Undoubtedly, among the most frequently used home appliances in your kitchen, your dishwasher handles the most work. Dishwashers, however, can quickly turn into a troublesome problem if proper care and usage are not given. Many people unknowingly inflict harm upon their units.
These problems, if not taken care of in the initial stages, can spiral into costly dishwasher repair services. Many people tend to wait until the issues are so severe that repair services are the only available option. Such negligence can lead to severe appliance damage and replacement.
Through simply understanding such issues, people can, on average, save hundreds of dirhams in repairs while also increasing the lifespan of the appliance.
Mistake 1: Not Cleaning Filters in Regular Intervals
The Hidden Problem
Most people tend to ignore the dishwasher’s filter. This filter, located at the bottom of the dishwasher, is responsible for the separation of food waste and leftovers during the washing sequences.
A neglected filter results in dishwashers working harder than they are designed for. The dishwasher motor is strained to a greater degree, which results in water not flowing freely, resulting in poor cleaning performance.
The Expensive Consequences
A clogged filter can lead to severe damage to the washer’s pump motor. The average cost of such repairs is around 150-300 dirhams, not including labor.
The blocked filter also leads to the water being unable to freely and easily exit, resulting in a backup and potential flooding in the kitchen, which can also lead to severe damage to the kitchen cabinets.
Mistake 2: Putting Too Many Dishes in Your Dishwasher
Why People Do It
It almost seems productive for busy families to stuff every dish they have into the dishwasher to be cleaned. While this incessantly occurs in a household, it might incur a lot of damage to the dishwasher in the long run.
The bigger the pile of dishes, the less the cleaning, resulting in more household chores. Worse, too much clutter may cause damage to the inner parts of the dishwasher.
How Dishwashers Get Damaged
The interior spare arms don’t have the luxury of movement due to the clutter that results from too much load on the dishwasher. These arms tend to crack when repetitively clashing with plates and bowls over a given period.
The heavy burden of piled-up dishes on the dishwasher iii also stresses the dishwasher’s motor and pump. This jigsaw toy in the form of a dishwasher not only suffers from stress on the outside, but it might also damage the inner parts of the washer and may compromise its overall durability.
Precautions to Avoid Damage to Your Dishwasher
- Proper space in between dishes to ensure water can circulate.
- No stacking plates and bowls on top of each other.
- Ensure fragile materials don’t end up in a tilted position where they might end up on a dirty surface.
- Properly place fragile materials in a position where they can’t be turned on their own.
Mistake 3: Using the Wrong Detergent Types
Confusion Over Cleaners
It is very common for people to mistakenly use ordinary dish soap in place of dishwasher detergent. This particular mistake alone can lead to overflowing dishwashers filled with excessive foam.
Spray nozzles can get clogged, and some components can get damaged internally, resulting in severe residue buildup.
The Damage Process
Foam overflow can damage electrical parts, resulting in control board failures. Restoring functionality can be highly expensive, often requiring specialized dishwasher repair in the range of 150-300 dirhams.
Detergent Errors
Improper detergent use leads to faster-than-normal wearing and degrading of rubber seals and corroding metal parts.
Proper Detergent Use
Specific dishwasher detergents in the right measurements must be used. All forms of detergent, be it powder, liquid, or tablets, can function correctly when used appropriately.
Soil levels on dishes and water hardness should be taken into account when measuring detergent for dishwashers.
Mistake 4: Not Paying Attention to Odd Noises
Common Sound Issues
Grinding, squealing, or banging noises often suggest that some issues are developing. Many homeowners tend to ignore these symptoms until damage becomes irreversible.
Like many issues, strange noises often start faint and progressively become louder. Actively listening and responding to these signs can reduce the likelihood of costly repairs.
What Noises Indicate
- Grinding: Typically indicates worn pump motors or foreign material obstructing the system
- Squealing: Often points to bearing issues in motors or spray arms
- Banging: Usually occurs from unbalanced items or loose components
Cost of Waiting
Ignoring strange sounds might escalate a 50 job to a 500 dirhams job. Dishwasher repair services, when attended to early, can reduce intervention costs many times over.
Mistake 5: Over-Pre-Rinsing of Dishes
Pre-rinsing Dishes
Almost everyone rinses dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. However, like most modern dishwashers, some soil is essential for them to function optimally.
Cleaning agents needed for the dishwasher to work often attack the dishes in the absence of soil. Without any food particles, these enzymes become too aggressive.
Surprising Consequences
Over-rinsing can lead to damage to dishwasher sensors that detect the soil level and etching of glassware.
Clean sensors can lead to running unwarranted long cycles, which waste energy and unduly exhaust mechanical parts.
Mistake 6: Starting Work Without Precooking the Favored Dish Components
The Heat-Based Approach
Many kitchens have the custom of pre-washing their crockery and utensils with the help of warm water before putting their dishes inside the washing machine. Not only is this unhelpful, but it is a waste of water.
Today, most of the dishwashers in use start their heating processes. Therefore, preheating water does not help in this process.
Hidden Issues
Having very warm water as an inlet can damage the temperature sensor and heating elements. There is a need for the sensor and heater to gradually warm the water for the process.
Over the course of time, gradual cooling can cause sudden fractures in dishwasher tubs and damage the seals of the door.
Mistake 7: Cleaning is Only Done for the Outgoing Structures Associated with the Door
The Overlooked Side
The door seals ensure that the water used in the cycles is retained and not lost. To ensure the circular motion of water is contained, the door seals are made of rubber, which absorbs food particles and grease, therefore causing failure.
The seals that are described above can also cause water used in the washing process to leak onto the kitchen, helping to mask rather expensive water damage to the kitchen’s cabinets and flooring.
Professional Value
A licensed dishwasher repairman has the electrical tools to do the job. They provide warranties on the repairs.
Making your own mistakes with electrical repairs can also void the manufacturer’s warranties and cause trouble for your insurance company if there is damage.
Conclusion
Most of the time, the dishwasher problems that result in the highest costs stem from simple mistakes. Spending time on proper loading, regularly cleaning the filters and dishwasher interior, and monitoring for signs of trouble can prevent these expensive repairs.
When problems do occur, however, a certified dishwasher repair service can identify and correct problems for less than it will cost if it is not addressed promptly. There is no sense in making the same mistakes and allowing a useful appliance to become an expensive burden.
Prevention is much less expensive than emergency repairs. Taking care of your dishwasher will result in hundreds of Dirhams saved.