Why Has My Dishwasher Stopped Working?
Almost 75 percent of American households have a dishwasher, and they are especially popular out here on the West Coast. Water conservation is a high priority here, and years of drought have made it important for everyone to conserve this resource.
A properly running, efficient dishwasher is a great way to ensure your dishes are hygienic using as little water as possible. When your dishwasher stops running, you need to get it back in working order quickly. Here are some basic troubleshooting tips.
Nothing works at all
If you aren’t getting any life at all out of your appliance, not even lights or beeps in the control panel, the problem may be electrical. Check that movement hasn’t jiggled the plug loose, that the outlet doesn’t need to be reset, and that the circuit breaker hasn’t tripped.
If none of those things are the issue, the problem could be with the door latch or switch. The dishwasher won’t start if the latch doesn’t catch. If that’s not the issue, there could be a problem with the electronics and you’ll need to start a Google search for “dishwasher repair Oakland.”
Things aren’t clean
If none of the dishes are coming out as clean as you like, there are a couple things you can try. First, make sure that you aren’t putting dishes in completely encrusted with dried food. Modern dishwashers don’t require you to rinse everything first, but if you let food dry out, you could still have problems.
Check the strain screen on your dishwasher and consider running some dishwasher cleaner through the machine. If you have really hard water, this can clog the spray arms eventually, so get a water softener and get the buildup cleaned off.
Dishes are spotty or streaked
This is also usually a hard water problem. If that’s the issue, you can get a water softener for the whole house or just for the dishwasher. There are also products you can buy that will mitigate the issue within the dishwasher.
You might also be able to fix the problem by running some white vinegar through the dishwasher. Just fill up the detergent dispenser with clear white vinegar and run one cycle without dishes. This may fix the issue and will definitely keep your dishwasher smelling sweet.
The appliance is leaking
This can cause a lot of damage to your kitchen or floor if it’s not stopped, so never let a leaking issue go on untreated for long. The most common cause of a leak is a seal issue or crack in the drainage hose. Thankfully, this is a fairly easy thing to replace.
If that’s not the issue, the problem could be a defective pump or a problem with the seals on the pump or door. You should be able to tell if the door seal is a problem by inspecting it closely. For the rest, you might need to call in a professional to have a look.
The dishwasher doesn’t fill or fills too much
If the dishwasher is not filling, check that the hot water valve under your kitchen sink hasn’t been accidentally turned off. The next thing to check is the appliance’s own water inlet valve. You should be able to tell if there’s a problem and replacing it is not terribly tricky.
In the bottom of your dishwasher is float that works a bit like the float in the back of your toilet tank. The float has to be able to move freely since it tells the dishwasher when to start filling and when stop. You can check this easily, and cleaning it out might be enough to fix the problem.
If none of these fixes work or if the problem is bigger, it’s probably time to call your local repair company and get help. To save water, not to mention time and angst, you need to get the issue fixed as quickly as possible.
