Talk to busy moms and dads and you will find that one of their favorite appliances (after the coffee maker) is their dishwasher, and who could blame them? While there are some people who actually enjoy washing dishes by hand, most do not. And, many families just don’t want to take the time to hand wash dishes. Plus, and this might be secondary for busy people, dishwashers save money by generally using less water and less water heating energy.

Owner maintenance tasks

Whatever the reason the dishwasher is an essential household tool; that fact means it’s really important to keep the dishwasher performing well and staying healthy. There are some maintenance tasks that will keep it running in your house:

Clean food screen. This is especially important if you don’t habitually remove the majority of food remnants before loading the dishwasher. Removing the screen and cleaning it occasionally will prevent it from getting clogged and obstructing water flow. Food collected at the screen can also result in odors that you don’t want.

Clean spray arm nozzles. The amount of lime, iron, and other minerals in water supplies varies by community. And, just like you see on shower heads and faucets, the minerals, including lime and calcium, can collect on the spray arm nozzles and clog them up.

Fight mold, mildew, and other odors. A closed wet environment is prime for mold, mildew, and other icky odors. Run he dishwasher through a heavy duty cycle with two cups of vinegar to clean it out.

Take these two proactive steps. First, take a moment to look at the rubber gaskets and wipe them down. If these fail, you will have leaks – no doubt about it. If you find a crack or evidence of wear, replace the gasket right away. Second, dishwashers should be level in order to perform properly. Make sure yours is level and, if not, adjust the feet on the appliance.

Dishwasher performance has improved dramatically over the years, but there are a few things that will prompt replacement. What are the top three? We’ll tell you:

1. When a dishwasher empties itself all over the kitchen floor, owners have little patience. Not only can the water damage the flooring, those dishes aren’t getting done. We all know that dishes are things that never stop being produced as we have to feed the family! That being said, the dishwasher might not need to be replaced. Call your friendly Pipe Dream plumber. We might be able to replace the rubber gasket, or employ another fix to keep you running.
2. Dishes coming out of the dishwasher dirty is not doing you much good, now is it? The cause could be one of several different problems. Clogged sprayer arms meaning that water is not being sprayed efficiently. Clogged drains could be preventing the appropriate amount of water being used in the machine. Water pressure problems or other plumbing issues could be effecting the dishwasher’s performance but be unrelated to the dishwasher. A plumber can help you diagnose and identify the contributing problem.
3. When the dishwasher begins to make unusual noises, it is time to call a plumber. We aren’t talking about dishes inappropriately loaded that are clunking. We aren’t talking about utensils that are hanging through the rack causing the spray arms to hang up. We are talking about grinding or other weird noises. Of course, check your appliance manual to do some initial troubleshooting, but keep Pipe Dream phone number (317-388-1988) handy.

Some people just choose to replace the dishwasher if they do a kitchen remodel or change the appliances out. If you are choosing to do that, be sure it is properly installed, including running lines so they line up and leveling the machine. A plumber will make sure the installation is right (and take care of running the lines for the ice maker, too) so you don’t have problems going forward. Pipe Dream Plumbing is ready to keep the dishes clean in your home.