Draughts beneath plinth where dishwasher located

[newbie282]

Hi, a newbie here ! Tackling lots of jobs around the house & wanted advice on heat loss / ventilation. There's a strong draught coming through from beneath the integrated dishwasher. Kitchen fitters have cut a hole in the plinth beneath dishwasher, so that it can open. But it's letting draught in. 

 

 

 

We had a plumber around to get him to seal the small holes pipes running around dishwasher but he said that's not advisable? There are also fairly wide gaps where the walls meet the f on floor on 2 sides. He said they are best kept for ventilation? We have suspended flooring. He suggested closing the hole in the plinth rather than the source of the draughts, so that it is ventilated. 

 

A). I'm confused. Should I close the sources or just the hole in the plinth ? Is it right what he said about ventilation?

 

B). If the sources, how can I close them? Expanding foam? The holes are not easy to reach, which makes the job even more difficult. Plumber said he can't take dishwasher out as it's integrated.

 

C). Do the products need to be stuff that's safe to use around gas pipe & electrics?? if so, which are they? 

 

D).If the plinth is to be closed, how can I do that? The hole needs to be retained in some way, so we could pull the plinth out in future for any reason. There's not much surface area to drill a brush draught excluder. Any other products I could use ? 

 

Please see attached pics.

 

Any help much appreciated !

 

 

[MJNewton]

The plinth cutout is to prevent it fouling the dishwasher door. Without that hole most dishwashers couldn't be fully opened (or, if installed already open, couldn't be closed!).

 

I'd take the dishwasher out (integrated doesn't mean not removable!) and seal along the gaps at source with sealant (anything would do - silicone, caulk etc) or foam if large enough. Might you need to go under/behind other cupboards too?

[joe90]

1 hour ago, newbie282 said:

We had a plumber around to get him to seal the small holes pipes running around dishwasher but he said that's not advisable? There are also fairly wide gaps where the walls meet the f on floor on 2 sides. He said they are best kept for ventilation?

Rubbish, under the wooden flooring needs ventilation but not into the house, as said above seal floor to wall and other gaps, no way to fill that cut out as it’s needed for the door to open.

[newbie282]

Thank you all for your quick responses. Our plumber said there will be damp? If those holes are closed?  Guessing he's wrong from your answers. 

 

I didn't want to sort one issue & thereby start another issue.