How to Fix a Clogged Dishwasher

11/2/2022 (Permalink)

When your dishwasher fails to drain, it can cause a huge mess in your Green Lake, WA home or business.

How to Fix a Clogged Dishwasher

Dishwashers save us so much time, energy, and money compared to hand-washing dishes. That's why when they stop working properly, we are often majorly inconvenienced. There could be a number of reasons your dishwasher seems clogged or it won’t drain. 

Clogged Drain Hise

Check the drain hose. If there is a clog in your drain hose, it will prevent water from draining out of your dishwasher. To check for this problem, remove the lower panel from your dishwasher door and look for items such as food scraps or hair that may be clogging up the hose. You'll need to remove these items before starting to clean or replace the drain hose if needed.

Clean out any debris in the bottom of your dishwasher with hot water and soap (or vinegar). If you've got some nasty stuff caked onto that tub, this should take care of it. Be careful not to use too much force while cleaning though: you don't want to damage any components so keep scrubbing with gentle pressure only! You will want to replace parts if necessary (such as removing old hoses).

Clogged Drain Pump

If your dishwasher is not draining and you have checked the drain hose, check the drain pump. Remove the lower panel and clean out any debris around the pump. If you find no blockages or obstructions in this area, check for stuck impellers by following these steps:

• Disconnect power to your dishwasher (unplug it).
• Remove the upper rack from the inside of the dishwasher tub.
• Use an Allen wrench to loosen the screws holding the motor assembly together - remove the motor assembly from the inside of the tub by lifting up on the top edge of the motor assembly. If you cannot easily lift it off, try disconnecting the electrical wire harness first so that it will move more freely when raised up out of place. 
• Check impeller blades for damage or debris build-up that may impede water flow through the pump. If there appears to be no damage or blockage, reinstall the motor assembly back into its original position by reversing the order above.

Call a Plumber

When you can’t figure it out, or don’t want to, call in an expert! A Plumber should be able to help you figure out what’s wrong, and help you get your dishwasher back to normal again.

When your dishwasher fails to drain, it can cause a huge mess in your Green Lake, WA home or business. In these situations, you will want to have a professional come and clean up the water as well as ensure there is no water damage to the areas surrounding the dishwasher. Call SERVPRO of Seattle Northwest to get your Seattle home back to normal after a dishwasher failure.