As with all appliances, something can go wrong in your dishwasher. Many people aren’t able to be without their dishwashers. They use them daily to ensure they don’t sit at the end of a long work day buried deep in a puddle of sudsy water.
If your dishwasher’s drain within Ottawa isn’t draining the entire way, it could cause costly and time-consuming repairs. You could have to be out of your kitchen for several days. But, a dishwasher that isn’t draining is a frequent issue faced by plumbers and one that you may try to fix before calling the help of a professional.
Here we’ll discuss why your dishwasher isn’t draining properly and how to resolve the issue.
Your Garbage Disposal Is Clogged
Garbage disposal is a fixture that sits beneath the sink. It gets designed to collect solid food waste into its grinder chamber. If the appliance switches on, the spinning disc spins fast, pressing food scraps against the wall.
Food gets broken down into tiny pieces. These bits are flushed away with water through small holes in the wall of the chamber.
The dishwasher has a drain hose and can drain into the garbage disposal. If the garbage disposal has food that gets adequately ground, it may cause the dishwasher to stop draining correctly. Then, run your garbage disposal and see how it can help the dishwasher drain accurately.
One great habit is keeping your water running and letting your garbage disposal run for 10 to 15 seconds after the food gets rinsed. It will assist in removing any food particles remaining within the P-trap.
Examine Your Sink’s Air Gap
A dishwasher or sink air gap is essential to the kitchen’s plumbing. It’s a tiny cylinder near the faucet for your kitchen sink, and it also has some holes. Sometimes, dirty water drains into the dishwasher, but the air gap blocks this from happening.
When your dishwasher is pumping away dirty water, the dishwasher flows into a drain pipe it then flows into the air gap. It protects you and everyone within your home from contamination of the water in the dishwasher. Mixing contaminated and clean water is not a good idea.
Sometimes, air gaps aren’t even on the counter or within your home. A large loop beneath the sink could connect to the garbage disposal. It functions the same way for air gaps.
Although the air gap gets intended to drain filthy water, it may become blocked with food particles and other waste. It could result in your dishwasher not draining correctly.
If you want to determine if this could be the root of your issue, Remove it by turning the sink to open the air space counterclockwise. Examine it for any debris and clean it up if it is necessary. It can clean by using a stiff brush. Once you’ve done this, run the dishwasher to see whether the issue resolves.
Clean Up the Detergent
Dishwasher detergent needs to cleanse a great deal. It needs to remove dried or baked foods from dishes, making your glasses streak-free. Finding a good detergent that can do all these things isn’t easy.
Additionally, it is crucial to use dishwasher detergents of the highest caliber. Poor quality detergents can cause blockages in the drain of your dishwasher.
They have to remove all food debris left over without generating any suds. The regular dishwashing fluid will create enough suds that your dishwasher isn’t able to drain correctly.
Are you considering replacing laundry detergent if you get not stocked with dishwasher soap? It could cause the same problem.
If your dishwasher gets blocked because of detergent, take these steps to wash it up:
- Place towels on the floor near the bottom of your dishwasher.
- Clean the dish tray from the bottom.
- Clean the dirty water using a plastic cup, then place it in the bucket.
- Take care to sift out the rest of the water using towels.
- Then run the dishwasher once more using the suitable detergent.
There are many different detergents available. If you’re stuck and have your dishwasher running, do not use any other detergent. It will cause you to create more problems and have to tidy up a massive mess.
Clean Out the Drain Basket
The bottom inside of the dishwasher is the drain basket. Its cover looks like a container that’s upside down. It snaps off or gets fastened in place with a few screws.
If the inside of your dishwasher does not look as you would expect, look at the owner’s manual. Ensuring you reach the drain pan accurately and without breaking anything is crucial.
To wash it, begin by taking off the cover. It is possible to check for food particles or other debris accumulated inside the basket. Using an object like a spoon or your fingers to take it out is possible.
Replace the cover and run your dishwasher until it’s clean. If you notice plenty of food within the container, ensure you rinse your dishes before placing them in the dishwasher. Modern dishwashers get better equipped to crush food items into pieces; however, not all.
There Could Be Issues with Your Drain Pipe
The drain pipe is the ribbed light hose that connects the drain pump and the garbage disposal or air gap. If there’s a problem, it could cause your dishwasher to struggle to drain correctly.
Look It Up for Kinks
If your drain’s hose gets curled and isn’t draining correctly, it will not be able to do so. Examine the underside of your sink to determine if this is the cause of the issue. Large or heavy objects could have been placed beneath the sink, causing them to get into the drain hose.
The drain hose kinking precisely at the damaged spot is one of the most frequent problems. It’s possible to replace the hose if this persists.
Replace Your Drain Pipe
Replacing your dishwasher’s hose isn’t an issue you can fix yourself. However, you should contact residential plumbing services if you’re uncomfortable.
A professional plumber can change your drain hose at a reasonable cost and in minutes. Contact us with any queries.
Check for Clogs
The drain hose of your dishwasher can get blocked with food debris as well as food debris. To ensure it’s free of obstructions, you’ll need to remove the lower front of your dishwasher. You’ll then need to determine where the hose connects to the drain pump of your dishwasher.
It is the next thing to do to disconnect the dishwasher. Place towels under the dishwasher, then remove the front panel on the lower side. You may have to pull out a few screws. However, most front boards can remove.
Remove the drain hose from the pump. Learning the proper procedure to do this in the owner’s manual is possible.
You are blowing the hose through to look for obstructions. If you see no air coming through, you likely have a block. If the clog is near the drain line, try to clear it using a small object such as a pencil.
If it’s not on that end, you’ll have to take off the other end of the hose to examine that point. The clog could be further into the hose. In that case, you’ll likely have to replace your entire hose.
Do not try to wash it off with a plumber’s snake. Dishwasher hoses could puncture.
Contact Ottawa Plumbing Service in Ottawa
Although there could be plumbing issues, don’t be afraid to call an experienced residential plumber. Determining why your dishwasher’s drain isn’t draining can be complicated, particularly if you’re unfamiliar with your kitchen’s plumbing.
Ottawa Plumbing Service is here to assist. We are here to help in plumbing emergencies 24/7, all week. Contact us today at (613) 317-1682 or email us at info@ottawaplumbingservice.com.
