Deciphering Your Dishwasher’s Mysterious Whirls and Other Noises
Dishwashers are the unsung heroes of kitchen appliances. We always praise their convenience, but we often overlook their contribution to energy efficiency and water conservation. The average lifespan of modern dishwashers is around 10 to 15 years; however, this can vary depending on factors like usage, maintenance, and water quality. This doesn’t mean your dishwasher will last longer than a decade without maintenance or repair, though. If you hear any of the strange noises described below, the lifespan of your dishwasher may get compromised unless the underlying issue is addressed.
Knocking Sounds and Rattling of Utensils
This is one of the most common noises, and it’s generally easy to troubleshoot because it’s often caused by dishes and utensils being hit by the spray arms. There’s a rule of thumb for stacking items in the racks and baskets: Larger items should be positioned near the edges to avoid blocking the spray arms. This often takes care of the knocking and rattling because it clears the path of the arms. If the noise persists despite proper stacking, there may be issues with spray arms that are loose or deformed by the heating element.
Sometimes the noises are more like a thump rather than a knock or rattle. If you hear this, there’s a good chance the drain hose is loose. If the thumping happens during the drain cycle, the drain hose becomes the prime suspect. Depending on the condition of the hose, this issue can be solved with fastening or replacement.
Grinding or Whirring
These noises are often caused by objects lodged into the pump or chopper blade mechanism. The objects can range from hard popcorn kernels to small pieces of broken porcelain or plastic. In some cases, the object will break free and dislodge, thus stopping the noise. If the issue persists, it may cause friction and eventually damage the pump or chopper.
If the noise is more of a grind than a whir, your dishwasher may be operating without enough water, which could indicate issues with the inlet valve or the mechanism that prevents overflow, usually a float assembly. In this case, you may be dealing with a larger object such as a baby teaspoon getting in the way of the overflow float mechanism. When the noise starts as a soft whir that gets louder until it sounds like a grind, the inlet valve may be damaged and will need replacement.
Finally, when the whirring turns into acute buzzing, the circulation pump may be to blame, but not because of objects obstructing the mechanism. This is usually a sign of degraded bearings. Another sign of this problem is that your dishes aren’t coming out as clean as they used to before the buzzing started.
For all troubleshooting, maintenance, and repair issues concerning dishwashers, contact East Valley Super Techs in Queen Creek, AZ.
