21 Sep Common Reasons Why Dishwashers Stop Working
Although dishwashers can be seen as a luxury, it is still not ideal to have one break or malfunction whenever you use it. Today we’ll let you know some of the most common ways dishwashers break and what you can do to prevent it from happening to you.
Leaving Food On Your Dishes
We all know the feeling of needing to pop on the dishwasher and throwing everything that fits in it to get it going, but not scraping food off your plate before putting them in the dishwasher is one of the ways issues can occur. If there is a lot of food waste, the food can get stuck in the drain hose of the dishwasher and can even breed harmful bacteria that further hinders the dishwasher’s capabilities.
Having a clogged hose or spray arm can lead to dishes not being washed properly as there isn’t enough flow in the system, it can cause a dirty filter and even flooding if dirty water is trapped and cannot drain. Older dishwashers have self-cleaning filters but many newer models have filters that need to be taken out and cleaned. To ensure you never have filter issues and a clogged dishwasher, make sure to always scrape your dishes or give them a light rinse prior to putting them in the dishwasher. We’d also recommend making sure you don’t overload the dishwasher as that can also increase the risk of it breaking and no longer washing your dishes properly.
Broken Detergent Dispenser
Your dishwasher may stop working properly if the detergent dispenser breaks. This can happen if the dispenser is broken in some way or can be stuck if the dispenser needs to be cleaned. Without the dispenser, the dishwasher is only washing your dishes with water as no detergent is being dispensed and explains why your dishes may not be washed properly. If you suspect the dispenser is stuck, perhaps due to a jammed spring or the dispenser being broken, let us know and we will be there on time to help!
Using Too Much Detergent
No matter what type of detergent you use; liquid or powder, you could certainly be using more than you need. Detergent is important for cleaning your dishes but if you have too much of it, it is another way that your dishwasher pumps can be clogged from a build up of residue. Pre-measured detergent packs are a great way to avoid this as you won’t need to use the tablet or pouch already pre-packed for you. Rinse aid is also a great tool to use in your dishwasher as it helps make your dishes cleaner and drier. We recommend using both detergent and rinse aid together when using your dishwasher. Rinse aid won’t clog up any pumps or pipes in the dishwashing system and instead encourages the water to flow and drain to stop bits from staying on your dishes despite your dishwasher’s efforts to wash them away.
Jammed Door/Door Latch
Sometimes dishwashers won’t start because the dishwasher doesn’t think it is actually closed properly. One of the likely culprits could be the door itself and the door latch. The dishwasher door may have issues if children or pets have walked over the door, perhaps people have tripped too many times over the door and this has caused damage to the door or the door latch itself. The dishwasher door sagging or looking crooked also may indicate that the door has bent or moved out of its ideal position at the hinge.
If the door latch is worn out or simply not working, then it’s best to contact a professional to fix or replace it so that your dishwasher can begin working again. At Arrive on Time, we don’t just pride ourselves on arriving to you on time but also to replace and repair your dishwasher as efficiently and effectively as possible.
We understand how frustrating it can be when appliances don’t work as expected and dishwashers are made to save you time and provide convenience so having an operating dishwasher in your household is ideal. Not only are we experts at dishwasher repair but we can also install and regularly service your dishwasher to ensure it’s always working properly and to prolong its service life. Contact us today if you’d like your dishwasher serviced, repaired or are considering getting a new one installed. We’ll be glad to help and we will certainly arrive on time!