What To Do About a Clogged Dishwasher And How Drain Cleaning Can Help | San Antonio, TX
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Waking up to a pool of water at the bottom of your dishwasher is discouraging and annoying. If you lead a hectic life, your dishwasher’s smooth functioning is integral to your daily routine. Washing dishes manually each day after work and chores can be an unpleasant task for most people.
If the dishwasher at your home is clogged, you may want to ensure you contact professional drain cleaning experts to have a look at it. It takes knowledge and practical experience to unclog and repair a dishwasher successfully. The services of an expert will help save time and effort.
Cleaning the Water
Your drain cleaning expert will first clean up the grimy water at the bottom of your dishwasher before starting the unclogging process. After the water is mopped away, the expert will inspect the drainpipe and valve to see if leaks in the pipe caused the water leakage. The plumber will inspect the sink, valves, pipes, and other connecting links. If there is no leak, crack, or breakage, your plumber will proceed to look for clogs and unclog the dishwasher.
Inspect the Filter
Clogs can occur when there are food particles, garbage, or other elements blocking your dishwasher’s filter. The filter is located at the bottom. Your plumber will remove the filter and inspect it to see if there is a clog in the filter. The plumber will then clean the filter thoroughly before attaching it to the dishwasher. If the filter is damaged or broken, your drain cleaning expert will ask you to replace it.
Garbage Disposal
The water from the dishwasher drains out through the machine’s garbage disposal pipe. Your dishwasher could get clogged if there is debris buildup or clogs in the garbage disposal pipe. Your plumber will inspect the garbage disposal, clean it out and remove any garbage that was left unattended as part of cleaning services. While cleaning the garbage disposal may seem like something you can do on your own, the activity could end up being strenuous and can be handled more efficiently by a plumbing expert.
Drain Pipe and Air Gaps
If the dishwasher is clogged despite filter cleaning and cleaning the garbage disposal, your drain cleaning expert may inspect the drain hose to see if it is clogged. Most drain pipes are detachable. The plumber will remove the drain hose from the dishwasher to inspect and clean it before sitting it back. If the clogging persists, the drain professional will inspect the air gaps to stop the water from going back into the dishwasher. Air gaps could be blocked by waste, debris, and other garbage.
Cleaning Arm
The nozzles in your dishwashers’ spray arm may be blocked or clogged with food waste or small particles. This could also cause a clog in the dishwasher. Your professional plumber at San Antonio, TX, will detach the spray arm and clean the nozzles well before attaching the dishwasher’s cleaning arm again.
Special Cleaning Liquids
Professional plumbers and drain cleaning experts may use special cleaning liquids capable of breaking or diluting the clog. They use chemical solutions and acid to degrade the food material that clogged the dishwasher without harming the dishwasher and its components. Your plumber will be able to identify which chemical or solution will work best for the type of item that clogs your dishwasher.
Drain Motor
Your dishwasher may be clogged because an item of debris, food, or garbage has blocked the drain motor. If this happens, your dishwasher will stop functioning and draining effectively. It takes expert plumbers who have experience in drain cleaning services to detach the motor, clean it and reinstall it. Doing this without expert help might damage the motor and the whole dishwasher if you don’t reinstall it correctly.
Sewer Line
Broken sewer lines and blocked sewer lines don’t generally affect your dishwasher. However, if all your drains are interconnected, a block in one line may cause clogs or blocks in all lines. If multiple drain pipes are blocked due to tree root infestations or other causes, your dishwasher drain could also be affected. Your drain cleaning expert will inspect your sewer line with a high-grade camera and fix the issue.
How to Prevent Your Dishwasher from Clogging
A clogged dishwasher can be a troublesome thing to deal with. It may be a good idea to take precautions to prevent the dishwasher from clogging. Further, clogged dishwashers could also lead to other plumbing problems.
Clean your filter regularly to ensure there is no debris buildup, nozzle blocks, or food waste buildup. Ensure that the dishes you load into the dishwasher contain no food solids that can clog up the filter. Some people do a preliminary wash or wipe before loading the dishes into the washer.
You could also watch out for mineral and sediment buildups like a sand buildup. If you live in San Antonio, TX, that has dry terrain; your water may have sand sediments. Over time, the sand could build up in your dishwasher and cause a clog. Getting a drain cleaning expert or plumber to inspect your pipes and dishwasher regularly will help clean and prevent mineral buildups. Your drain expert may also know efficient ways to filter out or treat minerals and sediments.
It’s recommended to pay heed to early signs of dishwasher clogging. At the very early stages, your dishwasher may make gurgling noises or rattling noises when functioning. If the dishwasher is clogged, the water flow will be slow as well.
Contact Your Local Plumber for All Your Dishwasher Woes
Suppose you notice any of the signs mentioned above. In that case, you may want to contact our plumbing and drain cleaning professionals at bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of San Antonio for immediate services. You can contact us at 210-876-1629.
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