1F · Main floor · Coon Rapids & north metro
Dishwasher installation, drained the right way.
AP Plumbing installs and replaces dishwashers in Coon Rapids and 14 north-metro cities: the hot water supply and shutoff valve, the drain connection, and the backflow protection Minnesota code requires so sink water can’t siphon back into your dishwasher.
5.0 · 513 Google reviews
What you’re looking atA dishwasher hookup, start to drain
- Air gap
A countertop fitting that opens the drain line to air, so dirty sink water can’t siphon back into the dishwasher. Its FL mark must sit at or above the sink’s flood level.
- Drain hose
Minnesota code also allows a secured high loop under the counter instead of an air gap. Coon Rapids’ handout calls for an air gap or an indirect wye connection, so we follow the city’s rule.
- Disposal inlet
The dishwasher can drain into the disposal’s inlet. On a new disposal, the inlet’s knockout plug has to come out or the dishwasher can overflow.
- Supply line & shutoff
Code requires a shutoff valve ahead of every water-supplied appliance, so the dishwasher can be serviced without shutting off the house.
- Pump & sump
Pumps water out through the drain hose. Standing water after a cycle usually means a clog here, in the hose, or at the disposal inlet.
- Sink trap
The dishwasher drain has to join upstream of the disposal or into its inlet. Code bars connecting it on the disposal’s discharge side.
01The short answer
The drain connection is where installs go wrong.
In one paragraph
A dishwasher needs a hot water supply with its own shutoff, a drain connection and backflow protection: an air gap, or a high loop where the local code allows it. Coon Rapids requires a permit to replace a dishwasher, and its handout calls for an air gap or an indirect wye connection.
The water line is the easy part. What gets missed is the drain: connected below the disposal, with no air gap or high loop, or with the disposal’s knockout plug still in place. Each of those causes standing water, smells or an overflow.
What an install includes
- The old dishwasher out and the supply valve checked
- A new supply line, and a new shutoff valve if the old one is seized
- A drain connection with the backflow protection your city requires
- Leveled, secured and run through a test cycle to check for leaks
Worth knowing before you buy
ENERGY STAR says a certified dishwasher saves about 8,400 gallons of water a year compared with washing by hand and costs about $50 a year to run. Scraping is enough; pre-rinsing increases water and energy use.
02Symptoms
Dishwasher trouble that starts at the plumbing.
A lot of “broken dishwasher” calls are really drain or supply problems.
| What you notice | What it usually means | How soon to call |
|---|---|---|
| Standing water in the bottom after a cycle | A clogged filter or drain hose, or a blocked disposal inlet. | This week |
| Water on the floor in front | A door seal, a loose supply connection or a leaking drain hose. | Today |
| Dirty water backs into the dishwasher | Missing backflow protection: no air gap or high loop. | This week |
| Sink gurgles or backs up when it drains | A partial clog in the kitchen drain line. | This week |
| Won’t fill | A closed or failing supply valve, or a kinked supply line. | This week |
| A new dishwasher overflows on its first run | The disposal’s knockout plug was never removed. | Today |
03Minnesota field notes
The dishwasher rules inspectors check.
Rules and numbers that apply to homes here, each with its source.
Backflow
Air gap or loop
Minnesota code allows an approved air gap or a drain line run as high as possible under the counter and secured.
Source: Minnesota Rules 4714.0807
Coon Rapids rule
Air gap or wye
Coon Rapids’ handout requires the dishwasher to drain through an air gap or indirectly into a wye branch on the sink tailpiece.
Coon Rapids permits
Required
Coon Rapids lists dishwasher replacement among the plumbing jobs that require a permit.
Disposal hookup
Upstream only
A dishwasher drain may not connect to the tailpiece, continuous waste or trap on the discharge side of a disposer.
Water use
8,400 gal
An ENERGY STAR dishwasher saves about 8,400 gallons of water a year versus washing by hand, and costs about $50 a year to run.
Source: ENERGY STAR, Dishwashers
Local rebates
$150–$200
Fridley offered $150 for ENERGY STAR dishwashers and Ramsey up to $200 under its water efficiency program, as of October 2026.
Checked October 2026. Codes and city rules change; your permit office has the final word.
04Real work
Kitchen plumbing, done once.
Reconfigured drain pipes under my kitchen sink and installed new toilet. Very competent and personable. I highly recommend them.
Dennis L.Google review · Oct 2026
“We had an emergency water leak coming from our kitchen sink that went into our basement. We contacted them around 9:30 pm, and they came out same night. They found the problem immediately and fixed it same day.”
Alysa A. · Google review · Jun 2025
“Denis did an awesome job with replacing our garbage disposal. Everything was tested and he even replaced our second strainer after finding out that was leaking. Would highly recommend if you're looking for quality, honest plumbers.”
Kevin A. · Google review · Apr 2024
05Questions
Dishwashers questions, answered.
Straight answers, with the source when a rule or number is involved. Still not sure? Call and describe it.
QDoes a dishwasher need an air gap in Minnesota?
It needs backflow protection. Minnesota code allows either an approved air gap or a drain line run as high as possible under the countertop and secured. Some cities are stricter: Coon Rapids’ handout calls for an air gap or an indirect wye connection on the sink tailpiece.
Source: Minnesota Rules 4714.0807; City of Coon Rapids
QDo I need a permit to replace a dishwasher?
In Coon Rapids, yes. The city lists dishwasher replacement among the plumbing jobs that require a permit, along with water heaters, softeners and disposals. Check your own city’s rules; they vary.
Source: City of Coon Rapids, Residential Plumbing Requirements
QWhy is there standing water in my dishwasher?
Usually a clogged filter, a kinked or clogged drain hose, or a blocked disposal inlet. If you just installed a new disposal, the inlet’s knockout plug may still be in place. If the sink also drains slowly, the clog is in the kitchen drain line.
QCan a dishwasher drain into the garbage disposal?
Yes, through the disposal’s dishwasher inlet. On a new disposal, the inlet’s knockout plug must be removed first or the dishwasher can overflow. What code doesn’t allow is connecting the dishwasher on the disposal’s discharge side, downstream of it.
Source: InSinkErator manual; 2020 Minnesota Plumbing Code §419.2
QDoes a dishwasher use less water than washing by hand?
Yes. ENERGY STAR says a certified dishwasher saves about 8,400 gallons of water a year compared with washing by hand, uses less than half the energy, and costs about $50 a year to run. Scraping dishes is enough; pre-rinsing wastes water.
Source: ENERGY STAR, Dishwashers
06Related
Often the same visit. Often the same wall.
- 1FGarbage disposalsJammed, leaking or dead disposals repaired or replaced.
- YARDDrainsClogged sinks, tubs, floor drains and main sewer lines cleared.
- 2FFaucetsDripping or failing faucets, fixed or swapped, with new shutoff valves where needed.
- 2FBathroom & kitchen remodelingPermitted rough-in and finish plumbing for remodels.
- Coon Rapids
- Anoka
- Champlin
- Ramsey
- Andover
- Ham Lake
- Blaine
- Lexington
- Lino Lakes
- Spring Lake Park
- Mounds View
- Shoreview
- New Brighton
- Fridley
- Columbia Heights
Each city page has that city’s own water report numbers, permit rules and sewer-line responsibilities.
07Call us
Call the people who know your house inside out.
(612) 245‑7341Mon – Sat · 8 AM – 10 PM
- Hours
- Monday – Saturday, 8 AM – 10 PM · Sunday closed
- Address
- 12433 Uplander St NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55448
- Serving
- Coon Rapids and 14 north‑metro cities · see the map