I really like my airswitch for the disposal and had ordered a different cap for it so it would match my faucet. The package had multiple tops so this was not needed after all.

I am not sure what you mean by "air gap". We had our DW installed less than 2 years ago and this was not mentioned at all. It was also not mentioned by the plumber recently when reconnecting everything including the air switch.

I liked the air switch because it was one less switch to be on the wall.

See, the fact that people all over the world are fine without an air gap makes me think we don't need one. But...arrgh.

Love the air switch. Doesn't clutter the wall and is easier to reach. I have them on both sinks. Hate the air gap. I told my rough plumber to do a high loop. He, like he did with so many other things, screwed up and forgot. I put in an air gap in to pass inspection then switched for a soap dispenser. Now I have a Miele and don't need it any way. My state, lagging behind the times, is still strict with air gaps. If you can get away without one, i say do it! Those things are ugly!

Have had the air switch in last two kitchens and wouldn't do anything else now. As for the air gap, we have one because code requires it here, and I don't even notice it. It's chrome to match the faucet and air gap.

Air switches are really nice. Get one. Not the cheap one at Ace hardware--at least get an insinkerator one that isn't super plasticky.

Air gap caps are super easy to change. They pop off for cleaning so if you don't like it and want to get a nicer looking one, pop it off. No tools required. My old kitchen, preremodel, had a black Franke one. It was from the 80s and it was...errr...is one solid chunk of metal. I have it at my new house because I forgot to get a new one when I remodeled the old house and the one in my new house matched the house I was trying to sell and I swapped them to save a trip to the store and anyway the point is...

An air switch button is a commitment. Get a decent one. AN air GAP is a commitment but the part that shows isn't. You can get a new one every year if you want and installation takes less time than cleaning it.

I've seen these things mentioned before but didn't grasp it..so the air switch replaces the wall switch...hmmm..

Or you could get a batch-feed garbage disposal. I could barely reach our switch and didn't want to move it, so I got Insinkerator's Cover Control, which I found out about here on GW. It turns on by placing the magnetic cover into the drain opening and turning it.

Can someone tell me what an air gap is?

rahull - From wikipedia: "A common use of the term "air gap" in home plumbing refers to a fixture that provides back-flow prevention for an installed dishwasher. This "air gap" is seen above the countertop as a small cylindrical fixture mounted parallel with the faucet. Below the countertop, the drain pipe of the dishwasher feeds the "top" of the air gap, and the "bottom" of the air gap is plumbed into the sink drain below the basket, or into a garbage disposal unit. When installed and maintained properly, the air gap works as described above, and prevents drain water from the sink from backing up into the dishwasher, possibly contaminating dishes.[2] Water flowing from the fixture into the sink indicates a need for maintenance or repair.[3]"

(see image I posted above).

fori - Good point about the air gap cover being easily replaceable. And thanks for the tip that the insinkerator air switches aren't bad. That's what I was looking to hear.

may_flowers - thanks for the tip about the disposal, but our current one is about 10 months old could possibly be the only thing mechanical that's moving to the new kitchen.

breezy - same here with the state and thus the contractors statements. My DW will be a Miele and it's been explained to me that I really don't need one with it. But if the inspectors don't know and the contractors don't know...still undecided.

I've only heard of air gaps in CA. Never anywhere else I lived, and in none of those places did the dishwasher ever have any problems, at least not related to one of those things. I say if you're able to get it by the inspectors more power to you. If not, I guess it's a call to the granite place and $150 to add a hole.

Love the air switch. Last 2 kitchens with them. Next kitchen will have one come "hell or high water." worth $150 to me, but that seems like a crazy price to ask for a hole.

Your GC doesn't know?! Make him call/visit the permitting authority and ask. Give him the DW model and a copy of the install sheet (I think that's where Miele puts the info) explaining why how the Miele works negates the need for an air gap. Make him earn his money by finding this out for you since he should know. If he won't do it, go in yourself armed with the info. Write down what was told to you and by whom along with the date you visited. That way when inspection is done, you have back-up if inspector questions it. Sorry....I GC'd my whole house reno so I feel the homeowner is entitled to know the laws.

Side note: My municipality supposedly enforces the make-up air requirement, like most states do, for range hoods over 400cfm. I put in a 600cfm beauty and no one along the inspection path ever asked me about it at all, other than to admire it. I was a bit worried, but it turned out fine. I was really quite shocked at how little the final inspector looked around and enforced code. My island outlets weren't to code, but the inspector never once looked at them. It was a cursory 5 minute glance through my house, and he was gone. Long story short--your inspector might not even care about the air gap.

AIR GAP:

Cal_Quail -- it is a California thing. We love our regulations here, even the outdated ones.

I told my GC we were skipping this thing and he was to switch out for a soap dispenser after inspection. Thought it was odd request, but was fine with it. I don't think anyone else needs these things anymore since the invention of the loop thing. Somehow we are not reading about lots of flooded kitchens and cries of "I wish I had an air gap!" The last kitchen reno I did in 2009 in my last house I did not install an air gap and had no issues with the D/W (was not a big enough job so no permits). BTW, that nice looking one is pure highway robbery...what is the markup--1000%??

AIR SWITCH:

We are getting one. Sink and D/W are on the island so I otherwise have to reach down under the cabinet to activate the garbage disposal. I just chose the one with high ratings on Amazon.

This post was edited by ChrisInSD on Mon, Jul 7, 14 at 1:15

It's not just a California thing. I'm in Washington. It's a Washington thing, too.

Huh, weird. I lived there for 5 years too and never saw one at home (Seattle and Renton). That's not to say that whoever built the apartments and condos I was in were supposed to have a bump out above the countertop and didn't. It was around the last housing bubble.

is there a device that combines air gap and air switch in a single hole?

The thing I like best about an air switch is that with a wall switch, half the time when I am intending to turn on the light I hit the disposal switch my mistake. Air switch eliminates that possibility.

Plus if it's on an island the air switch is better looking than a regular light switch on the side of the cabinetry.

"is there a device that combines air gap and air switch in a single hole?"

An air gap os unnecessary with a properly installed DW. But if your local code requires it, do what most others do. Install it for the final inspection and after that,, replace with an air switch.

When you operate a light switch your hands are dry and clean usually. When you operate a disposal switch your hands are wet and gunky. Better to keep those hands in the sink, please:

Ironically, I had to buy and install that disposal switch. They claimed they didn't order three holes.