Do you think it might be time for a new dishwasher?

Like most other appliances, your dishwasher has a shelf life and when it’s starting to struggle, you’ll start to see signs. If you know what to look for, you can properly care for your dishwasher and prolong its lifespan by years.

In this post, we’re going to tell you some of the clearest signs that you need dishwasher repair. Some are obvious, while others are easy to miss. Read on and make sure your dishwasher is keeping your dishes cleaner for longer.

1. Your Dishes Aren’t Clean

An obvious sign that your dishwasher isn’t working properly is that your dishes aren’t coming out clean. Of course, there could be numerous reasons for this, like the soap you’re using or how you’ve been loading the racks.

Try adding rinse aid, changing up your dish soap, and/or installing a water softener before getting it fixed. But chances are, if you’ve always done it the same way and your dishes are suddenly dirty after a wash, it’s more likely a dishwasher problem that needs professional attention.

2. Dishes Aren’t Hot

Your dishwasher needs to heat up the water significantly in order to properly clean the dishes of bacteria and germs. If you’re finding the dishes are coming out cool after a cycle, there’s a good chance that something’s wrong with the heating element inside the unit.

3. You’re Seeing Rust

The second you start to see rust on the inside of your dishwasher, you need to seek immediate help. This means that water is getting into places that it shouldn’t and oxidizing important parts of your unit. You could end up with rust flaking onto dishes that you think are clean, not to mention, it compromises the structural integrity of your dishwasher.

Something to try here is running the dishwasher with nothing in it, but a spoonful of citric acid. This might clean up the rust, but if it doesn’t, you’ll need to think about dishwasher repair.

4. Latch Won’t Lock

If the latch on the front of the dishwasher won’t lock, then your dishwasher probably won’t run at all, nor would you want it to. You can try to replace the latch on your own by going to a hardware store and talking to a knowledgeable customer service person. 

This should be a simple fix, but if it isn’t, you’ll probably need more heavy-duty repairs.

5. Water Leaks

Last, but most obviously, when you notice a puddle of water on the floor in front of the dishwasher after a cycle, you’ve potentially got big problems. Your dishwasher isn’t draining properly, which could mean something as harmless as a drain clog, or something so fatal that your entire unit may need replacing. The dangers of having a bunch of water on the floor are obvious.

One thing you can do first is check to see if your drain is clogged, which could mean that your water is backed up. If everything else is working properly, then you need to talk to a professional to get your dishwasher looked at.

Get Quick Dishwasher Repair

If your unit is showing any of these signs, it’s probably time for dishwasher repair. At Sewell Electric, we’re your appliance experts in Franklin and Williamson County. Our experienced staff can diagnose problems with your dishwasher, obtain the parts to fix it, and let you get back to washing dishes like normal. 

Contact us today to learn more about what we do and schedule an appointment for your dishwasher repair.