granolamom, for the moment pay no attention to the previous post: it deals with advanced level topics. To figure out what you have, first, please report back after you go look underneath the kitchen sink. The sink strainer / drain puts water into a big pipe. Is there any other (small) pipe combined with this big pipe? Look for this prior to the P trap. Upstream from the P trap. If you don't know what a P trap is, web search " P trap". Another good term to web search is "trap arm" just so you know what it is. Another good term to web search is "drain tailpiece" just so you know what it is. Another good term to web search is "dishwasher Tee" just so you know what it is. Another good term to web search is "dishwasher Wye" just so you know what it is. Add more terms if you like, and post again to report your findings. The dishwasher hose is connected to something. Sooner or later you will find that hose and see what it's connected to. Hth

A high loop is really easy - you take the drain hose that comes out of the DW and loop it before you attach it to the drain (make sure the loop is above the drain). You might need a little duct tape to hold in place but it's no big deal and doesn't involve any expense. Alternatively you can install an air gap but that does involve expense to drill and extra hold in your countertop and the purchase and installation of the air gap. Miele's have some kind of valve that precludes the need for an air gap or high loop but I don't know if any other brands do. I'm sure someone else on the forum can post a picture of a high loop for you.

yes. yes to the way it's described above. however, for newbies: it is good to describe the water that remains in the hose after each drain cycle as Not trapped in any way. The hose starts its life at a low-down drain point. Deciding at what point in the line it will go high (and far higher than its connection point to the sink drain) is the question. There will always be water left in the hose, at all times. This is desirable, normal, and necessary. You cannot have a DW hose empty of water. Standing water is always there. It's also good to spell out clearly for newbies that no DW hose needs to be "drained as much as possible". It's also good to spell out clearly for newbies not to fear "water in the line which may stink if not used regularly" --- and besides, all DW hoses have water in them at all times. So I tend to think there may not be much knowledge behind that post. The word "tailpiece" is another clue: it's the wrong term, as the tailpiece is the first piece of horizontal pipe downstream of the P trap (part of the P trap), and that is absolutely not where the DW connection is made. DWs are connected above the P trap. Hope this helps. Fear not. Whether your hose goes high early in the line, halfway, or at the end. Eight feet length of hose is a medium long hose. Ten and twelve feet length have been seen before. That is long. Call the DW manufacturer if you want their advice about this question. "How long can the hose be before it goes high?" "Is it better to loop high at the end or right away at the DW?" Different DW manufacturers give different answers. There may ultimately be determined in this forum a "correct way to go" but I wouldn't wait for any group consensus or decision on anything called correctness. In any case, as mentioned above, holes are easy to cut, will not be seen and will not interfere with anything. There is space for the hose. It does no harm being there. You can choose the route it shall take. h.t.h.

lazypup: Yes, I understand that and unless they say "No, you must not put a high loop in" (highly unlikely), there isn't an issue because one is going in regardless. I just want it in writing from their Tech Support so something stupid doesn't happen down the line (eg, "The reason your pump went is you have a high loop which goes against installation directions."). hollysprings: We originally were concerned about the placement, but realized it was a non-issue after living with a mockup for four months. Because this is part of a peninsula, even though it is moving two cabinets away, it is effectively only one cabinet away and still within the National Kitchen & Bath Association planning guidelines for dishwasher placement (Locate nearest edge of the primary dishwasher within 36" of the nearest edge of a cleanup/prep sink.). Furthermore, where one would stand when unloading puts virtually no additional path for water to drip beyond where it would when the unit was next to the sink. There is ZERO additional floor exposure for drips and about 2 sq ft additional countertop exposure ... a countertop that would have been wiped down anyway after doing dishes.