You finish loading the dishwasher, hit start, and walk away — only to come back an hour later to a puddle of dirty water sitting at the bottom. Not draining properly? You’re not alone. In Sacramento, we see this problem almost every week.

As someone who installs and services dishwashers regularly, I’ll tell you: the issue isn’t always with the appliance itself. Let me walk you through what we actually check first — and why dishwasher installation in Sacramento matters more than people think.

First Things First: It’s Not Always the Dishwasher’s Fault

When a dishwasher won’t drain, most homeowners assume the unit is broken. But in many cases, the real problem is how it was connected — especially if the install was rushed or done by a handyman instead of a licensed plumber.

Here’s what we check:

• Clogged or kinked drain hose
  Sometimes it’s as simple as the hose behind your dishwasher being bent too sharply or plugged with grease.
• No high loop or air gap
  A proper dishwasher drain needs either a high loop under the sink or an air gap (that little silver cap next to your faucet). Without one, dirty sink water can flow backward into the dishwasher — and that means drainage problems.
• Improper garbage disposal connection
  If your dishwasher drains through the garbage disposal, a blocked disposal or missing knockout plug can prevent drainage entirely. We’ve seen new installs where that plug wasn’t even removed — meaning water has nowhere to go.

The Install Matters More Than You Think

You’d be surprised how often we’re called for a “broken dishwasher” that was never plumbed right in the first place. A clean, proper dishwasher installation in Sacramento solves more than one problem — including leaks, backups, and noise issues.

When we install, we always:

• Use new hoses (no reused parts from the old unit)
• Add a high loop or air gap based on local code
• Check for pressure balance and drainage slope
• Test everything before we leave

When It’s Actually the Machine

Of course, not every issue is plumbing-related. If we’ve ruled out the connection and plumbing, we’ll check:

• The dishwasher filter — gunked up filters stop water from draining
• The drain pump — if it’s humming but not moving water
• The float switch — if stuck, it can confuse the system
• Control board or sensor issues

We don’t just guess. We test, listen, and walk you through the actual issue — no mystery charges or jargon.

Let’s Get It Fixed — the Right Way

At Golden Valley Plumbing, we’ve handled dishwasher issues all over Sacramento — from Midtown bungalows to big homes in Folsom. If yours won’t drain, we’ll figure out why, and fix it at the source.

Whether that means a new line, a proper drain setup, or a full dishwasher installation in Sacramento, we’ve got it covered.

Give us a call — or book online. We’ll make sure your dishwasher actually does the one thing it’s supposed to: clean, then drain.