As with all appliances, they sometimes need repairing if some features start failing. For those with no handyman skills, it’s far easier and faster to call an appliance repair service to handle the problem. Check with your local repair shops and also consider your utility company, as many of them have a repair service available for a monthly fee that covers a variety of appliances in your home, including dishwashers.
If you have handyman skills and have some inkling of how to fix a dishwasher, you can do several repair jobs yourself, too. Check to be sure all the plugs are in and tight, and the cords aren’t frayed. Check the water lines to be sure they aren’t plugged with hard water buildup, check for leaks, and loose connections.
Dishes that aren’t quite getting clean can be the result of hard water buildup, a lack of water or water pressure, or not enough soap (as well as a few other things). Consider putting in a water softener to remove the water stains, and also be sure to use a rinse agent such as Jet Dry to help with those water spots.
If dishes are being knocked over or broken, check the washer arm for cracks. You can fix the cracks with an epoxy cement. If that won’t hold, then you’ll need to replace the washer arm.
A common dishwasher repair problem is leakage. Generally, puddles under the dishwasher are caused by loose or broken connections in the inlet line. You can check this by first shutting off all power and water to the unit. Then remove the front lower panel to find the water valve and tighten it. Water leaking under the sink can be from a loose nut at the hot water shutoff valve. This can be tightened easily.
10 Simple Steps to Tune Up Your Dishwasher
Did you know you can do some preventative maintenance to keep your dishwasher running in tip-top shape and prolong the life of this valuable appliance? You would be well advised to follow these simple tips in order to save a bundle of money and lots of headaches with dishwasher repair.
Ever had your dishwasher fail during a holiday? It isn’t fun. Trying to get a service person out during a holiday is almost impossible. If you do, the price of the repair can exceed the cost of a new appliance.
To avoid this happening, here are a few simple suggestions to keep the dishwasher working at peak efficiency.
1. Clean the filter. If it is removable (check your manual), clean it in the kitchen sink using a light detergent and a soft brush. Most are not and will have to be cleaned while in the machine. Any major debris, such as toothpicks, pieces of plastic, or straws, should first be removed by hand. Do not allow them to escape – they could end up in the pump where further damage would result.
2. Check spray arms. The spray arms are the propeller-like things below each of the racks. Remove any debris from the holes in the spray arm. Debris here can cause the arms to slow down and give a poor wash. If arms appear cracked or worn, call for service. Also, spin the spray arms by hand. If they are noisy, vibrating, or wobbling, call for service.
3. Check spray nozzle. The bottom spray arm may have a nozzle sticking out of its centre. A spray nozzle will have holes at its tip. Treat the same as the spray arms in step #2. Remove debris from the holes. If nozzle parts appear cracked or worn, call for service.
4. Heating element. The element can be used for both heating the wash water and drying the dishes at the end of the cycle. Gently run your hand along its length. If it feels gritty, the element is probably covered with a calcium buildup. Clean it using a light detergent and a wet rag. Do this carefully to avoid the element becoming bent or dislodged from its supports.
5. Clean detergent dispenser. Open the dispenser door and clean out using a wet rag. Also, remove any detergent buildup in or around the dispenser body.
6. Clean door gasket. Gently clean the gasket surface using a wet The gasket should be soft and pliable. At the same time, close the dishwasher door a couple of times to ensure the door latch is closing smoothly. It should be snug yet easy to close. If the door latch is difficult to close, either the latch or the gasket may need replacement.
7. Check rack wheels. They should roll smoothly. If loose, wobbly, or binding, the wheels are probably coated with a detergent of calcium detergent. Remove the rack from the kitchen sink and clean it using a soft brush. Gently move the wheels back and forth until they turn freely. Do not lubricate.
8. Check water temperature. Many problems with dishwashers are due to low water temperature. Allow the dishwasher to fill with water and begin to wash. After a couple of minutes of washing, open the door. The water should produce a slight steaming effect. If not, your water temperature is probably too low. Most require 125 to 140 Degrees Fahrenheit to clean the dishes.
9. Check the detergent. Many dishwasher problems are caused by stale detergent. Dishwasher detergent is one of the few detergents with a shelf life. If the box appears swollen, hard, or if the detergent clumps, replace it with a fresh box. Stale detergent can lead to many problems, including leaking or flooding.
10. Do a test run. Operate the dishwasher through a full cycle with the heat-dry setting on. If everything appears to be functioning properly, give yourself a pat on the back.
Lastly, these simple steps should be done well before any holiday period. Allow at least a couple of weeks before it’s needed to test out these suggestions.
