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Are you having to dry dishes by hand because your dishwasher does not dry the dishes? This can be extremely annoying if it is getting in the way of your family time every night!
Wet dishes? Try these four easy tips! 1) Check to make sure the air vent is open and working properly, 2) check on the heating element, 3) also check the thermostat, and finally, 4) take a look at the rinse aid dispenser cap. Keep reading to find the details on how to diagnose and fix each of these problems!
Along with the list of causes, we have included steps to follow to fix the problems yourself… and save yourself some time and money on repair costs.
4 Common causes for your dishwasher does not dry the dishes
- The vent is stuck closed
- The heating element is not working properly
- Failed thermostat
- Broken Rinse aid dispenser cap
The vent is stuck closed –
In order to get all of the dishes clean inside a dishwasher, there is a whole lot of water being used. This water is extremely HOT to make sure all of the food particles and residue are completely removed. In order to clean all of the dishes, cups, glasses, silverware, and utensils, you also need detergents.
Once all of the cleaning and rinsing is done and the water stops spraying the dishes, then begins the drying process. Part of that drying cycle is when the heating element raises the temperature inside the dishwasher to aid in the drying of the dishes.
The inside of the dishwasher is a fairly closed system to prevent the water inside from spraying out everywhere. Due to the super-heating of the water, there tends to be a lot of steam and water vapors trapped inside. This moist air could definitely impede the drying of the dishes.
Fortunately, designers of modern dishwashers have a handy solution to this problem: VENTS. These vents are opened electrically as part of the drying cycle to vent the moist air out.
So, if you are experiencing issues with the dishes not getting dry completely, one of the first things you would check is to see if the vents are stuck closed. It needs to be open to allow the excess steam and water vapor to escape.
If you are comfortable, you can use a
Read also: Dishwasher Smells Bad? How to Fix it
The heating element is not working properly –
When it comes to the drying cycle of the dishwasher one of the most important parts that make up the drying system is the heating element. After all of the cleaning and rinsing cycles are finished and the water stops spraying inside, the dishes inside the dishwasher will start the drying process.
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Gravity is a big part of the drying process, especially for all of the glasses, cups, and bowls which are generally placed upside down in the top rack. The same can be said about the large pots or pans being placed upside down in the bottom rack.
Since drip-drying all of the dishes inside the dishwasher would likely take many hours, a large heating element is placed at the bottom of the dishwasher to speed up the drying process.
This heater brings the temperature inside the dishwasher during the drying cycle to help bolster the drip-drying process to make the dishes dry faster.
If you are running into issues with not all of the dishes are getting completely dry at the end of the full cleaning cycle, you should check out the heating element to ensure that it is actually heating up.
If you suspect the heating element could be the cause, you can use a multimeter to test for continuity. Be sure to turn the power off to the dishwasher at the breaker panel.
If the heating element turns out to be faulty, you can usually find parts by going to the manufacturer’s website. You can get a replacement heating element here: Amazon. Be sure to check model number before ordering.
Read also: GE Dishwasher Troubleshooting
Failed thermostat –
Most large appliances in your kitchen have safety systems built-in to protect the homeowner from problems that could arise during use. In a dishwasher, one of those safety systems is a device called a high limit thermostat.
This device is designed to prevent overheating of the dishwasher, which is a possible fire hazard if it got out of control.
The problem of having a faulty high limit thermostat is that it immediately cuts off power to the heating element. If this happens early on in the drying cycle it is highly possible that this could very likely impede that drying ability of the dishwasher.
With the ability to heat up the inside of the dishwasher compromised if the heating element is not working due to a failure of the high limit thermostat.
If you have already checked the vent and heating element, it would be a good time to check the high limit thermostat for continuity. If the thermostat is determined to be bad and does not deliver power to the heating element, it is unlikely that your dishes will be completely dry when the dishwasher is done.
Use a multimeter to check the thermostat for continuity. If the thermostat is bad, you will need to get a new part from the manufacturer and remove the old one. Once you have replaced the thermostat you want to run a complete cleaning cycle to ensure that everything is in good working order. Get a replacement here on Amazon.
Read Also: Dishwasher Keeps Tripping Breaker? 5 Easy Checks
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Broken Rinse aid dispenser cap –
Many of today’s dishwashers use a rinse agent that helps to repel water from dishes, and it also helps dry the dishes quicker. Occasionally, you may notice some of your dishes, especially in the top rack likes your glasses and cups, aren’t completely dry. This is because of a faulty (or empty) rinse aid dispenser.
A broken cap may not allow the rinse agent to disperse into the water to cover the dishes. This coating helps to prevent hard water spots on glasses and flatware, but will make the dishes dry faster, too.
If you suspect this is the problem you should inspect the area around the rinse agent filler compartment to ensure that opens freely. If it appears to be damaged repair or replace the cap. Replacement parts can easily be found on Amazon. Be sure to check your brand and model number before ordering.
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