In the world of professional home appliance repair, a few
complaints and issues are particularly common, though experienced home repair
technicians have heard just about everything about nearly every broken kitchen
appliance imaginable. Sometimes, the complaint is an easy fix that can be
described to an apt do-it-yourself go-getter over the phone, and other times it
could lead to a service call and an in-depth mechanical or electrical appliance
repair job. "My dishwasher won’t drain or fill” is a common occurrence, though
it’s closer to unique since it’s a description of something that can be a
symptom of either a quick repair or a complicated, lengthy task. It all depends
on the circumstance, but if you’ve found yourself saying the same thing, it
never hurts to consult with an appliance repair professional, who can help you
decide where to go and what to do next to get your kitchen life back in working
order.
The Simple Stuff
Unless you’re someone who thoroughly rinses off all dishes
before loading them into your dishwasher, chances are a fair bit of food
particulate ends up swirling around during a regular cycle. Most of the time,
these bits are small enough that they don’t cause problems, but other times
they can be troublesome. For instance, at the bottom of most dishwasher units
is a ‘float’ – a component that senses the internal water level during a cycle
and adjusts the water level accordingly to make sure the right amount of water
comes into the dishwasher.
Sometimes, food can block and jam up this component, stopping the appliance
from knowing what to do next. As a result, you may end up opening up your malfunctioning
dishwasher to find a small lake at the bottom and some decidedly unclean dishes
in the rack. Luckily in cases like this, it is usually relatively easy to
simply clean out the cluttering junk that’s causing the dishwasher jam and get
everything back to normal.
The Tough Stuff
Sometimes, on the other hand, a dishwasher that won’t drain
can be an indication of a deeper and more complicated problem, including the
possibility of a broken pump or something wrong with an internal hose or pipe.
If what you’re really looking at is a broken dishwasher pump, the only real
option is to call in a professional and let them apply their experience and
know-how to get your dishwasher back up and running in no time. While it may be
tempting to try to fix these more complicated issues yourself, it’s important
to recognize the potential safety hazards (if the pump was broken because of a
short or other electrical problem) or future damage (if, while fixing one
problem, a pipe was to be ruptured, the damage going forward could be extensive).
Whether your most recent complaint around the house is "my
dishwasher won’t drain or fill” or something else about a different broken
appliance, most people could benefit from a consultation with an expert. With a
bit of research and asking the right questions, you can find a repair company
that will help you learn what you can do at home by yourself and what you
should just leave in the hands of the professionals.