Common Causes of Dishwasher Clogs and Other Problems

Though it’s maybe not as important as the oven or refrigerator, your dishwasher is probably one of the most commonly used appliances in the kitchen, especially if you cook most of your meals at home. Since it’s used so frequently, it’s essential that it functions properly at all times. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case, and dishwashers can fail for one reason or another. This post from your favorite plumber in Las Vegas, NV will cover a few of the most common dishwasher issues, and what you can do to fix them:

• Clogged hose: The dishwasher hose runs from the dishwasher to the garbage disposal and drain pipe, and is responsible for draining the dishwasher. As you can imagine, the hose tends to get clogged up with food particles from time to time. The hose can easily be removed with a pair of pliers, and you can clear it yourself by using a coat hanger.
• Clogged line: Since the dishwasher line is located deep underneath the appliance, clearing a clogged line will require professional assistance. If your dishwasher isn’t draining and you can’t find a clog in the hose, you should call a plumber right away to come out and take a look at it.
• Garbage disposal: If your garbage disposal was installed recently, it could be the cause behind your stopped-up dishwasher. Each disposal is installed with a small piece that sits in a port where the hose connects, called a knockout plug. The dishwasher won’t drain if this plug wasn’t removed after installation. You can remove the plug yourself by disconnecting the hose with a pair of pliers and pulling the plug out of the port.
• Damaged sewer line: Any problems with your sewer line will affect all of the plumbing in your home, not just your dishwasher. If the problem is bad enough, none of the drains will work, which means you’ll be looking at an expensive repair job. It’s not a bad idea to have your sewer line inspected every once in a while to make sure it’s clear of debris and not at all damaged.

Preventing these issues is easy

A broken dishwasher is a topic that nobody wants to deal with. Luckily, preventing any problems is fairly simple. Follow the advice below and your dishwasher should work perfectly and reliably:

• Mind the disposal: The garbage disposal should never be used as a catch-all for your food scraps. Instead of dumping everything down the drain and running the disposal, put large chunks of food in the wastebasket. Doing so should hopefully prevent the hose from ever clogging up.
• Load and unload with care: Your dishwasher isn’t indestructible. Be careful when you’re loading and unloading your dishes, and you can count on it lasting for a long time without any issues.

Be sure to call a plumber in Las Vegas, NV as soon as possible if your dishwasher has any problems. When you choose Orchard Plumbing, you can rest easy knowing that we’ll be at your house as soon as we can to fix your dishwasher or any other plumbing problem you may have.