Dishwasher Repair Issues: What's Wrong With Your Stubborn Appliance?

Posted on: 6 August 2019

If your dishwasher spills out water every time you turn it on, you may wonder what's wrong with it. The float parts inside your stubborn appliance could be bad. Dishwashers generally feature two types of float mechanisms: a float bulb and a float switch. Both parts work in unison to keep your dishwasher from overflowing. Learn more about your dishwasher's float parts below.

What's the Purpose of a Float System?

Almost every appliance that uses or requires water contains a float system. The float system inside your dishwasher should prevent water from overfilling the appliance whenever you switch it on. However, if the float bulb, float switch, or both parts go bad, your dishwasher could overflow.

If your dishwasher does release too much water, the float bulb should float or become buoyant inside the appliance. Once the bulb floats, it immediately sends a signal to the float switch, which tells the dishwasher to turn off. If the bulb wears down, it won't relay messages to the float switch on time. 

The float switch can also trigger a "flood" inside your appliance. The switch can breaks, sticks in place, or experiences another serious issue, it won't activate properly. 

You may try resetting the float switch or bulb to solve your problem. If your efforts fail, have your appliance repaired.

How Do You Repair the Float System?

In many cases, the only way to prevent a dishwasher from overfilling is to professionally repair or replace the switch and bulb. Although you could try fixing the parts yourself, it could take you longer than necessary to do so. In addition, your dishwasher may have other issues to examine. 

For example, the motor or pump system inside your dishwasher could be on their way out. The spray arm or drainage port could also be damaged or severely clogged. An appliance repair technician will inspect the float system and these parts for you.

If you do require a new float system, a technician will go ahead and replace them right away. A contractor may also clean out the appliance's drainage system and repair the pump system. If the repairs won't solve the issues at hand, a contractor may suggest that you purchase a new dishwasher instead.

Once your dishwasher works properly again, keep it that way by watching what you place inside it. Although it may seem troublesome to do so, be sure to remove meat and large chunks of food from your plates, pots, utensils, and other wares before you place them inside the machine. Also, have your dishwasher checked periodically for problems.

Be sure to contact an appliance repair provider for more details about your dishwasher today.

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