Should You Install A Dishwasher?

If you’re planning some kitchen and bath remodeling and you live in an older home, one addition you may be thinking of adding to the kitchen is a dishwasher. While not strictly necessary, many people now have dishwashers in their homes, with about 68% of American homeowners having one in the kitchen. Is it worth added investment for you? There are two big points to consider when adding a dishwasher during your kitchen and bath remodeling.

More Efficiency

When used as directed, dishwashers actually save homeowners much more water per month than washing dishes. There are two reasons for this. Dishwashers have their own internal heater to bring the water temperature up to a much higher temperature than a faucet, and this hotter water results in easier cleaning action.

This also subsequently requires less water to use. However, it’s important to remember the water savings only come with practices such as using the dishwasher only when full and scraping off leftover food, rather than “pre-rinsing” before putting them in the dishwasher, which adds up to 20 gallons of water use all by itself if pre-rinsing is excessive.

Less Space

Depending on your kitchen needs, this may be a deal breaker. A full-sized, fully installed dishwasher will, at minimum, take up space that could have gone to a cabinet. If you prioritize having lots of cabinet space, you may be unwilling to give it up for a dedicated dishwasher.

There’s also the additional financial consideration that you pay for what you save in water usage—at least with modern dishwashers—in electricity. You also won’t want to take a chance with wooden or crystal items. These should be hand washed, as high heat and dishwashing detergent may be too harsh.

However, for many, the presence of a dishwasher is a big convenience, and it adds more value and sales appeal to a property. If you’d like to do kitchen and bath remodeling, including installing a dishwasher, contact us today.