While dishwashers are considered luxuries in many parts of the world, in the United States they are standard in most modern residential buildings. New homeowners prefer dishwashers because of their convenience and energy efficiency features. Moreover, consumers can house the dishes throughout the day and only run the dishwasher once since they are built for larger capacities. Here are a few things that consumers should consider before buying a dishwasher model.
Size And Capacity: Compact Or Standard Models
One of the first things you need to decide before buying is size and capacity because most homes are pre-built with space for dishwashers. Have you measured the height, depth, and width yet in your home? Failure to do this step will result in either a gap or the need to return the dishwasher or incur the cost of having the space modified (which will be costly and highly inconvenient).
A compact dishwasher is available in 18 inches while standard models are 24 inches. What is the difference? A compact dishwasher is smaller, shorter, and narrower than the compact version which is available in 24x24x35 dimensions. If you are replacing your dishwasher, you must also consider the flooring as older homes often have original floorboards that have been covered.
An eighteen-inch dishwasher is perfectly designed for smaller kitchens that feed one to four people. The standard size is much more beneficial for larger families with more than six people in the household as it will hold up to fourteen place settings in each washing. If you are a newly married couple or have dinner guests, you might want the standard dishwasher over the compact.
Dishwasher Installation Issues
You should also consider any complications you will encounter during installation as you may need to buy accessories like side brackets or take extra precautions to safeguard costly countertops like stone or granite. While you can install a dishwasher as a DIY project, you need to have the right tools and experience to do so correctly. You may want to hire a professional.
Not only do professionals lift the heavy machinery for you, but we also fit the dishwasher accurately and secure it into its proper place. Not only will a professional installation extend the shelf life of your dishwasher, but it will lessen the need for costly repairs. Our techs also come prepared with the proper tools which make the installation process easier to accomplish.
- If you decide to make this a DIY project, ensure you have a drill, various screwdriver sizes, pliers, a tube cutter, an adjustable wrench, a tube bender, a level, and a spade bit.
- You need to have experience making residential wiring or plumbing modifications.
- You need cabinetry experience if you are installing a brand-new dishwasher hook-up.
It is also a good idea to hire a professional dishwasher installer when you are moving to another location or remodeling your kitchen as you will need plumbing or electrical work completed.
Before buying a new dishwasher, you can call us at 781-953-9600 for a pre-install or a new installation consultation or contact us on Facebook where we will answer any of your questions.