Tag Archives: dishwasher

Is It Worth Fixing A Dishwasher When It Breaks Down?

With so many cheaper and efficient dishwashers in the market, it’s normal to ask yourself, is it worth fixing a dishwasher when it breaks down?

The answer to this question isn’t a yes or a no, but more of a decision-making answer. To decide whether to fix or replace the appliance, you need to consider several things such as:

The amount charged by the service provider

When your appliance breaks down, you hire a dishwasher repair professional to fix it. Different professionals charge different rates depending on their experience, location, and nature of the problem.

To decide whether to fix the appliance, compare the contractor’s fee and the cost of a new appliance. Of course, you shouldn’t pay for a repair when the fees are higher than the cost of a new appliance.

The appliance repair market is full of unscrupulous contractors, so be cautious when comparing prices.

Don’t approach one contractor and think that is the amount charged by all contractors. Get quotes from 3 to 5 contractors from different locations, then compare them.

Avoid uptown based companies as they charge higher fees. The high fees aren’t because the contractors provide the best services, rather because they pay higher rents there.

If you do your comparison and find that the average price is higher or close to the price of a new appliance, simply get a new unit.

On the flip side, if you find the repair price lower than the machine’s price, fix the dishwasher. For best results, work with an experienced technician that understands what they are doing.

Age of the appliance

How long has the appliance been around? If your appliance is 8, 9, or 10 years, don’t bother fixing it—simply replace it.

The reason for this is because most of the modern appliances are designed to last for only 10 years. This means the closer your appliance is to 10 years, the better it is to replace it.

The problem the appliance has

Minor dishwasher problems are easy and cheap to fix, so it makes sense to fix your appliance if it has a minor problem. If your appliance is missing a seal, pressure switch, latch, drain pump, fill valve, or any other easy-to-find part, simply fix it.

On the other hand, if the appliance has a serious problem such as a malfunctioning motor or circulation pump, it’s more economical to replace the dishwasher as the cost of a new part and installing it will be much higher than the cost of a new dishwasher.

Warranty

If you have had your dishwasher for 1-2 years, you most likely have a warranty. This means when the appliance breaks down, you simply take it to a factory-authorized shop and have it fixed at no cost to you.

Due to this, it’s better to have the dishwasher fixed regardless of the problem’s nature. After all, the cost isn’t transferred to you.

If you never bothered with the warranty at the time of purchase or your appliance is old, you aren’t covered by the warranty, so you have to shoulder all the costs.

If the problem is minor, you can get money from your pocket and pay for it, but you are better off replacing the unit if the issue is complex.

Buying a new dishwasher

If you don’t have a warranty, your dishwasher is old, and/or the appliance has a complex problem, you shouldn’t bother with fixing it. Instead, buy a new one.

When buying a new appliance, take your time and ensure you buy the right one. One of the things to look at when buying is the efficiency rating of the unit.

Of course, you want a highly energy-efficient dishwasher that will consume little energy and function efficiently for a long time.

The price is another factor to consider. While expensive dishwashers function better and last for a long time, avoid the luxurious ones as they have too many features that you probably won’t need.

Go for moderately priced units within your budget.

After buying the appliance, take good care of it, so it lasts for a long time, and avoid hiring appliance repair Northern VA professionals now and then.

Dishwasher Repair: 5 Valuable Dishwasher Cleaning Hacks

Since you use the dishwasher for cleaning, you don’t need to clean it, right? Wrong. Like other kitchen appliances, you need to clean your dishwasher to keep it in top working condition. How do you do it? Here are valuable dishwasher cleaning hacks as given by dishwasher repair experts:

Run a cycle with white vinegar

Do you live in an area with hard water, and you have noticed your dishwasher building up mineral deposits? You should run a cycle with white vinegar. Put two cups of white vinegar on the top rack then run a complete cycle without adding dishes or detergent.

The vinegar will remove the trapped particles, detergent residues, and built up minerals, so the dishwasher looks and functions as good as new.

To prevent the deposits from coming about, make it habit to run the cycle once every three or four weeks.

Remove built-up food and debris with a steam cleaner.

Got built-up food and debris in your appliance? You should try removing them using a steam cleaner. After preheating the appliance, use the steam cleaner to clean the insides of the dishwasher. Focus on cleaning the corners and hinges as well as the sprayer holes and tracks.

Use the brush attachment to remove built-up material, ensuring you don’t scratch the machine. If your appliance has hard to reach tight areas, use a steam cleaner along with an old toothbrush.

For a deeper clean, use a multipurpose spray along with the steam cleaner. Once you are done with the steam cleaner, run a short cycle to rinse out the dishwasher.

Clean the filters

Your dishwasher most likely has a trap at the bottom to catch large food particles, preventing them from washing down the drain. The dishwasher filter is the same in most appliances where it resembles a mesh screen that you can take out, shake it off and rinse.

It also resembles a grate above the drain hole. If you have a more modern appliance, you could be having a device that catches the food particles the same way. You should remove, clean, and replace it.

To clean the filter, you need to shake it out over the trashcan and rinse it under the sink. If you are still unsure where to find the dishwasher filter, check around where the water seems to drain.

Pay attention to the spray arms.

If your home taps bring in hard water, chances are there is a lot of mineral buildup around the spinning parts of the machine that spray water. To clean the spray arms, use a pipe cleaner around the holes. If the mineral buildup is substantial, soak the arms in vinegar.

Be cautious, moving the dishwasher arms as they aren’t designed to move easily. Sometimes you have to remove them entirely to give them a good clean.

Get rid of smell using baking soda.

Baking soda is not only effective at cleaning the dishwasher, but also at deodorizing it. Have you noticed a unique smell in your appliance? Consider getting rid of it with baking soda.

Before you apply the baking soda, ensure the dishwasher is already clean. You should then remove the racks and remove any gunk or food residue present. Can you remove the drain? Remove it and give it a thorough cleaning.

You should then measure one cup of baking soda then sprinkle it across the bottom of the dishwasher. Follow it up with a short cycle on the hottest setting possible. If you have done it right, your appliance will have a fresh smell and look brighter.

You don’t need to run another cycle after using baking soda. Continue using the dishwasher as you normally do.

If you don’t want to go through the trouble of cleaning using baking soda, place one lemon peel in the basket cutlery, and it will fight the bad smell.

Remove rust from the latch.

If you have had your appliance for a couple of years, chances are the latch has begun to get a little rusty. To fix it, rub it down with a stainless steel cleaner and steel wool. Appliance repair Northern VA professionals advise you to rinse the latch and buff it dry with a cotton cloth.

To complete the look, coat the latch with clear fingernail polish. This will waterproof the metal and prevent rust from coming about.

Can You Put Pots And Pans In The Dishwasher? Dishwasher Repair Experts Answer

The dishwasher is supposed to make it easy to clean your cookware, but you should be conscious of the utensils you put in your dishwashing machine.

If you have pots and pans you would like to clean, you must be asking, can you put pots and pans in the dishwasher? According to dishwasher repair professionals, this depends on the type of material used in making the pots and pans.

Copper pots and pans

If your cookware is made from copper, you should avoid putting it in the dishwasher as you risk tarnishing the pot’s color and shine. To maintain the look, wash the copper pots and pans by hand.

Has your pot acquired a burnt bottom? Sprinkle some salt on the affected area and cover it with white vinegar. Let the mixture sit for fifteen seconds then proceed to scrub.

Stainless steel pots and pans

Experts report that it’s safe to expose your stainless steel pots and pans to the dishwasher, but you need to exercise some caution. Dishwashers come with excessive humidity that can corrode the metal, but when you wash with hand, you can control it as you can control the water temperature.

So when you are handling stainless steel pots and pans, you are better off washing the cookware by hand. Only consider using the dishwasher if the manual says you can safely do it.

When using the dishwasher, ensure there is enough space between the pots and other items inside to prevent scratching. Enough space also ensures the dishes get properly cleaned and dried.

Aluminum pots and pans

It’s always wise to avoid cleaning the pots and pans using the dishwasher, but if you go through the manufacturer’s manual and it says the units are dishwasher safe, you should go ahead and wash them in the appliance.

When cleaning the pots and pans, remember that the aluminum material has the propensity to scratch, so you should remove all the cookware and cutleries before you begin a dishwasher cycle.

You should note that when you regularly clean the aluminum pots and pans using the dishwasher, it’s common for the pots to develop a dull finish. To retain the gleam for a long time, alternate it with handwashing from time to time even if the manual says its dishwasher safe.

Non-stick pots and pans

It’s a common practice for manufacturers of non-stick pots and pans to recommend the dishwasher for cleaning their pots and pans. While this is the case, many homeowners have reported that the process is too tough for the pots and pans, so you are better off avoiding it.

The best way of keeping the pots and pans in top shape is to wash them by hand with a small amount of soap. When you do this, you ensure the pot retains some oil, which keeps the pans non-stick.

In addition to the pots losing their non-stick quality, they also hold a lot of odor, which is unpleasant.

During a dishwashing cycle, the pots tend to knock every item around, and this has been shown to loosen the handles.

Cast iron pots and pans

For a long time, cast iron pots and pans have been considered as dishwashers unsafe, so you should never put them there. The interior of the dishwasher can be hot as well as wet, which isn’t good for the cast iron cookware.

When you put the pots in the dishwasher, you wash away the protective coating leading to rust. To avoid this, you should wash your pots and pans by hand.

What should you put in the dishwasher?

As you have seen, the pots and pans you put in the dishwasher depend on the material used in making them. To ensure your appliances are safe, scrutinize the manufacture’s manual.

To ensure the dishwasher gives you an excellent service, keep it in top shape. This calls for you to clean it regularly. You also should regularly inspect it for any flaws and fix if present.

Sometimes even dishwasher safe pots and pans get damaged, so to keep your appliances in good condition, appliance repair Springfield professionals recommend you clean them by hand.

While this will take most of your time, it will preserve the lifespan of the pots and pans.

Dishwasher Repair: 7 Ways You Might Be Loading Your Dishwasher Wrong

Dishwasher Repair

According to dishwasher repair professionals, one of the prime reasons dishwashers develop problems is because homeowners load them improperly.

Do you give much thought to how you load your appliance? Here are some of the ways you might be loading your dishwasher wrong:

You group each type of silverware together

It seems logical to keep the knives in one compartment, forks in another, and spoons in a third, right? While you have an easy time removing the items from the dishwasher, the practice makes that the silverware nestle together.

The forks wind up with their tines pressed up against one another and the spoons, well, they spoon. This impedes the water flow making it harder for each item to get adequately clean.

What should you do instead?

You should mix up the silverware in each compartment of the cutlery basket. When doing it, take care you don’t crowd the rack.

You place the pans and bowls randomly

Due to their awkward design, mixing bowls, pans, and casserole dishes are hard to place in the dishwasher. Due to this, many homeowners put them randomly in the dishwasher. This is wrong.

The best way of going about it is slipping large plates, pans, pots, and bowls against the perimeter of the bottom rack where there is more space.

You should then place larger items along the sides and corners of the appliance. Do you have smaller mixing bowls and saucepans? Lay them face down along the side of the top rack.

By doing this, you ensure that the suds and water easily reach even the dirtiest places.

You put large items in the wrong spot

since their size, many homeowners don’t know where to put metal or plastic serving spoons and spatulas. Most of the homeowners end up placing them in the wrong place.

Placing large items at the wrong place not only prevents the water from reaching all the utensils, but it also puts the appliance at the risk of developing dishwasher problems.

The best place to put the dishwasher is flat on the top rack. If your dishwasher has a rack specifically designed for large utensils, use it.

You place bowls and cups on their sides

When the cups and dishes aren’t entirely upside down, the water jets can easily flip them onto their back, which makes them end up collecting food residues instead of getting clean.

The right thing to do is to place the cups and bowls upside down. Also, remember to secure them tightly on the rack.

You load non-dishwasher safe items

When buying the dishwasher, it comes with a manual that you should follow for you to tell the items to put in the dishwasher and those to avoid.

When you go for a long time without going through the dishwasher, it’s common to forget the items that are dishwasher safe and those that aren’t.

You should note that the hot water from the appliance can warp or even melt plastic containers, discolor gold flatware, and crack wood spoons, so these items should never see the insides of the dishwashing machine.

You place glass items in the bottom rack

Your fragile wine glasses and serving pieces have high chances of chipping or breaking when you put them at the bottom shelf.

This is because the rack is closest to the strong water jet, which increases its chances of moving around during a wash cycle.

You overload the machine

It’s common to want to clean all the dishes in one go, but should you do it? Absolutely not! When you cram too many dirty dishes in the machine, the water and detergents don’t circulate to clean the dishes properly, so you end up with dirty dishes even after running them through a cleaning cycle.

In some cases, some of the dishes bang each other and crack.

To avoid this, load just enough dishes in the dishwasher. If you aren’t sure of the maximum to load, refer to the manufacturer’s manual.

You group plates by size

When you do this, you prevent maximum water movement, so you end up with dishwashers that don’t get adequately clean. For water to get to all the utensils, appliance repair Northern VA professionals recommend you alternate small and large plates.

This way, the soap, and water get to all the items hence cleaning all the dishes evenly instead of bouncing off the biggest dishes.

Dishwasher Repair: 7 Ways To Keep Your Dishwasher In Top Shape

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The dishwasher is one of the modern appliances that make life easy. Unlike most of the appliances in the market, the dishwasher is easy to maintain. According to dishwasher repair professionals, some of the proper dishwasher maintenance practices include:

Keep it level

A dishwasher should be level. If it isn’t, it could leak. For you to tell whether the unit is level, open the door and place an air-bubble level along the edges. If the dishwasher isn’t level, raise or lower either side by adjusting its “feet.” You can also add a wedge to balance it correctly.

Inspect the sprayer arms for clogs

When you go for a long time without cleaning it, food particles, mineral deposits, and other debris are bound to clog the holes in the sprayer arm. For the dishwasher to function more efficiently clean these small holes.

At least once every month, remove the sprayer arm and soak it in warm vinegar to loosen any obstruction. You should then clean out each spray hole with an awl or pipe cleaner.

Check the gaskets for cracks and other signs of damage

Gaskets are rubbers of plastic seals you find along the dishwasher door. Their purpose is to provide a water-tight seal when you close the doors.

Signs of faulty gaskets include water around the dishwasher. If the gasket is damaged, remove it by unscrewing it using a screwdriver. You can get a replacement gasket from a hardware store. You can also order one from a manufacturer.

Before you install the new gasket, soak it in hot water to make it more flexible.

Check and clean the screens and filters

Each dishwasher has a screen or filter located above the food drain. Its purpose is to catch large food and debris. For you to prevent clogs from coming about, clean it regularly.

If you have never cleaned it before, take a look at the owner’s manual for instructions on how to go about it. If you inspect the filter and it has holes, you have to replace it to avoid harming the other parts of the dishwasher.

While you are at it, also inspect and clear out any food or debris that might be trapped in the food drain.

Keep the dishwasher plugged

Plenty of accidents have been reported when dishwashers electrocute homeowners. Dishwashers have inbuilt water heaters and motors that consume a lot of electricity. The unit also uses a lot of water. If the unit isn’t properly wired, you are at more risk of being electrocuted.

For you to be safe and protect your family members from any danger, you should plug the dishwasher into a grounded outlet.

Watch out for the socket you connect it to. As a rule of thumb, ensure that it’s rated adequately to handle large loads that are required by most dishwashers.

Watch the water temperature

The temperature of the water greatly determines how efficient the dishwasher is. To improve the efficiency of the unit, reduce the amount of hot water you need to clean the dishes.

Studies show that up to 80% of the energy goes into heating the water. If the water is too cool, it doesn’t clean the dishes as well as you should. If the water is too hot, you end up wasting a lot of energy.

Set the water temperature at 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Water at this temperature will effectively remove all the food particles and residues without wasting a lot of energy. Place a thermometer inside the dishwasher. If above or below 130 degrees, adjust the hot water heater.

Use the right detergents

Not all detergents and soaps are designed for dishwashers. Wrong detergents produce large amounts of foam, suds, and bubbles that leak from the dishwasher and spill onto the floor.

For you to be safe, use detergents and soaps designed for dishwashers. Appliance repair Alexandria professionals recommend that you use powder detergents instead of gels. This is because gels contain chlorine bleach that has been shown to dissolve seals and gaskets.

Gels also don’t work well with hard water. They also clog the detergent dispenser thus impeding the cleaning performance. Gels also leave more spots and cloudiness on glassware so that it looks dirty after removal.

Dishwasher Repair: Dishwasher Dos And Don’ts

dishwasher repair

For you to keep your dishwasher in top shape you need to observe a set of dos and don’ts. Here are some of them as given by dishwasher repair professionals:

Do have a loading strategy

When you are looking to wash the dishes, you shouldn’t just put them in the dishwasher. You need to have a plan on how you will load them. As a rule of thumb, load the big pieces fast. It’s more efficient to start with the large ones then fill in with the smaller ones.

Don’t place all the dishes in the same direction. The right thing to do is to place them on the bottom rack facing inwards towards the spray arms, with the smaller plates in front of the larger ones. This way you have peace of mind that the spray will reach all of them.

For you to have an easy time unloading the dishes, organize them. Put the forks with the forks and knives with the knives. Remember to place the handles facing up to avoid getting poked or punctured when you are taking them out.

Spoons get dirty when they are “spooning” therefore, insert some with handles facing down. You can also separate them in a slotted holder.

Do use the right detergent

There are plenty of detergents in the market you can go for. When choosing them, go with those that will give you ideal results. They also should be having a pleasant scent. This way, your dishes will be clean, and at

Don’t pre-rinse the dishes

You might have the impression that by pre-rinsing the dishes you will have cleaner dishes, but this isn’t the case. Pre-rinsing the dishes has been shown to lead to loss of up to 20 gallons of water. It also makes the dishwasher clean the dishes less effectively.

Modern detergents are designed to attach food particles; therefore, when you pre-rinse the dishes, the detergents end up abrading the glassware.

To make the work of the dishwasher easier you don’t need to pre-rinse the dishes. You only need to scrape the dishes of the food scraps and you will be good to go.

The only exception you should have is rice. You are better off rinsing off every grain before putting the plates in the dishwasher. This is because the rice tends to clog up the drain hose leading to expensive dishwasher repairs.

Do run full loads only

To maximize space and save on energy and water, only run the dishwasher when it’s full. While this is the case, avoid overdoing it where you overcrowd the dishes.

When you overcrowd the dishes, you prevent the dishes from getting clean as well as they should. You also put them at the risk of getting damaged as they bump into each other.

Always strive to keep the dishwasher full but ensure that you space the dishes so that each has enough space that it needs to be clean.

Don’t wash non-dishwasher safe items

It goes without saying that you shouldn’t put any non-dishwasher safe items in the dishwasher. This means that you shouldn’t put wood, cast-iron, copper, delicate glassware, and other materials in the dishwasher.

Wood splits and cracks when you expose it to the dishwasher temperatures, water, and humidity. Delicate glassware breaks in the machine making it hard to clean.

Metals such as copper and cast-iron aren’t designed to be cleaned in the dishwasher. They also tend to easily get damaged which can damage the other dishes.

Don’t block the sprayer

From its name, the sprayer sprays the dishes with water, leaving them clean. For the sprayer to function optimally, you need to ensure that it reaches all the corners of the dishwasher and cleans every dish.

If there is a large bowl or pan blocking the sprayer path, you will have dirty dishes at the end of the cycle. Before you put the dishes in the dishwasher, double-check that the sprayer has a full range of motion and you haven’t blocked it.

Don’t haphazardly unload the dishwasher

You need to be cautious of how you unload the dishwasher. When doing it, unload the bottom rack first. According to appliance repair Northern VA professionals, the tops of cups and bowls on the top rack pool with water. In the event you move them first, you risk dumping and splashing water onto the clean dishes below.

The right thing to do is to wait and unload the top rack last.

Dishwasher Repair: How To Clean The Dishwasher

While the dishwasher is meant to keep the dishes clean, it also needs to be clean for it to function properly. The cool thing is that you don’t need to hire a dishwasher repair professional or any other expert to help you with the cleaning. To help you out, here are the steps to follow when you are looking to clean the dishwasher:

Step 1: Empty the appliance

Are there any dishes in the unit? You need to remove them before you do anything. In addition to the dishes, you also should remove the racks, blades, and any other thing that you can remove from the unit.

You should rinse off any attachments before you return them to the dishwasher. When removing the gunk, remember to pay attention to the dishwasher drain. Gunk in this area tends to impede drainage which can lead to damage to the dishwasher.

Step 2: Clean the filter

Does your dishwasher have a filter at the bottom? Reach under it and check whether there are any items stuck down there. The most common materials that tend to get stuck are spoons and containers.

The point of doing this is to ensure that all the lines are clear. If you don’t clean the drains, you might find yourself standing in dirty water when it comes to the time of clean the lines.

Once you are done cleaning the filter, use a piece of cloth and dish soap to clean the edge and outside of the door.

Step 3: Run a vinegar cycle

Once everything is running properly, you should run a cycle of nothing but a cup of vinegar. All you need to do is to fill the dishwasher with a cup of white vinegar and place it on the upper rack of the empty dishwasher.

For years, vinegar has been used as a natural cleaner and when you use it properly it takes care of problems: it eliminates clogs and bad smells. It has been shown to get rid of grease lining the walls of the previous dirty loads, get rid of any old detergent that might have built-up, and even dissolve mineral deposits.

After placing the vinegar in the dishwasher, you should close the door and run the dishwasher. Give it time and it will remove all the grease and grime that might have been present.

If you can’t get access to vinegar, you can use a package of unsweetened lemonade mix. The citric acid in the mix gives the same results given by vinegar.

Step 4: Run a short rinse cycle with baking soda

After running the vinegar cycle, you should now run a short rinse cycle with baking soda. You need to sprinkle a cupful of baking soda at the bottom of the appliance then run it on a short hot-water cycle.

The purpose of doing this is to get rid of any food smells that might not have been wiped out by vinegar.  You should place a cup of baking soda in the dishwasher the same way you did with vinegar. Once the cycle is done, you should notice your dishwasher smelling much better. It also will have a much brighter look.

Step 5: (Optional) Consider a cycle with bleach

You should consider running this cycle if your dishwasher has been affected by mold. While vinegar will kill mildew, some of the extreme cases will require you to use a harsher cleansing agent such as bleach.

You should place a bowl filled with bleach at the bottom of the basing then run the dishwasher on a full cycle.

Dishwasher maintenance tips

For you to have an easy time cleaning the dishwasher, you should observe a number of tips. Some people have the notion that by prewashing the dishes they make the work of the dishwasher easy, but this isn’t the case.

For the detergent to do its work effectively, you need to have a certain amount of grease and food residue on the dishes. If you have to prewash the dishes, appliance repair Springfield professionals recommend that you avoid going overboard with it.

The dishwasher shares a drain with the kitchen sink. If you have a garbage disposal, always run it before you wash the dishes. This is to ensure that the drain is clear.