Why does nobody talk about water hammer arrestors on commercial dishwashers?

I keep seeing guys install commercial dishwashers without arrestors and it drives me nuts. Last month I was at a diner in Cleveland where the pipes were banging so loud during rinse cycles you could hear it in the dining room. The installer told me they skip arrestors because they cost $40 and take 10 minutes to put in. But I've seen a 3-inch copper line blow apart from the hammering over time. That repair cost the restaurant $600 and shut down their kitchen for two days. Has anyone else had to deal with a call back because a client insisted on skipping the arrestor?

3 comments

3 Comments

reese_singh8723d ago

Yeah that part about it being "cheap insurance against hundreds in repairs" really hit me. I used to be one of those guys who thought it was just an upsell or unnecessary, especially on smaller machines. But after seeing a couple of solenoid coils go bad on dishwashers I installed without arrestors, I started paying attention. The worst was a big triple-rack unit where the water hammer actually cracked a fitting inside the machine after about 18 months, and the customer was livid. That was a $700 repair and I had to eat the labor because I was the one who skipped the part. So yeah, I changed my tune pretty quick after that. Now I won't even finish an install without one, I just quote it in the price upfront and call it mandatory.

ruby56121d ago

Is it just me or does this same mindset apply to so many things in life now - people skipping the small stuff until it costs them way more down the line? Tbh I see it everywhere, like folks not changing their furnace filters and then needing a whole new HVAC system, or ignoring weird car sounds until the transmission blows. Ngl we all get busy and think we're saving a few bucks, but those 40 dollar arrestors or 20 dollar filters end up saving you from a real headache later.

sammurray23d ago

Read a report from some engineering firm that tested water hammer arrestors on commercial dishwashers, and they said skipping them cuts equipment lifespan by like 30% on average. The constant hammering wears out valves and solenoid coils way faster, which is why you see guys replacing those parts every year instead of every few years. At $40 per arrestor, it's basically cheap insurance against hundreds in repairs and a pissed off client whose kitchen is down for two days. Installers who skip them are just kicking the problem down the road to whoever takes the next service call.