Water flow in your dishwasher

Have you ever opened your dishwasher and found that the soap hasn’t dissolved, that it’s sitting in the bottom of the dishwasher? This can be very frustrating but doesn’t necessarily mean you need a new dishwasher. This can happen when the dishwasher doesn’t get enough water.  The most common thing to check is that you are not overloading the dishwasher and that you are loading it properly. You can also try changing soap, some soaps work better than others.

If the problem isn’t fixed by doing any of these things, the next thing to look at is the water inlet valve. There are a few ways to test the water inlet valve to make sure it is working properly. You can add a couple cups of water to the bottom of the dishwasher before you start your cycle. If your dishes come out clean and the soap dissolves you know the problem may be with the water inlet valve. Another way to check this is to start your cycle and wait about 6 seconds then slowly open the dishwasher. If there is water in the bottom of the dishwasher you know the water inlet valve is working properly.

If your dishwasher is getting water but still not dissolving the soap, the high limit switch might be bad. You can test it with a continuity meter. The high limit switch heats the water which helps your soap dissolve. You can go to RepairClinic.com to find out where the high limit switch is located.

For all you handy men or women out there, once you determine what the problem is you can order the part online at RepairClinic.com and fix it yourself, or you can call me, and I can order the part for you.  Remember to always turn the breaker off before attempting any repair.

If your dishwasher isn’t cleaning the dishes well, take the spinning wash arms off and make sure none of the holes are plugged. Using a rinse aid in your machine will help avoid water stains.

Remember to  clean any strainer filters and look at the holes in the spray arms to make sure nothing is getting clogged, on a regular basis. Depending how often you use your dishwasher along with the quality of water you have, you may need to do these checks more frequently. By doing this, it will help keep your dishwasher working correctly for a long time.