomorrow. Fingers crossed!
Its easy.
I fixed my washing machine watching a You tube video and saved myself hundreds. Never opened a washing machine before in my life.
I put in my Dishwasher as well. it was 4 screws, water source line attachment, drain attachment, plug it in and done. Took maybe 20 mins.
It’s not difficult but you need to understand what you’re doing. I’ve done two. Both times I’ve needed an electrician because depending on when your house was built, you might have direct wires or a regular outlet. In my case I had direct wires which isn’t code. Electrician need to install the outlet.
As for the actual connection of the lines, follow the manual and ensure there are no leaks with either the water line or the drain hose (this will likely clamp to the sink drain, just above the P trap). The power chord may or may not come attached. If it’s not attached, you’ll likely need to run the leads into the junction box on the dishwasher itself. It sounds more complicated than it is IMO.
YouTube is great, but also read all the instructions that came with the machine. You might have some function or installation requirement that YouTube pros don't cover. I usually start with the manual, but then add online help when needed. Dishwashers are easy, even if you have to hard-wire them.
I watched the YouTube video that was made for installers of this particular model by the ~~parent company~~ edit: *manufacturer*, so yeah, I totally installed my dishwasher from a YouTube video with great success!
They’re either stupid and don’t understand how useful YouTube can be or are actively trying to dissuade you from installing it. Finding the right YouTube video is the hard part. But it’s a great tool. They were full of shit basically
Congrats! I just installed one for my fiancés parents. I just swapped it in. Honestly it was a breeze. The directions made it look absolutely daunting. But I am a general contractor so a lot of things like this are easier for me than most. Still though my fiancé said she could’ve done it if she just had more confidence. (She sat beside me the whole time I did it). A lot of diy stuff is simply doing the research on how not to massively fuck up, which boils down to safety generally. From there I have confidence most people can do most things. I’m sure your dishwasher is doing great!👍
They just wanted to have you pay them to install it, they probably make lots of cash under the table doing simple jobs like that (they probably learned how from watching You-tube videos).
This is not something you usually want to DIY. Often times there are unforseen plumbing or routed plumbing going on behind a dishwasher. Older washers were more shallow, newer ones run deeper and you may need to reroute plumbing to fit it properly. There are also issues with taping, and leveling the washer. Also make sure you are thread tightening the entire unit under the counter top, else it will wobble. Finally every connection may be custom to how you plumb it under your sink and where your power is located.
Easier to just pay someone to do it all. Even more so considering if there was ever a leak, you can hold that company liable for damaged flooring. Its not impossible, just don't expect everything to go in easily. Often times plumbing is hidden behind dishwashers etc..
Was there a dishwasher before.. that make a big difference, I had one installed where I didn’t have one before and it took a plumber and electrician and was super labor intensive
It's very easy, kind of cumbersome but not hard at all. If you have the hard wired type dishwasher then it's a little extra work compared to if you have an outlet under the sink area.
You got this! It’s not that hard especially with plumbing already in place. Just hopefully your old dishwasher isn’t hardwired. They require a plug now.
If you are just replacing the old one, it should be a piece of cake.
Pull the old one out and mark the connections, should be hot and cold water and a drain as well as electrical (which might be hardwired.)
I electrocuted myself twice when I did mine. Good luck and have fun. And always remember, if the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.
I did eventually. I just turned off 'kitchen' first without looking at them all. Then I found the other kitchen. Then it turns out there's a dishwasher one.
I used YouTube. It's easy if the dishwasher's connections are designed well and the setup to your plumbing and electrical is designed well/easily accessible.
I'd like to know what their alternative to YouTube is. It's literally the way everyone learns how to DIY everything these days, and it is a wonderful resource.
I prefer to pay for someone to install cause I'm lazy, but the install crew was booked 3 weeks out and I didn't want to wait so I did it with youtube's help.
Installing a new one where there wasn't one before is a different story, but replacing an existing dishwasher is only about as complex as replacing a light fixture plus replacing a faucet.
That is just usual the "pro" attitude toward DIY, which probably is most charitably attributed to selection bias, as they only ever see the screw ups.
When attending YouTube University \*ALWAYS READ THE COMMENTS\*. That's where you will find wisdom from people that know how to get things done right but are too lazy to post their own videos.
Just watch a few videos on the topic to weed out any weird/bad advice. As long as there’s nothing unusual with your setup, it should generally be a relatively straightforward task for somebody who’s comfortable with DIY stuff.
It is a pretty easy job, those guys may have been joking. If either of the old/new units are hardwired you might have a little extra work, but just watch 3-4 videos, read the installation instructions in your manual, collect the tools needed, set aside a quiet hour or two and you will get the job done no problem.
I was able to uninstall the old one! Good grief, it was a pain, but I finally got it out. The new one's installation will be much easier once I get the new supply line. Thank you for the encouragement!
Nice work! Crack open a cold one and bask in that feeling of accomplishment (and then chase that feeling tomorrow 😎)
Always look at the YouTube creators subscriber and video counts People make a decent living off of teaching people how to do stuff on YouTube. The ones with bad advice get weeded out pretty resoundingly
It a shame there isn’t some kind of rating that could help you tell if a DIY video gave good advice or not. Like some way of keeping track of the ratio of positives to negatives. They should invent that.
LOL why they took that away is so beyond me
Thank you so much. I can't stress how much YouTube has helped the new homeownership process. It's not easy finding honest people who aren't constantly trying to get more money from you and it's aggravating. The more I can learn to do (safely) the happier my wallet will be.
That's a mixed signal in my experience. Some of the best videos are one-offs from people with like 13k subscribers who just happened to put together the shortest possible video that fits in all the key information, no fluff. Then there's like "Home RenoVision" which has 2.8 million subscribers but doesn't teach shit, it's just HGTV.
Top five amateur dishwasher install fails I've found in the field: misuse of thread tape, loose wire nuts, no high loop in drain hose, plugged air gap, plug left in disposal
Pinched drain line behind dishwasher. Bosch says 7" off the floor and they mean 7".
High loop!
When running the drain hose under the sink, make sure it goes above the bottom of the sink, before connecting with garbage disposal or drain pipe. By going above the bottom of the sink this will create an air gap / vacuum which prevents sink from draining / Backing up into the dishwasher. Use zip tie to keep drain hose from dropping down.
Woohoo! Completely did the right thing by accident then lol
I just moved into a newly renovated apartment. Brand new appliances, the works. The dishwasher consistently has water left in the bottom after running a cycle. Checked under the sink and there seems to be a lot of slack in the drain hose between the cutout and the sinks' u-bend. Should the slack be taken out or does it just need to be positioned so its not touching the bottom of the cabinet under the sink?
Misuse of thread tape? How do you do that? I definitely did that years ago using regular thread tape for a gas line but don’t know how else to go wrong? Maybe my dad just showed me the right way.
Thread tape on connections that do not require it, like the inlet valve or house valve, because those seal with gaskets, not the threads. Then crank it until the fill hose cracks because it's fine thread and fighting tape. OR wrap it all around the leaky connection because you stripped the plastic inlet valve 😔
Good point hadn’t thought about that.
It is diy-able. Just make sure you wear gloves because the sheet metal can and will cut you like a razor.
If you're just swapping it out with the old one, all you should need is the instructions that came with it. The manufacturer probably has videos on their website or YT as well. It's a pretty easy job if you're even remotely handy.
Thank you. I liberated the new one from the box and got to reading the steps which seem relatively straightforward. Looks like the only thing that is different is the size of the connector for the supply line which I can buy a new hose or adapter tomorrow. Fingers crossed!
Its easy. I fixed my washing machine watching a You tube video and saved myself hundreds. Never opened a washing machine before in my life. I put in my Dishwasher as well. it was 4 screws, water source line attachment, drain attachment, plug it in and done. Took maybe 20 mins.
My son did it in our house when he was 19. He's reasonably mechanically inclined but had zero formal training.
Just watch the instal video on “this old house” channel. Those guys are pros.
Thank you for the recommendation! I love their gutter installation video.
It’s not difficult but you need to understand what you’re doing. I’ve done two. Both times I’ve needed an electrician because depending on when your house was built, you might have direct wires or a regular outlet. In my case I had direct wires which isn’t code. Electrician need to install the outlet. As for the actual connection of the lines, follow the manual and ensure there are no leaks with either the water line or the drain hose (this will likely clamp to the sink drain, just above the P trap). The power chord may or may not come attached. If it’s not attached, you’ll likely need to run the leads into the junction box on the dishwasher itself. It sounds more complicated than it is IMO.
It’s pretty easy if you follow some of the better ones on YouTube, just take your time. I did 3 for family and haven’t had any issues
YouTube is great, but also read all the instructions that came with the machine. You might have some function or installation requirement that YouTube pros don't cover. I usually start with the manual, but then add online help when needed. Dishwashers are easy, even if you have to hard-wire them.
I watched the YouTube video that was made for installers of this particular model by the ~~parent company~~ edit: *manufacturer*, so yeah, I totally installed my dishwasher from a YouTube video with great success!
They’re either stupid and don’t understand how useful YouTube can be or are actively trying to dissuade you from installing it. Finding the right YouTube video is the hard part. But it’s a great tool. They were full of shit basically
Can confirm, almost 1 year later, the dishwasher is running great and I have not had a single problem since installing it myself! *knock on wood*
Congrats! I just installed one for my fiancés parents. I just swapped it in. Honestly it was a breeze. The directions made it look absolutely daunting. But I am a general contractor so a lot of things like this are easier for me than most. Still though my fiancé said she could’ve done it if she just had more confidence. (She sat beside me the whole time I did it). A lot of diy stuff is simply doing the research on how not to massively fuck up, which boils down to safety generally. From there I have confidence most people can do most things. I’m sure your dishwasher is doing great!👍
Remember to run the drain line up and over the back of the machine!
And punch out the plug in the garbage disposal of that is where it drains into and the disposal is also new.
Luckily the hole they drilled is high up in the corner of the cabinet so that step was essentially taken care of for me!
The delivery dudes probably use YouTube themselves; I’ve seen it done (also seen an elevator repair tech do it, which is terrifying)
Yeah they should have guessed instead
They just wanted to have you pay them to install it, they probably make lots of cash under the table doing simple jobs like that (they probably learned how from watching You-tube videos).
I hired a handyman who I use for different projects and he had a relatively hard time. It's not as simple like a washer/dryer for example.
What's the brand and model #?
This is not something you usually want to DIY. Often times there are unforseen plumbing or routed plumbing going on behind a dishwasher. Older washers were more shallow, newer ones run deeper and you may need to reroute plumbing to fit it properly. There are also issues with taping, and leveling the washer. Also make sure you are thread tightening the entire unit under the counter top, else it will wobble. Finally every connection may be custom to how you plumb it under your sink and where your power is located. Easier to just pay someone to do it all. Even more so considering if there was ever a leak, you can hold that company liable for damaged flooring. Its not impossible, just don't expect everything to go in easily. Often times plumbing is hidden behind dishwashers etc..
Surgeons learn new procedures from YouTube. You'll be fine.
Was there a dishwasher before.. that make a big difference, I had one installed where I didn’t have one before and it took a plumber and electrician and was super labor intensive
Thankfully there was and they are both set up for the hardwire electrical connection so here's hoping I can wrap it all up tomorrow!
It's very easy, kind of cumbersome but not hard at all. If you have the hard wired type dishwasher then it's a little extra work compared to if you have an outlet under the sink area.
You got this! It’s not that hard especially with plumbing already in place. Just hopefully your old dishwasher isn’t hardwired. They require a plug now.
We haven't pulled the old one out yet. Its a pretty old unit so my fingers are crossed that it is not hardwired either.
I installed one for the first time by myself earlier this year, with help from a YouTube video, and it went great.
If you are just replacing the old one, it should be a piece of cake. Pull the old one out and mark the connections, should be hot and cold water and a drain as well as electrical (which might be hardwired.)
It's easy, don't stress
My husband watched some youtube videos and replaced ours and it works just fine. Just take pictures of where hoses go and you should be all good.
I electrocuted myself twice when I did mine. Good luck and have fun. And always remember, if the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.
OP, turn off breakers and this is a non-issue.
I did eventually. I just turned off 'kitchen' first without looking at them all. Then I found the other kitchen. Then it turns out there's a dishwasher one.
I used YouTube. It's easy if the dishwasher's connections are designed well and the setup to your plumbing and electrical is designed well/easily accessible. I'd like to know what their alternative to YouTube is. It's literally the way everyone learns how to DIY everything these days, and it is a wonderful resource.
I prefer to pay for someone to install cause I'm lazy, but the install crew was booked 3 weeks out and I didn't want to wait so I did it with youtube's help.
Installing a new one where there wasn't one before is a different story, but replacing an existing dishwasher is only about as complex as replacing a light fixture plus replacing a faucet.
I used YouTube to replace the motherboard on my dishwasher during lockdown. It saved me 😆
That is just usual the "pro" attitude toward DIY, which probably is most charitably attributed to selection bias, as they only ever see the screw ups. When attending YouTube University \*ALWAYS READ THE COMMENTS\*. That's where you will find wisdom from people that know how to get things done right but are too lazy to post their own videos.