There’s nothing worse than opening a dishwasher you believe holds clean dishes and discovering a stinky puddle of water in the bottom. Worse yet, finding tons of spots and food particles still covering your dishes is beyond frustrating.
What if we told you that you may not need to call a repairman? Repairing dishwasher problems is a lot easier than you think.
In fact, a lot of common dishwasher issues can be solved with DIY dishwasher repair techniques.
So, here we share some of our top dishwasher troubleshooting tips and show how to fix dishwasher issues without the expense of a professional.
Dishwasher Troubleshooting: How to Fix it Without Calling A Repairman
Before you begin any DIY project you have to diagnose the actual issue.
Here we will tackle a few different common problems and troubleshoot dishwashers without breaking the bank.
Dishwasher Does Not Run
You start with the easiest solution first when you troubleshoot dishwashers. So, your first step will be to check if the power is on in the house.
If the power is on, the dishwasher door is securely latched, and the control panel still isn’t lighting up or doing anything then you know you have a problem.
Check the plugs for the dishwasher. These can usually be found underneath your kitchen sink or you may need to pull the dishwasher away from the wall.
If the outlet your machine is plugged into has one, press the reset button to reset the plug. You can try this with a nearby outlet if your machine is wired directly into the wall.
Still not running? Check your breaker box and flip the breaker from on to off and back on again.
If your machine is still not running check the dishwashers mechanics. Most of the time the door latch may be slightly off. You can try and adjust this using a tool so it latches a little more tightly.
If this doesn’t work the machine most likely has a faulty switch or timer. In this case, you would be advised to call a professional.
Dishwasher Does Not Fill
When you’re trying to fix dishwasher problems, you must have a full understanding of how these machines are put together.
Most dishwashers have a drain and spray assembly in the very bottom of the machine. This is easily removed by taking out a few screws.
Before you begin, make sure the power to the machine is turned off.
Most filling issues are caused by an issue within this bottom assembly. Once you have it taken apart you can see what is actually going on.
Check to see if something is stuck under the water inlet valve, clean the debris screen, and clean the other parts you can. Once you put everything back together it should be good to go.
If you are still having issues than some of those parts need replacing and it’s best to call a professional.
Dishwasher Won’t Stop Filling
This is another common dishwasher repair. The machine won’t stop filling with water, leaving a big mess on your floor.
For this repair, you will need a multimeter or volt-ohm meter. You can get an inexpensive one it doesn’t have to be fancy.
First of all, unplug the dishwasher. You don’t want this to be a shocking experience.
Reach into the machine and lift up the plastic float switch. This will be a dome-shaped piece of plastic. If it won’t come up, unscrew the plastic top.
Once you’ve got it up you will see the stem. Make sure you clean this very well. When you put it back make sure it moves up and down easily and freely.
If it does you can continue with the repair. Check the wires that are attached to the assembly and label them with waterproof tape. This way you can tell what’s what if you ever need to replace it.
Set the meter to RX100 and place the two probes on the terminal. When you lift up the float switch you should get an infinity reading on the meter and when it drops it should go back to 0.
If you don’t get these results you need to replace the switch. You can get this part at your local hardware store and it’s pretty inexpensive.
You only have to remove a couple screws, remove the part, and take it with you to the store. An associate can help you find an identical replacement part. Then you just have to install it.
Easy as can be.
Dishwasher Will Not Drain
This issue can point to a number of problems. They could involve a broken pump, clogged drainage hose, or blocked house-drain lines.
If you see gross water shooting out of the air gap it’s probably a drain line kink or clogs.
The first step will be to remove the cover from the air gap which is on the top of your kitchen sink. Clean the whole thing out with a wire brush and then examine the whole hose for kinks or blocks.
If all is well there then go back to the bottom of the cabinet, once the dishwasher has cooled off, and remove the strainer under the spraying arm.
Clean the strainer with a brush and replace it. Check for drain line clogs. Is your sink backing up to? Could be a sink repair is necessary.
If it’s not the sink and it’s still not draining you will need to replace the hoses. This requires you to pull the machine out but is a fairly simple repair.
Pull the hoses and take them to your hardware store. They can find you identical replacements.
A Little Know-How Can Save You Big
As with so many household projects, avoiding a professional repair is always the most cost-effective option.
We hope that with these tips and tricks you will be able to do your own dishwasher troubleshooting and fix dishwasher problems yourself.
Looking for some more amazing DIY projects that anyone can do? Check out our DIY section here for more ideas.