Fitting a built-in refrigerator and dishwasher

By the time the cabinet boxes are set, the opening for the refrigerator is already fixed, and the tolerances at scottsdale kitchen remodelers michael burritt are tighter than the spec sheet suggests. A built-in appliance in a Scottsdale, AZ kitchen has to match its cabinet opening within a fraction of an inch, whether the house sits under Camelback Mountain or out near the McDowell Mountains.

Measuring the opening

The width, height and depth of the opening are measured at several points, because walls bow and floors slope. A panel-ready refrigerator needs room for its door swing, its hinge clearance and the ventilation gap above. The manufacturer's installation guide lists each dimension, and the cabinet maker works from that guide, not from a showroom photo. Older Scottsdale houses with slab floors settle unevenly, so the finished floor height matters, since a floor that rises by a half inch after tile eats the clearance beneath the unit.

Water supply and drain for the dishwasher

A dishwasher needs a hot water supply line and a drain connection under the sink. The drain has a high loop or an air gap to keep sink water from running back into the machine. The supply stop valve and the electrical box sit inside the adjacent cabinet, positioned so the appliance slides in without crushing either. Plumbing rough-in is marked on the floor plan before the wall is closed in Scottsdale, AZ kitchens as elsewhere.

Hard water in Scottsdale plumbing

Water in much of the Phoenix metropolitan area is hard, with a high mineral content that builds scale inside lines, valves and heating elements. Dishwashers and ice makers collect that scale. Water drawn from the Salt River system and from wells in Maricopa County carries minerals that show up as white crust on a faucet within months. Stainless braided supply lines with new, full-flow shutoff valves resist the build-up better than old compression valves, which tend to seize. A filter on the refrigerator water line catches grit before it reaches the solenoid, and replacing it on schedule protects the valve.

Clearances and ventilation

In the Sonoran Desert, a refrigerator in a garage or a hot kitchen works harder than the manual assumes. Refrigerators breathe through grilles and rear coils. A unit boxed in tightly with no gap at the top runs hot and cycles constantly, a real problem in a house where summer heat already works against the condenser. The side and top clearances in the guide are not suggestions. Dishwashers need a gap beneath the countertop so heat from the drying cycle does not damage the stone edge.

Setting the appliance

The refrigerator is leveled on its feet so the door closes by itself. The dishwasher is anchored to the underside of the counter or the side cabinet, not to the stone. Panels are fitted last, once the appliance is level and operating, and the water line is run for a few cycles to check every connection for a leak.