Tips From the Pros for DIY Pittsburgh Dishwasher Replacement
It really can be amazing how professionals make what they do look so easy. Who hasn’t looked in the mirror while having their hair cut and styled and thought to themselves, hey, I can do that.
Then after giving themselves a haircut and looking in the mirror, they saw that their best efforts left their hair looking like it had been run through with a weed eater. Pittsburgh dishwasher replacement is very similar in this respect.
There’s a lot of moving parts and steps that have to be taken, and not knowing them means that you’ll have to learn them on the fly as a project unfolds. So keep on reading to pick up some hot tips the easy way. Or you can learn about common pitfalls the hard way during your DIY project.
How Much Does DIY Dishwasher Replacement Cost in Pittsburgh?
Of course, it’s going to cost more than you thought it would.
Before you start in with any DIY project, it’s good to know in rounded figures what it’s all going to cost. Is it less than you had initially estimated, or is the cost greater?
Knowing these simple facts will help you decide if it’s even worth doing it yourself. This is because, just like giving yourself a haircut, it may turn out that having an expert take on the job has the benefit of knowing that the final results will be more attractive.
So the first thing you may not have considered is the disposal of the dishwasher you plan on removing. You can’t just set it out on the curb. Instead, you’re going to have to take it to your local landfill, where you’re going to be hit with sticker shock.
This is because they charge extra for discarded home appliances, and that fee can run upwards to, and even over, one hundred dollars.
Do You Need Special Tools for Dishwasher Installation?
The truth is that all good quality tools are special.
Here again, you may have undershot the goalposts with your original estimation regarding tools needed for the job. So do you need special tools for dishwasher installation? The answer here is, of course, you do.
There’s a lot of moving parts on a dishwasher, and some of them are outside and are needed for removal and others for installation.
So the prase special tools has ambiguous meaning once you discover that a quality pair of pliers at your local hardware store will run you upwards of forty dollars. So here again is yet one more hidden cost that you need to factor into your estimation.
Don’t add them up yet, though, because there are still more numbers that are going to be added to the list.
Are There Problems With Installing a New Dishwasher in an Older Home?
Yes, there are potential problems, and you may be surprised by how many there can be.
If your plan revolves around installing a new dishwasher in an older home, it will be wise to scout out the lay of the land first. Virtually all the problems that come with a project like this revolve around one simple fact.
That fact is that many older homes if they are old enough, were built before people even started using dishwashers. They were in use, but just not in the numbers that they are now.
So the operative word here is retrofit. Retrofit means something has to be cut and fit for a specialized installation. So using your tape measure, you need to figure out where you can cut into your cabinets to fit or dishwasher in place.
But it doesn’t end there because you may also have to run wiring as well. Then something as simple as a sloping floor caused by a settling foundation can’t transfer up to become a problem installing a new dishwasher in an older home.
Can Dishwasher Installation Damage a Home?
The answer here is a resounding yes, and in more ways than you may have considered.
Referring back to the analogy of giving yourself a haircut, you may be surprised by how many things can go wrong during a DIY dishwasher installation project and leave your home damaged.
To start with, if you have laminate or vinyl flooring in your kitchen, you might be surprised to discover how easily and irreparably it can be damaged when you drag a heavy dishwasher across it. So pay careful attention when pulling an existing dishwasher out and then dragging it outside.
This is because all your anticipated savings can go up in smoke due to the cost of repairing the damage to your floor. Then after the project is complete, it’s not uncommon to discover a faulty water hose connection by waking up to a flooded kitchen.
So make sure that you have a large piece of cardboard to slide the old dishwasher on and also pay close attention to every connection made during the installation.
Should You Buy a Dishwasher Leak Pan for Dishwasher Installation in Pittsburgh?
The answer here is that you can do it now or wait until your dishwasher develops a leak and damages your kitchen.
Dishwashers are a lot like cars. The similarity here is that over time, given enough use, a vehicle will develop an oil leak. It may not be a significant leak, but small water leaks can be the worst type because over time, left undetected, they do the most damage.
A small gradual water leak is enough to cause dry rot, toxic mold, and termite problems. So by the time you discover it, you may also find out that there’s a hole in the floor. Also, black mold might be growing inside your kitchen walls behind your cabinets as a colony of termites has taken up residence.
So a dishwasher leak pan does two things. First, it will stop the water from soaking into your floor, and that’s good. What’s even better, though, is that because the water is retained, you’ll become aware of it early on.