Like "Windy" said, You can put the air switch anywhere you want. We did not want more holes in granite so ours is mounted in the cabinet below the sink, on the opposite side of the disposal.

Gary

Thanks breezygirl and Gary! Drilling holes in the granite definitely scares me!

@Gary

Isn't the air switch the one that spits out the overflow water from the dishwasher? - that can be put inside the cabinet? Sorry if this dumb of me not to understand.

Could you please explain? Thanks.

I have an air switch and I think it would be great on the right. Are you right handed? Which hand do you think you'll be scraping the plate with and holding the plate with? Mock it up :) it helps!

@PK Air gap is the dishwasher apparatus that can be eliminated with a high loop.

An air switch controls the disposal.

pk66 - not a dumb question. I had one of those air gap thingies for 37 years and never actually knew what it was until recently. Thanks to GW, I learned that CA is one of the few states that actually require them by code, but if you do the simple high loop to the plumbing, you don't functionally need one at all. Needless to say, I was delighted to get that yukky thing off my sink. I also learned about air switches here. Amazing what you can learn!

If it helps...I did just that. Actually, mine is even more "off". We have a 2-bowl sink with the GD in the left bowl. But, the air switch is in the far corner of the right bowl. It has never been an issue.

You can put the switch wherever you want. It is literally just connected with a little piece of poly tubing that runs between the controller and the switch. Very simple and easy to run around any obstacles.

Thanks everyone! I get it now - we are talking about two different things - AirSwitch(garbage disposal) and AirGap (dishwasher overflow)

We live in CA and if we don't have the airgap - it won't pass inspection - I was told. I will stop by the city office and ask them if I do the "high loop" to plumbing and eliminate it - if they will pass inspection. Don't exactly know what the "high loop" thingy is, but hopefully they will understand and won't ask me to explain it!!!!

PK--Accccctuuualllllyyyy........Don't tell anyone I told you this. You *can* do what many of us here have done to avoid the air gap. Put in the hideous air gap. Pass inspection. Then have your plumber replace the air gap with your soap dispenser. Soap dispenser and air gap fit in the same size hole.

I'm in the middle of doing this. Air gap is in. Once my slow-as-molasses electrician finally finishings wiring my island, I'll have my final inspection. When the inspector walks out the door, I'll call the plumber back to put my soap dispenser in. The theory goes somethng like most modern DWs have a safety or something built-in that serves the function that the required air gap used to. Every plumber (7-8) I talked to during my whole house reno said the routinely do this for customers who didn't want the gap.

Just another option for you. Good luck!

My garbage disposal is in the left sink and the air switch that operates it is on the right side of the sink. I'm right-handed, so I wanted the switch where it was natural to hit it. You can install your air switch wherever you want it. I've been using mine for 6+ years, and just love the air switch! My first one, ever.

@breezygirl - my neighbor just told me the same thing!!! but I don't want a soap dispenser - can I change the airgap with an airswitch after the inspection?

Thanks everyone, air switch is in!

And looking good!

Thanks suzannesl :)

@pk66 - you probably can replace with an air switch, just make sure you have the right size hole for the air switch. My ISE air switch required a 1-1/4 hole.

PK66--as far as replacing the air gap hole with an air switch after the fact, I'll tell you what my plumber told me. He said that an inspector will usually look for the GD switch at inspection. If he doesn't see the switch properly wired, whether wall or air, and find it working, you won't pass. YMMV of course, but I think a soap dispsener is the only replacement you can use for an air gap. My soap dispenser, the air gap, and the air switch all fit in the same size hole.

I LOVE having a soap dispenser, btw. No freestanding hand soap container knocking around getting gunky and leaving a soap ring on the counter. And even if I was on the fence about one, I'd take a functional soap dispenser over an ugly air gap any day of the week. :)

Jane--looks great! Must feel good to have another decision behind you.

Thanks breezygirl! It DOES feel good to have another decision behind me, just made final decision on kitchen backsplash/grout last night, now on to pulls and knobs :)

And thanks breezygirl for clarifying that with pk66...sorry pk66 for my misinformation, air gaps aren't required where I live so I shouldn't have tried to answer your question :)

Thanks everyone for bring me up to speed!

All holes are the same as per my appliance guy for the soap dispenser, air switch, air gap and the flitration mini faucet. So maybe I'll switch the air gap out with the flitration faucet system after the inspection!

The only reason I'm not completely sold on the soap dispenser is because currently I have two bottles one for dish soap and one for hand soap - so I need two dispensers - and with one dispenser I will still have one bottle out - so I figured I'll just have the bottles in my deep Blanco sink - no one will notice!. Another reason is my neighbor says that the dispenser clogs up - so she doesn't use it anymore. So...

Most of us here never have problems with our soap dispensers. I've had one for more than 10 years without problems. How about using one soap for both hands and soap? Then you wouldn't have two dispensers. And again, MHO, but one dispenser on the counter is better than two.

Ok will seriously think about getting one.