My dishwasher

The Coffee Shop
1

Several months back I noticed my dishwasher wasn’t getting anything on the top rack clean and left a lot of water on top of the upside-down glasses and such and they were all very foggy, gritty. Bottom rack was fine. I googlized this and found it *might *be the food trap. Took it all apart, cleaned the trap (didn’t have much debris in it), put it back together. Ran a load, still not getting the top shelf cleaned.

Eventually it has started to fill with water gradually over the course of a few days. Smelly water. It actually leaked recently.

I called a DW repair guy, this big Russian who kept going on about how my American dishwasher is top of line, great product. Best can buy. Yeah, I get it, you’re not a spy. Wink wink, comrade.

Anyway, he said the I need a new pump or something, it wasn’t flushing the old water out. Seemed reasonable. He ordered it, came back the next day, installed it. All in it was around $200.

Now the top shelf is getting clean and the loud noise when it turns on that I thought was normal is gone. :slight_smile:

BUT, it’s still filling with water over the course of a few days. If I run a load, everything comes out clean, no water in the bottom. Wait a few days, water is down there filling up (I don’t use the DW every day).

So, what do the great minds of ST think is the issue? Personally, I think my kitchen sink pipes are slightly clogged and when running water (it does drain, but kinda slowly) some of the water goes out through the drain pipe, some backflows into the DW. Is this possible?

Russian is coming back Wednesday to check it out.

2

Do you have a garbage disposal in the sink? We had an issue with water backing up in the dishwasher and it was because we had not run the garbage disposal to rid it of all the food, thus causing the issue.

3

No disposal (which I hate not having). Our co-op does not allow them to be installed and apparently our drain pipe is too small anyway. Part of the problem I’m sure.

I have a new-in-box disposal in my closet that I bought before realizing all of this. Anyone need one?

4

Do you ever run a cleaning cycle using dishwasher cleaner/refresher every 3 months or so?

5

BUT, it’s still filling with water over the course of a few days. If I run a load, everything comes out clean, no water in the bottom. Wait a few days, water is down there filling up (I don’t use the DW every day).

Are you putting wet dishes in the dishwasher? (/half pink)

Otherwise I would suspect the inlet valve isn’t sealing 100% and allowing a slow trickle of water in.

6

Otherwise I would suspect the inlet valve isn’t sealing 100% and allowing a slow trickle of water in.

That was my thought too.

7

I do use a cleaning tab thing about once every 3 or 4 months.

The thing fills slowly with water even before I’ve had a chance to put dishes in. I really don’t use it a lot. I wash most things by hand as I use them and I don’t put pots and pans in there.

I could actually live without one but the problem is it fills alloy and them leaks. So that’s no good.

8

Let me guess-

It’s a BOSCH
.

9

No disposal (which I hate not having). Our co-op does not allow them to be installed and apparently our drain pipe is too small anyway. Part of the problem I’m sure.

I have a new-in-box disposal in my closet that I bought before realizing all of this. Anyone need one?

My dishwasher has a drain button that pumps out water if it gets backed up. I’m betting not having a disposal is a big part of the problem. Perhaps snaking your drain will help.

10

No disposal (which I hate not having).

Garbage disposals are one of the worst things ever invented. They almost immediately doubled the required size of sewage treatment plants. No one needs one.

11

No disposal (which I hate not having).

Garbage disposals are one of the worst things ever invented. They almost immediately doubled the required size of sewage treatment plants. No one needs one.

Really? How do you dispose of bodies then?

Seriously though, I was not aware of this. Inform me.

12

Let me guess-

It’s a BOSCH

I think it’s a GE Profile.

I think Bosch is German (though maybe/likely made in the US). I doubt my Russian would like German stuff. It wouldn’t fit into his spy cover story.

BTW, the spy didn’t come on time and I had to go to work so I rescheduled. I’ll have my answers Friday now (and hopefully a fixed dishwasher).

13

Really? How do you dispose of bodies then?

Doesn’t everyone use hydrofluoric acid in the bathtub!?

***Inform me. ***

It’s not complicated. You grind enough watermelon rind down the drain and the sewer treatment plants become overloaded. That’s what happened when everyone bought one in the 70’s or whenever it was. I learned it from this guy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Tchobanoglous Nothing more fun than testing the limits of a garbage disposal when you’re a kid.

14

Several months back I noticed my dishwasher wasn’t getting anything on the top rack clean

Has she tried using a loufa?

Sorry, I couldn’t resist…

Cheers!

15

I lol’d
:slight_smile:
.

16

Find the water line leading in (one or two). Run your load of dishes. Then turn off the valve (or Valves) on that line. If it still fills with water, it is backing up from your drain. If it is not, your inlet shutoff valve on the dishwasher has a slow leak. (if there is a separate hot and cold line feed turn on one at a time to see which is leaking.

That will be $10.

17

That will be $10.

And how much more for you to come over and do that for me? Do you take PayPal?

18

The Russian showed up Friday, looked inside the dishwasher (there was no water because I just ran it, and it does drain). He said it was a small part that must have worn out, he’d order it (cheap, under $40) and come back to install it but not charge labor.

Showed me a valve under the sink to turn off when not using the dishwasher. I turned that off. Checked it Monday, still filling with water.