In this day and age, we rely on our dishwashers heavily. While it is relatively easy to hand wash a few dishes, the convenience and efficiency of being able to wash multiple dishes at once is hard to beat. That’s why when your dishwasher is having issues or isn’t functioning how it should, it’s hard to ignore. A well maintained dishwasher is expected to last for about 10 years. Here are some common issues that you may encounter with your dishwasher.
Dishwasher won’t start
If your dishwasher doesn’t want to start, then the first thing you should do is check the door and make sure that it is closing all the way. Most dishwashers won’t start if the door is not closed all the way. Carefully check to see if anything is blocking the door or keeping it from closing. You’ll also want to take a look at the latch. If the latch is damaged or no longer keeping the door closed, then that’s probably why the dishwasher can’t run.Â
Dishwasher is leaking
Leaks are never a good sign, especially not for a dishwasher. A dishwasher could be leaking for a number of different reasons. Again, check to make sure there is nothing stuck in the door like utensils or food waste that is keeping the door open. Another reason for a leak could be due to a crack in the gasket or even the door itself. Something that is uncommon, but that has been known to happen is if your dishwashers float switch is stuck. Float switches monitor the water level inside of the dishwasher and if it’s stuck in the wrong position, it can cause water to overflow and leak.Â
Dishes come out dirty
Do your dishes still have food residue stuck to them after a full wash cycle? Is the detergent not being rinsed off completely or are there water spots on every dish? If food is left behind on your dishes, then there could be something blocking a sensor or the sprayer. The culprit could be a piece of food or even how you load the dishes into the dishwasher. Excess soap residue or water spots could be caused by the water in your dishwasher staying on the dishes for longer than needed. Or, if your water is too hard, that can also lead to residue being left behind. You can look into adding water softeners or rinse aids to fix this issue, but if they don’t work, then there could be a deeper issue.Â
These are all common issues that you may experience with your dishwasher and as you can see, there’s more than one reason why it might be acting up. There are methods that you can try at home in order to fix your dishwasher, but if the issue is more involved like a clog that’s developed deep inside your water lines, then it’s best to have professional plumbers inspect your dishwasher. Trusted Plumbing & Heating are well equipped when it comes to diagnosing dishwasher related plumbing issues. If your West Seattle dishwasher has an issue with draining or with it’s water line, Trusted Plumbing & Heating can help. Call (425) 333-2559 today!