Supplying Demand

The Repair Brand

james

Who Washes The Dishwasher?

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Inspecting the accumulator and W10083957V 8268383 chopper in a dishwasher 👀

How it started: A couple of dishes on the top rack looked dirty after a wash. Not a big deal, but maybe a symptom of water struggling to reach the upper rack. Ok…so I ran a bottle of dishwasher cleaner through the dishwasher. That should do it, right? Nope. Dirty dishes again.

A dishwasher cleaner is not a replacement for a service technician or periodic maintenance. After the washing didn’t improve with the dishwasher cleaner, I knew it was time……time…for repair. TO THE TOOLS!!!

Toolbag was unorganized. Garage is a wreck. But, I just needed a torx and pliers.

TOOLS USED: 2

  • Pliers are used to hold the spray arm retainer while you gently unscrew the lower wash arm.
  • The accumulator (the thing under the spray arm with fragile mesh screens*) has 4 Torx screws. The chopper cover underneath uses a slightly smaller Torx screw. I was conveniently surprised this Torx T15 bit fit both.
  • *fragile mesh screens – Be very careful. I’ve seen tools slip and poke a hole through the screen which requires the accumulator to be replaced.

PHASE 1 – Remove and Clean Accumulator

I had just ran a dishwasher cleaner. But, just look at this stuff. It’s not going anywhere. This is grease, cooking oils, etc. But, it could’ve been worse. Hard water. White calcium deposits that stick like concrete. If your dishes come out white, or filmy, it may be hard water. I can cover that a bit later. The picture below may be gross, but it can be easily cleaned. If this were calcium, you might honestly need a wire brush. That stuff builds up like barnacles on a boat.

Luckily, a quick wash in the sink and the gross is gone. I first wiped it with a cleaning cloth and disposed of any large amounts in the trash. I was then able to easily clean off the remaining parts with soap and water.

NOTE: If you clean your dishwasher parts, do not leave even a DROP of dish soap on these parts or it will create a foam party in your kitchen. Rinse thoroughly.

PHASE 2 – Inspect and Clean Chopper Area – Check Valve

Toothpicks. Plastic. Straws. Nuts. Seeds. Glass shards. Bread ties.

Underneath this cover, the dishwasher’s chopper blade is attached to the motor. As the wash motor runs to circulate and pump the water, this is essentially the “filter” where all the water is pulled through. The chopper reduces any soft scraps that get through. But, you have to remove the accumulator to get to it. A small torx on the left side and this part lifts free. Gently rock it as you pull up.

dishwasher drain filter clogged with debris
dishwasher drain chopper and check valve

I used a shop-vac to quickly remove the debris, but needle-nose pliers and paper towels work just as well. I did not check the check valve. I wasn’t having draining issues (a common symptom for a faulty check valve), so it didn’t seem like something I needed to mess with. It would’ve been a good idea to replace it with a new WP8268375 check valve had I planned ahead.

PHASE 3 – Reassemble

That’s it. Five screws and maybe an hour. You may notice Fisher & Paykel or Bosch dishwashers with easy, removable filter screens. Unfortunately, not all dishwashers are made the same and some dishwashers require a little research before you perform any preventative maintenance. If

Periodic maintenance is vital for peak dishwasher washing performance. This may also extend the life of your dishwasher and ensuring your dishes come out as clean as possible.

Icemaker Not Making Ice But It’s Not The Icemaker Not Making Ice

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READ to understand how icemakers work and it may assist you in troubleshooting.

The technological marvel inside our freezers that keeps us from having to crack and refill our plastic icetrays is called an “icemaker.”

The problem is, the “icemaker” does not “make” ice.

The icemaker is just one final component in a series of related parts working in harmony to create and harvest ice-cubes for your iced-drinking pleasure.

The icemaker should not be called “icemaker.”

Read below to find out what all could go wrong during the icemaking process and stop blaming the thing in your freezer that holds the water until it freezes.

1. | Water Supply

Is the icemaker getting water?

A friend of mine replaced an icemaker because it wasn’t making ice. Turns out, his refrigerator wasn’t even getting water. Ice starts, behind your refrigerator, at the water supply box. Make sure water is on and you’ve paid your water bill. Inspect for leaks anytime you interact with the supply box.

Inspect the supply hose attached from your supply box to the water valve on the back of your refrigerator. Check to make sure it’s not pinched behind the refrigerator, isn’t kinked, and hasn’t been rolled over by the wheel. These hoses are often 1/4″. Shop our Stainless and PVC water supply line options in our storefront.

2. | Water Valve

One, if not the most important, ingredient to making ice is water. Many refrigerators are now equipped with convenient in-door water dispensers and even multiple icemakers. The workhorse behind this water wizardry is the refrigerator water valve.

WEEPING 💧 : To quickly elaborate on “weeping” 💧 , this is the same as your kitchen faucet dripping. But, imagine that drip inside your refrigerator’s water lines, pushing water INTO your icemaker’s tray. “Weeping” valves can hide under the radar for a while. They’ll function properly most of the time. But, drip, drip, drip…until a leak…or until it overfills your icemaker, binding up, and eventually burning up the icemaker. So, because the icemaker is broken, you replace the icemaker. But, drip, drip, drip, drip, drip, drip…

Recommended: Replace the water valve and icemaker at the same time. Like tires or shoes.

3. | Bad Optics. Not feeling it.

[Left] Optics ice-level sensor control boards [Right] Metal bail-arm, shut-off, or “feeler” arm

Icemakers can’t see. They don’t just make ice non-stop, so how do they know when to stop making ice? They may utilize either a sensor or manual arm to sense the ice-level in the ice bin. READ THIS AGAIN. The icemaker may use separate sensors to relay information back to the icemaker before it can continue to cycle.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? Because if that board tells the icemaker the ice bin is full, whether it is full or not, the icemaker will not function. It will not proceed. It will not make ice. Because it is being told by the optic sensors that the bin is full. Just because you can see there’s no ice doesn’t mean the optic sensors see the same thing, which means the icemaker could be getting bad information and stops its cycle assuming the bin is full.

Optic sensors relay bin capacity to the icemaker
Many, many, many icemakers (including my own) have been replaced for not making ice. But, it was the optic sensors.

4. | Temperature

Ok, we covered the main ingredient, water. Now, how do we get ice? Temperature.

Does the icemaker control the temperature? No.

Can the icemaker make the freezer colder? No.

Just like the ice-level sensors mentioned above, the icemaker AGAIN relies on several other components to not only bring down the temperature low enough to FREEZE the ice (thermostats, compressor, thermistor, cold controls, control boards, defrost components), but then also the sensors or boards to send the signal to the icemaker to give it the “ok-it’s-cold-enough-to-make-ice-signal” to move forward and continue making ice.

Some icemakers are equipped with internal thermostats and may not initiate until it reaches a certain temperature, but then it hands the baton over to many other components during the icemaking process. Icemakers depend on information relayed from thermistors, sensors, thermostats, or control boards. Most ice-making cycles require the freezer to be at or below 10 degrees F.

Air Gaps

Unless you’re less than three-feet tall or have a neck like a flamingo, I doubt you see whether or not the dispenser door closes. Ice can get jammed, or the dispenser door could not completely close. This is an example of a dispenser door repair kit. (*compatible with select models) But, this is an example of all the parts responsible for closing and sealing up the dispenser door. The smallest crack allows warm air to enter the freezer, affecting the…temperature.

Air gaps in the dispenser door or refrigerator or freezer door gasket disrupt the temperature inside your freezer. Additionally, as the warm air mixes with the cold air, it creates frost. This frost may begin to buildup on moving parts or affect airflow. Some buildups will lock up your evaporator fan motor as the frost collects around the blades.

Be aware of air gaps. Anything affecting temperature may eventually affect the icemaker.

Ice blocks the refrigerator dispenser door from closing.

5. | Switch – Board

We briefly covered this above. Icemakers rely on other components before continuing to cycle. Many components can interrupt, disrupt, or suspend the icemaker’s cycle. The icemaker is doing its job by listening to these components.

Door Switch – Do you have to close the refrigerator door to fill your glass with water from the in-door dispenser? Or have you ever heard the icemaker motor cycling or turning and it pauses when you open the door? I understand you closed the door and you can see it is closed. But, if the switch is faulty, it may be telling the icemaker the door is open. If your model pauses when the door opens, it’s possible the door switch is telling the icemaker the door is open, so it pauses the cycle.

6. | Ice Maker

You’ve checked or replaced everything else? Ok. It’s probably the icemaker.

If you’re positive the water supply is on > water lines are connected > water valve is good > ice-level arm or sensor is good > temperature is 10ish or below > defrost cycle defrosts and cycles properly….

Last resort: Remove the icemaker from the freezer. Let it thaw and reset overnight. The following day, before reinstalling, turn off your refrigerator either by unplugging or turning off the breaker. Once installed, give it 24-48 hours. If it begins to cycle, great. If an underlying issue is present that caused the original issue, be aware it could creep back up in the days or weeks to follow. Like the weeping 💧 drip, drip, drip, drip scenario.

So, how do I figure out what’s bad?

Proper diagnosis and troubleshooting, or contact a service professional. You should never attempt a repair if you are unfamiliar with electrical and water safety and have the proper personal protection equipment.

True story: After ripping apart my refrigerator’s freezer and replacing the icemaker, I woke up the next morning and found one batch of ice. Did I receive a bad icemaker? Or was it a bad diagnosis? Hint: It was the latter.

Despite knowing I should have performed a service test, I still blindly went with what was most obvious. The icemaker that’s not making ice. Had I diagnosed the issue properly, I would’ve saved both time and money.

In my case, I finally stopped long enough to locate the tech specs and ran the refrigerator’s service mode (only to be performed by professional service technicians) to find the Ice Level Sensor Service Test. The test came back “Ice bin – Full”, despite having no ice in the bin. That’s why the icemaker stopped. So, the icemaker wasn’t making ice, but it wasn’t the icemaker not making ice.

Cleaning Refrigerator Coils

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When the pandemic began and some of us were stuck at home, I made a short video about cleaning your refrigerator coils. This is a simple process and something that should be done at least once a year, if not twice a year. When your refrigerator is running, the fans pull air through the lower grille. This helps exhaust the heat being pulled from within the refrigerator and freezer. But, behind that grille may be dirty coils. If not cleaned periodically, your refrigerator will not be able to cool properly. If not cleaned periodically, the trapped hair, dust, and lint will insulate the coils, trapping the heat, and restricting air flow.

Full Explainer Video – 2:36

📌 You can extend the life of your refrigerator by cleaning the coils once or twice a year.

These coils can be difficult to clean. They don’t have sparkle and shine when you’re done. The main objective is to use a narrow Coil Cleaning Brush to slip through the openings and help knock down some of the built-up dust. Get as much as you can. Don’t use anything that might puncture the coil or damage the refrigerator.

QUICK Example of a refrigerator coil cleaning – 0:15

Garbage Disposal Humming, Jammed, or Locked Up

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Dishes pile up in the sink. You finally conquer Dish Mountain and as you wash the scraps down the sink, you flip the switch for the disposal and what happens next is either: nothing (wrong switch, dead disposal, no disposal), a humming noise (jammed motor), or the greatest hits from Grinding Fork.

In this case, it was an unidentified plastic object jamming the motor. Neither me or my wife took responsibility for the jam and it remains unidentified. The easiest solutions to break a disposal jam are wrench and/or Reset, if equipped.

Unplug the disposal or ensure the switch is OFF.

If your model has a Wrench Port underneath, you can use a Disposal Wrench like this one to manually break the jam. If your model doesn’t have the Wrench Port, you can try our style of Disposal Wrench which inserts from the top.

Use a shopvac/wetvac to extract the debris from above.

In extreme cases, the disposal may have to be uninstalled to retrieve or dislodge the object (like the example above), or replaced after your significant other sees the inside of it. 🤢

📌UNRELATED BUT KINDA RELATED TIP:

Disposals have a plastic dishwasher drain punch-out or knockout plug. This is because some dishwasher drains connect directly to the home’s plumbing. But, when a dishwasher’s drain hose is connected to a new disposal, this knockout needs to be knocked out. This is covered in every disposal’s installation manual.

Replaced your disposal and now your dishwasher wont drain or is having issues? This could be it. I’ve been called out many times to fix a dishwasher that wont cycle only to find out it couldn’t drain.

The hole just above the jam in the picture below is your disposal’s knockout-plug. This is sealed when the disposal is new. If you replace the disposal, and your old disposal was connected to the dishwasher drain hose, remember to follow the instructions to properly knock out the knockout plug.

🧼 BONUS: CLEANING TIP

Easily clean your garbage disposal

This post is not affiliated with Glisten in any way. It’s just the stuff I choose to use. Please read and follow all instructions on the manufacturer’s packaging to receive best results.

1.) The cleaner I chose was Glisten Garbage Disposer Cleaner.
2.) Run a steady stream of HOT water for about a minute.
3.) Reduce flow to a pencil-width trickle and leave it on.
4.) Remove a cleaning packet from the Glisten Pouch or Container. DO NOT OPEN THE CLEANING PACKET.
5.) Place the entire packet into the disposal and, when all phalanges are clear, turn on disposal. Let it run for 10-15 seconds. It will grind the cleaning packet contents, mix with the water, and foam up into the sink. This is normal.
6.) After 10-15 seconds, it should start to clear and you may hear a swoosh noise as the foam rinses down the drain.
7.) Turn off disposal.
8.) Wash any foam from the sink.

Repeat above steps every 3-6 months to maintain your disposal.

Refrigerator Leaking From the Door

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A few weeks ago, the defrost drain in your freezer may have become plugged and frozen over. As the freezer continues to cycle (freeze and defrost), the water begins to pool inside the freezer and refreeze. Over time, the defrost begins to flow downward and pools underneath the lower freezer drawer. As this glacier-like event occurs inside your freezer and continues to expand with every cycle, the ice eventually reaches the door, where it melts and leaks onto your floor.

As the defrost drain backs up and refreezes, it’s easy to trace the movement from the drain to the floor.

STEP 1 | Remove Ice Buildup

Before attempting any repair, be sure to UNPLUG the refrigerator or turn off breaker. Be safe. Wear gloves. Wear eye protection. After gaining access to the floor of your freezer, you may find a small ice rink. If done carefully, you’ll make it out in one piece. (pun) 😉

  • DO NOT use picks or hammers. That will puncture the lining of your freezer.
  • It is NOT RECOMMENDED to use hairdryers or heat guns. If left too long on a certain spot, even a few seconds too close, the lining will burn, melt, or bubble.
  • SAFEST option is a Steam Gun.

STEP 2 | Defrost the Defrost Drain

Although a Steam Gun (like this one, for example) is my preference to quickly remove ice buildup safely, not everyone has a steam gun. I used to pour microwaved water down the defrost drain, but after a few spills and burns, I realized this wasn’t the best method. Alternately, you could just unplug the refrigerator, remove all the food, open the doors, and wait for it to naturally defrost over a few days…BUT, what if it’s a restriction like the one shown below? The only easy way is the right way.

Please do not use anything pokey to try and snake the drain. This is a rubber tube. You could puncture it.

Does my refrigerator have a drain tube?

Most do. Defrost drain freeze-ups are fairly common.

Some refrigerator models have updated their freezer defrost drains from a “duck-billed” style drain (shown below) to a “p-trap” style drain (shown below-er) to prevent future backups or restrictions.

Old-style duck-billed drain tube prone to clogs or restrictions 👆 ⛔
New-style p-trap design. ONLY for select models. IS NOT universal. 😍 ✅

Will It Fit?

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Importance of Appliance Model and Part Compatibility

It’s time to ramble about the importance of model numbers and part compatibility. But, in this post, I will eventually share everything I know about how YOU can verify part compatibility on your own and be confident when you order replacement parts.

“Your part looks the same as my part. It’ll probably work, right?”

No.

Would you grab a bag from baggage claim that looked like yours? The clothes would probably fit, right?

Probably not.

Each appliance model uses a list of compatible replacement parts that fit it perfectly, just like you and your clothes. You could take a chance and grab the black bag with rollers, or would you rather ensure your name is on the tag to know for sure that the contents inside are yours and will fit you? Done with the analogies. Let’s get to the knowledge.

Got Your Number?

  • Model Number: The model number of your appliance is linked to a list of all compatible replacement parts
    • Not usually found on the front of or at the bottom of user manuals or at the end of random labels on the door. The model number is typically clearly defined on the model number sticker and is often accompanied by the serial number and other manufacturer dates and information.
    • Is that an O or an 0? It that an I or a 1? 🎯 TIP: Write down both if you’re not sure, because it has to be exact. I’ll show you how to verify shortly. 👀
  • Serial Number: Needed for manufacturer information, warranty tracking purposes
    • Some models may require the first two digits of your serial number to verify part compatibility.
  • Part Number: This is the part number of the part.
    • You can locate your model’s compatible replacement part number after some quick research, and I’ll share that secret shortly. 👀
Model Numbers located on the appliance containing model, serial, and other manufacturer information.
These are NOT model numbers.

Where do I find my model number?

I made a video to help you locate the most common places to locate your model number on the most popular appliances.

HOW TO VERIFY:

By Brand

Enter your model number in the your brand’s search to find a list of compatible parts for your specific model.

  • Amana
  • Bosch
  • Frigidaire
    • Will accept Kenmore model numbers manufactured by Frigidaire/Electrolux
  • GE – General Electric
    • A helpful search for GE owners. Many GE model numbers contain spaces, zeroes, or even an asterisk in the middle of the model number. These characters have been removed from most searches. If you were to search your exact model number on a universal site, you may not find any results, despite entering it exactly as it is from your label. But, on GE’s website, they’ve done the work to catch this for you and provide you with results that are close to or exact to your model number.
  • JennAir
  • Kenmore – SEARS
    • Kenmore is often manufactured by different brands. Because of this, Sears search will work for most brands.
    • 🎯 TIP: Let the search’s predictive text help you. Type a few characters and watch the results populate and narrow with each additional character. This helps if you’re unsure about an O or an 0, or a 5 or an S.
  • KitchenAid
  • Maytag
  • Thermador
  • Whirlpool
    • Verify the model is the same after you search. If there was, for example, a 1 at the end of your model number and the results pull up compatible parts for the same model number that ends in a 0…do more research using the links below. Make sure your model matches exactly. I’ve seen some searches find a close match and provide parts compatible with a similar model. Check searched model before and after for accuracy.

My Brand Isn’t Listed

Search and Research

The list above is a partial list of specific brands that I’ve found that offer compatibility searches. Below is a list of sites that offer compatibility searches for most brand’s model numbers.

  • Sears Parts Direct – Mentioned earlier for Kenmore, but an excellent universal option.
    • 🎯 TIP: Let the search’s predictive text help you. Type a few characters and watch the results populate and narrow with each additional character. This helps if you’re unsure about an O or an 0, or a 5 or an S.
  • RepairClinic – A great site. Highly recommend.
  • AppliancePartsPros – Helpful diagrams and Q&A
  • PartSelect – Great site and includes many Canadian models
  • Google – Seems pretty obvious, right? A google search may help you find more information about your model.

Update: Parts and Part Numbers Update

In this industry, manufacturers are constantly improving the safety and efficiency of their parts. They may even update the color of the whole part to make it easier to identify the updated part against the previous design.

Part Number 154568002

If you clicked the link above, you’ll find a blue spray arm. This was for a 154568002 dishwasher spray arm, which used to be grey or white. But the part number was updated to 5304517203 and the color is now blue.

Part Number 154568001

A similar dishwasher spray arm is part number 154568001. Despite being close (just one-digit off), this spray arm is not compatible with 154568002. The 154568001 is now also blue, and has been updated to part number 5304518927.

🎯 TIP: Be aware of search engines that pull in “exact and/or similar” numbers, like the example above. The 8001 and 8002 spray arms are not cross-compatible, but may often pop up in search results because of the similar part numbers and product description.

You might have to check the alternative part numbers to know if your part has been updated to a new part number. For example, the W10757851 optic board was updated from part number 4389102 to W10757851. Check the alternative part numbers for all previous part numbers associated with that part number.

How will I know for sure the part is compatible?

Do your research using the resources above and compare results. Check the brand’s search options above. Check the universal search options above. When I personally help a customer, I check multiple sites, multiple times. Ordering or installing an incompatible part is often a financial and timely setback.

or

You can contact Supplying Demand. We’re always happy to help.

No Directions

How do I install it?

Parts are often compatible with dozens, if not hundreds, of models…each with their own particular screw or spring clamp or unique little way to get into the appliance model and access the part to be replaced.

🎯 TIP: Study the above links, look at diagrams (if available) of how parts are assembled, and lastly…once you know the part number you’re trying to install or repair…YouTube it. There are a ton of free, helpful DIY videos online.

A very long video I did 4 years ago on how to do a W10712394 Dishwasher Dishrack Adjuster Repair.

I got the right part, but it didn’t fix the problem.

This happens. I wrote about this kind of scenario for refrigerator icemakers. ICEMAKER NOT MAKING ICE BUT IT’S NOT THE ICEMAKER NOT MAKING ICE. If you’re not familiar with appliance repair, I always recommend contacting a service professional in your area. Appliances are dangerous. Do not underestimate the dangers of repairing an appliance. Only attempt to do so after you’ve done your research and have the proper tools and safety equipment to perform the repair. Also, take every precaution to ensure you are as safe as possible. Clear the area. Turn off power or water. Unplug the appliance. Whatever is necessary for your safety. If you cannot safely diagnose or repair an issue with your appliance, contact a service professional.

We Listen

Thank you to Frank K.

“You write all this stuff about know you model number. Great. But where is the info that matches the model number to the part??” – Frank K.

Frank, you were my inspiration to put together this list. I hope it helps you and future customers who just need the information to match up the parts they need that are compatible with their model and prevent frustrating repairs.

Happy Repairing!

Everything I Know About: Dishwashers

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the ramblings of a former service tech

about dishwashers

Dishwashers are for sanitation. Dishwashers are not garbage disposals.
Garbage disposals are for remnant food scraps. Garbage disposals are not trash cans.
Trash cans are for large amounts of food waste.
Properly dispose of grease from your pans in the proper container.
We’ll touch on grease later in the drain hose ramblings. #greaselogs

Installation

Dishwashers need three things. Water, Power, and a Drain.

That’s it. It’s just a computer attached to a box that uses super-hot water to clean and sanitize your dishes.

A dishwasher needs water, power, and a drain
Dishwasher Installation Kit

Supplying Demand Universal Dishwasher Installation Kit

  • Water: Your hot water supply will connect to the water valve on the dishwasher. Water valves may require an elbow to connect to your water supply line. A supply line is usually either PEX or stainless-steel braided.
  • Power: You can connect a plug to the terminal box on your dishwasher, if your cabinet is equipped with an outlet. Most of my installations were hardwired, meaning I just used the wires coming from the wall and connected them directly to the corresponding wires in the terminal box. Take the time to properly use the strain-relief clamp. This will prevent live wiring from exiting the terminal box or becoming exposed. Dishwashers are usually on their own circuit, or share one with a disposal. Go ahead and turn that off before install or repair.
  • Drain: The dishwasher has a drain hose that will connect to the plumbing under your sink. Make sure the line is hung in the cabinet higher than the connection to the disposal or drain. This helps to “waterfall” the drained water and ensures it doesn’t flow backwards back into your dishwasher. If your dishwasher is new and has water in the bottom, that is normal. *NOTE: When connecting to a new disposal, make sure to knock out the knock-out plug.

Balancing

A socket wrench is used to raise and lower the legs of a dishwasher

That’s it. You just installed a dishwasher. Now, level it, front, back, side to side. Check your manual for the proper instructions. Some fancy dishwashers have adjustable wheels, or can be leveled with a flathead or socket wrench. Many common dishwashers use this style of leveling legs. Legs may either need an adjustable wrench or pliers to break the legs free (WD40 works wonders), but the easiest method I’ve found is to use a small socket on the top of the leveling leg. Some have hex heads that allow you to easily and conveniently raise and lower the legs with a ratchet.

Secure and Mount

A dishwasher is mounted to the countertop by two screws

Finish it off by securing the dishwasher’s mounting bracket or anti-tip bracket to the countertop or cabinet with a couple of screws. Some dishwashers have side plugs around the door opening to allow for side-mount installations into a cabinet. If your brackets are already installed on top of the dishwasher, and you also have side plugs, it’s likely those top brackets can be switched to the side, if you choose a side-mount installation.

Side-mount installations are usually the method chosen when you have a granite or stone countertop where a top-mount might not be possible without drilling into the countertop and setting anchor points.

E-Z Dishwasher Mounting Bracket

E-Z Dishwasher Mounting Bracket

These countertop mounting brackets are an excellent option and give your dishwasher’s top-mounting brackets multiple depth options without having to drill into stone, or if your countertop does not have a mounting point.

These “granite brackets” are an adhesive option, but require prep work, patience, and clamps for best adhesion results. Poorly installed brackets, or some sealed surfaces can adhere poorly and break the seal, especially combined with a top-vented dishwasher or poorly-balanced dishwasher where too much weight is being put on the upper bracket. Top or side brackets should not be used for support. They are only there to prevent the dishwasher from tipping forward when the door is opened or the top rock is pulled out. They should not be the main weight-bearing point. A properly-leveled dishwasher will do most of the work. Top and side mounts are secondary supports to prevent tipping.

Dishwasher Adhesive Granite Mounting Brackets

Dishwasher Granite Mounting Brackets

Dishwasher Magic Dishwasher Cleaner

Take Care Of It

Every 6 months, clean it. There are many dishwasher cleaners on the market. My fav is Dishwasher Magic. It has a wax seal. Do not pop or remove it. That is a time-release feature to ensure the dishwasher is hot enough to utilize the cleaning agents inside. Just unscrew the top and put it upside down in a secure spot in the bottom rack. This will disinfect and sanitize your dishwasher, as well as remove calcium deposits that will leave white spots or white film on your dishes. Just use this, by itself, once every 6 months to maintain the life of your dishwasher, or look into other dishwasher cleaning agents that you feel comfortable using.

If it has a filter, clean it. If it’s not obvious, and you don’t see it, your dishwasher may not have one.

Loading The Dishwasher

Know where your soap dispenser is. Do not block it.

Know where your spray arms are. Do not block them.

Need help loading the dishwasher? Clean My Space knows how. With over 2.1M views, she may be the go-to for dishwasher loading guidance.

I like to load my dishwasher in a radial pattern, since the arms rotate. I try to point or angle all the dishes inward to ensure the spray arm jets will hit them. Watch the height on some of the utensils in the silverware rack, as they may interfere with the middle spray arm that washes the top rack. If in doubt, check it out. Push both racks in and then rotate the arm to be positive the arm will be able to rotate freely during the wash.

A person loads a pan into the dishwasher

Liquid Detergent is not Dishwasher Detergent

A woman is covered up to her neck in foam

BUBBLES! A drop of liquid detergent will put out enough bubbles to cover a kitchen floor. If you pre-wash with liquid detergent, rinse well or you will soon have a foam party in your kitchen. If it happens, don’t panic. Wipe up the bubbles with a towel or a wetvac. Dropping a cap-full of cooking oil or vegetable oil into the dishwasher and turning it on for few seconds to circulate the oil and water (basically just resuming the wash) will “kill the suds.” Then you can drain it. “Well, why not just drain it first or use the wetvac?” Draining it first or just sucking up what you see may still leave water and detergent in the base, sump, or bottom and it would just happen again during the next fill. The oil dilutes the detergent and “kills the suds.” Most dishwasher detergents produce very few suds.

Use Rinse Aid

Remove the rinse aid cap and fill it up. This will leave your glasses sparkly and reduce calcium and hard-water deposits by adding a drying-agent to the rinse cycle to give your dishes a streak-free finish. Plastics don’t dry the same as your ceramic coffee mugs. Plastics as hot as your coffee mug during a drying cycle would melt. This is why they often have water dripping off them. The heat and steam inside the dishwasher condenses back into droplets and collects on your plastics. This is unfortunately normal, but Rinse Aid may help.

Detergent and Detergent Boosters

Most detergents no longer contain phosphates. Those things are what fought off the white film and hard-water deposits found on your glassware and black plastics. If you have hard water in your area, consider using a detergent booster, like Finish Hard Water Booster Powder or Glass Magic Dishwasher Cleaner. You will use these in conjunction with your main detergent. Fill your pre-wash container in your dishwasher’s detergent dispenser with your detergent booster. Then, your regular detergent or capsule would go in the main wash section.

Pots, Pans, and Grease Logs

Get a Grease Keeper. Doesn’t have to be this one. It can even be the Tik-Tok aluminum-foil-in-the-sink option. But, do not cook fried-chicken or bacon without removing the grease and then think the dishwasher will be able to handle it. Because it will, that’s the problem. The heat will liquify all the grease, fats, and oils, and flush it into your drain…and then it will cool. I like to say coagulate. It’s fun to say, but not fun to fix.

When it cools, it coagulates, or turns back into that waxy, greasy solid. That will eventually lead to a clog. If that happens, it would almost be easier to replace the drain hose at that point. But, for fun, you can remove the drain hose, take it outside, put a garden hose nozzle in one end and hold on tight. With enough pressure, you’ll see a grease log come flying out the other end. Now, you just have to go back inside, reattach the drain line, reinstall the dishwasher, run your test drain cycles to check for leaks, and re-mount the dishwasher.

Or, you could use a grease keeper.

Here’s a useful post from Water-Use It Wisely:

Grease Is The Word: Preventing Drain Clogs From Fats, Oils And Grease

Pumps and Check Valves

Some dishwashers have one motor that does it all. Some have one main motor that washes and circulates the water while a separate, smaller drain pump motor drains the water from the tub. These smaller motors are often magnetic. If you rotate the impeller on the drain pump, you should feel it spring back at some point. That usually indicates the motor is ok. These motors are built well, but they aren’t meant to handle anything but water and maybe a small amount of, if any, food remnants. A toothpick, or even a small chip from a broken wine glass will shut down either motor. This is why it’s important to remove 99% if the scraps from the dishes.

Some Whirlpool models feature a “chopper”, which is a small blade connected to the main wash motor that screens and chops large debris to a more manageable size. These parts may be hidden, but you can often find help videos (like these) to get a step-by-step guide.

Imagine drinking from a cup with a straw that has a hole in it.

Check Valve analogy

Check valves and backflow preventers are important. If your model is equipped with those parts, make sure you know where they are. Those should be one of the checkpoints for any drain-related issue. In that video link above, when he replaces the chopper cover, look under the right side of the cover. The rubber, black thing is your check valve. It can be easily removed with pliers. New check valves may appear smaller. Old check valves may appear swollen. This is normal. A faulty check valve may not allow the dishwasher to completely drain. Imagine drinking from a cup with a straw that has a hole in it. You get more air than drink, right? Same applies with a faulty check valve.

Everything Else

Ok, big finish to the first EIKA dishwashers post. (Everything I Know About: Dishwashers…not IKEA…I mean, they also have dishwashers, but my acronym is diff-, yeah, nm, you get it) We got all the big stuff out of the way. Ummmm, drumroll, dishwashers also have:

  • Floats. My dishwasher wouldn’t fill. Turns out a noodle was under the float, so the water valve thought the tub was full.
  • Door seals. Doors seal on three sides. The bottom is often open, or there is a thin bottom “sweeper” gasket, like a door sweep. If your dishwasher is leaking, it could be 100 different things. The dishwasher is sealed on the top and sides because that’s where the water is spraying. If it’s leaking:
    • take off the bottom access panel and run it.
    • dripping from the door? ok, open and lower the door. Try to locate the screws around the door frame that secure the outer panel. Watch a couple of videos to see how various ones come off. With the outer panel off, you can now watch the dishwasher more closely. I’ve seen water come right through the soap dispenser.
    • still leaking? too much water? Replace the water valve. May be weeping. (trickling water into the tub)
  • Door latches. These are, by far, the most problematic part on a dishwasher. Some of yall’s grips are much stronger than you think and are no match for a plastic door handle. Also, don’t slam the door.
  • Door hinges. Many dishwashers have door hinges with hooks that connect to cables or springs, or both. Sometimes these can easily be replaced by accessing them through the lower access panel. If you’re lucky, you can unmount it and pull it out a foot or less to access the hinges for an even quicker repair. But all techs know most installs are done with very little slack on the electrical or supply line, and we don’t often get that lucky.
  • Spray Arms. Use a pipe cleaner to clean the spray arm jets openings if you notice hard water buildup or debris.
    • If you have a center-tower style telescoping spray arm, don’t cover it because it washes the top rack
    • After a cycle is complete, make sure it’s completely collapsed before pulling out the lower rack. You could pull out the rack and rip it from the spray arm retainer, potentially causing it to lay across a still-warm element.
  • Touchpads and Control Boards. These are tough to diagnose. The touchpad is the user interface, and that’s what instructs the control board, correct? So, use your gut here. If you press one button and another lights up, or the plastic coating is peeling off, that’s like taking the claw end of your hammer to your computer’s keyboard, and then typing a dissertation. Control Boards are often my last resort.
  • Fuses and sensors. Some have thermal fuses, thermostats, or turbidity sensors. Turbidity is the measure of relative clarity of a liquid.
  • Heating elements. These can often be easily tested for continuity. If they have continuity, more than likely they’re ok. Check all wiring. Possible heater relay on the board, thermostat, sensor, or even door switch breaking the connection to the heater.
  • Timers. Some timers have cams on the timer shaft that may trigger the dispenser door to open. Make sure you don’t toss out the old timer with the cam still on it.
  • Child Safety Lock Feature. Look at the icons on your dishwasher panel. You should see two, or even one, with a “3 sec” or “Lock” symbol. This is the Child Safety Lock Feature to prevent curious hands and fingers from starting or stopping a cycle. These can be inadvertently enabled by leaning against the door, or even those same hands. Don’t be mad at the technician when you pay a service call for them to hold down a button for three seconds. I tried to be generous during my service days in these embarrassing scenarios.
    • Yes, I’ve had to charge someone to disable the child-lock feature. No, it didn’t feel good to charge them $100 for a three-second repair. But, while I was there, I often removed the lower access panel and cleaned underneath, checked for leaks or other visual wear, sell some dishwasher cleaner, and offered to answer any questions or educate the customer on dishwasher maintenance, preferred models or detergent, etc.
  • Flooring. If you replace your kitchen floors, don’t trap your dishwasher. Make sure it can be uninstalled and reinstalled. Dishwasher legs can usually be raised and lowered, but I was there when my trainer took a demo hammer to the kitchen floor. With the homeowner’s knowledge, of course.
  • Floors. Do not drag your toolbag across the floor. Do not keep screws or tools in your pockets. Place your tools on a piece of cardboard. Be mindful of the floors. This is why checking for water leaks after a repair or installation until you’re 1000% sure everything is good is so important. Water is liquid termites to a home. No scratches. No Drips.
  • Water, Power, Drain, Level, Mount. Most everything else is in your user manual or in this post.

Know Your Model Number

Don’t look for a part that looks like your part. Don’t look for your receipt or your owners manual (unless you’re one of the 1% that followed the instructions and wrote it down inside the manual where it tells you to). Find it on your dishwasher. Whenever you have a question or need something in the future, this is often the first piece of information any servicer or retailer will need.

Watch me install a dishwasher in less than 5 minutes.

How To Install A Dishwasher:
The Quick Version

Exhausting.

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A dryer needs a place to vent. Here’s why you should listen and what you can do to help.

“My clothes aren’t drying.”

“It’s not getting hot enough.”

“My clothes are coming out damp.”

“I think the element might be going out.”

“The door is dripping wet when I open it?!?!?!”

The most important part of your dryer is not even part of the dryer. It’s the exhaust vent. That doesn’t mean JUST the stuff snakely-crammed in-behind the back of the dryer and the wall. It’s everything from your dryer, to the wall, and through the house, to the vent cap on the outside of the home. Your dryer vent is the most critical part of the drying process.

Make it short and simple.

The vent needs to be as short as possible, with as few bends, twists, and elbows as possible. The quicker the dryer can expel the moisture from your clothes, the quicker they will dry. This will save you money on utilities and reduces the stress on your dryer, which may save you a repair bill or two.

What if it’s not short and simple?

I understand you do not have x-ray vision and can’t see inside your walls and under your floors to locate your vent duct, but you must know where your vent goes and where the vent terminates, usually to a vent duct outside your home, sometimes even on your roof.

Or it doesn’t terminate at all, because it hasn’t been maintained, and now it’s blowing moisture and lint underneath your home. This can lead to mold or even structural damage. I’ve seen customers buy brand new dryers in hopes drying performance would improve, but….

A dryer works only as well as the dryer vent.

Keep It Clean.

NO GARDEN HOSES. NO LEAF BLOWERS.

First, let’s find the right tool. The proper tool is a 4-inch dryer vent cleaning brush. Here’s some examples. Don’t go out a buy a power drill if you don’t have one. Just use your hands and manually use the vent brush.

Why no leaf blowers or hosepipes? Look above at the image of the rooftop vent cap. Do you see how the lint is pasted and stuck to the walls of the vent? This requires a vent brush to loosen and scrape the lint from the walls so it can be blown out of the vent.

For Demonstration Purposes Only. A dryer lint vent bag is recommended.

The inside of the dryer vent should be dry and clean. When lint mixes with moisture, it becomes a heavy paste, like lint mud.

Here’s how.

  1. Estimate the length of the vent
  2. Locate the vent duct on the exterior of the home
  3. Insert the vent brush from the outside, with the dryer running. Start brushing, going in and out with one vent rod at a time, and adding a vent rod once that section is cleaned to extend the vent brush deeper into the dryer vent.
  4. The velocity of the exhaust should have force behind it. If you cover the vent with your hand, you should hear and feel the air trying to squeeze through your fingers.

Brush kit tips:

NOTE: If something catches or twists or binds, stop. The rods will break. It’s no fun to waste $50 or more on a tool, only to have it break inside the vent, causing you to take the vent apart to remove it…which then gives you a convenient moment to clean the vent sections you removed.

Work in small sections to prevent twisting and binding.
Wear PPE. Definitely keep mouth closed. #dontbethisguy #stockphoto #thatsnotme

NOTE NOTE: PVC and plastic vents may hold water and are not recommended dryer vent material. Flexible vents may not be able to be cleaned, as they may rip or bind in the cleaning process. The best and easiest type of vent to use/clean is either rigid or solid aluminum.

NOTE NOTE NOTE: Wear gloves, long sleeves, protective eyewear, and a mask. Dryer vent ducts can have razor-sharp edges. When cleaning dryer vents, it’s best to be prepared.

#wearamask

After your vent is cleaned, your dryer should be purring like new.

#prrrprrrprrrprrrprrrprrrprrrprrrprrrprrrprrrprrr

In Theory

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Repair Theory in a digital age should be easier, right? We all crave an immediate answer because we don’t have time. We quickly turn to the internet to get immediate answers, but the part we miss is “showing our work.” Remember that part of the assignment? That’s part of the theory. Not just to understand what broke, but why, how, and what can be done to prevent it in the future.

For example, replacing a fuse might get the appliance working again, but did it fix the problem? This is an example of when theory helps DIYers and Technicians understand the bigger question of WHY, rather than WHAT.

“I’m trying to free your mind, Neo. But I can only show you the door. You’re the one that has to walk through it. You have to let it all go. Fear, doubt, and disbelief. Free your mind. ”

Morpheus

Appliance Repair requires knowledge in many areas. As a former professional appliance service technician, I developed skills in electrical, carpentry, and plumbing…to name a few. You’re not taught everything up-front because you simply can’t cover everything. My trainer, a 30+ year professional in the field, taught me the ‘theory’ behind repair.

Think.

Become the appliance. Think about how it operates. Think about it. Watch it. Learn how it operates and which parts work together to make it do what it does. Figuring out how it works will help lead you to figuring out why it doesn’t work and what can be done to repair it.

Listen.

Listen to your customer. Listen to the appliance. You can often audibly determine the issue without lifting a finger.

  • “I was doing a load of horse blankets, and then…”
  • “I put in a disposal and now my dishwasher wont drain.”
  • “It takes too long to dry.”

Start the appliance and listen to it. Close your eyes. Listen to the motor motor, listen to the impeller impel, listen to the pump pump, listen for clicks, bumps, thumps, beeps…and try to form a mental image of what is happening inside the appliance that could be causing that to occur.

Ask.

Perhaps, if you’re having problems finding the answer, it may be that you’re asking the wrong question. Never assume or believe you ‘know’, because the appliance gods will often humble you. Be humble. Be curious. Ask questions.

Sense.

Use all your senses. That’s the basis of theory. You can hear a broken motor coupling. You can see the white-powdery-leftovers of a snubber ring. You can feel the heat that results from a failed condenser fan motor. You can smell the burning of a seized motor. Proprioception is a ‘sense’ you will develop. Using your mind’s eye to ‘see’, as your fingers thread a screw or route a belt around the pulleys. Having the ability to use these senses properly will make you a successful technician.

Prepare.

“Neo, sooner or later you’re going to realize, just as I did, there’s a difference between knowing the path and walking the path.“

Morpheus

Lastly, start and end your repair and use the most critical sense of them all, common sense.

Prepare. Be safe. Unplug or turn off power. Turn off or disconnect water. Whatever is necessary until you determine that it is safe and can be tested and operated safely. Why do construction crews setup cones, signs, flags, barricades, and lights weeks before they start working? Why do pilots walk around the aircraft after they land and again before loading passengers? Safety. Preparation. Learn to use an electrical meter. Learn how to test for voltage and continuity. This is a lesson and a skill that may save your life…in addition to making you a better technician.

Use common sense. Wear safety equipment. Prepare. Think through the problem. Listen to your customer. Listen to your appliance. Appliance repair is a skill anyone can learn. Remember Neo’s training? Was he stopping bullets on day one? No. Did he make the jump? No. But, if you believe you can, if you trust in your self, if you prepare, you can and will free your mind. The possibilities are endless.

The Repair B®and

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A brand born from demand. A family-owned and operated company based in Murfreesboro, TN with an extensive background in service and repair.

Supplying Demand is The Repair Brand.

Supplying Demand wants your repair experience to be a positive one. This is why we’ve focused on the points our customers advised us were most important to them. This may sound like a soundbite you’ve heard before, but it’s not.

Here’s the list.

  • Quality parts backed with a One-Year Guarantee
  • Fast and Safe Shipping
  • Excellent Customer Service
  • Customer Service Agents with Professional Service Tech experience
  • Downloadable Product Inserts or Instructions (for some parts)
  • Reusable, resealable, durable packaging (on most products)