A dishwasher can make life a little easier in a busy home until it starts having problems. Perhaps you notice the dishes aren’t as clean as usual, or there’s an unpleasant odor in the appliance. Maybe it starts backing up into the sink, or worse, there’s pooled water in the bottom of the machine. Why does this happen?

At Barner Murphy, we encounter situations like this all the time. 

Here are Four Reasons your Dishwasher is Clogged or Backed up:

1. Food Caught in the Sink: Your dishwasher partners with your kitchen drainage system. So clogs elsewhere can impact the health of your machine. However, note that if you can run your garbage disposal without issue while the dishwasher is off, it means the culprit lies somewhere other than within your dishwasher.
2. Clogged Filter Basket: As the name implies, the filter basket of your dishwasher filters/catches bits of food, so they don’t go down the drain, making a clog elsewhere. If there’s too much food in the filter, it’s time to clean it. 

Tip: Soak your filter basket in vinegar to clean off oil and grease

1. Drain Hose or Garbage Disposal Problems. Remember that a dishwasher isn’t a stand-alone appliance. There is a hose connecting to your drain pipe or the garbage disposal. If something get’s trapped in there, your dishwasher will back up.
2. Sewer Line Problems. Your dishwasher may be just fine. Instead, you could have blockages hiding underground. If this is the case, you’ll likely notice the other drains in your house slowing or toilets not flushing thoroughly.

Getting Help from Barner Murphy

If it turns out the problem with your dishwasher isn’t as simple as just cleaning the filter basket, don’t reach for caustic drain de-cloggers. They can make matters worse. Instead, reach out to Barner Murphy, Inc. for an assessment of the problem. By utilizing our services, you get guaranteed quality work. If we cannot repair your dishwasher to proper functioning, we also have products we trust and can recommend.

Our professionals will not only resolve the problems with your dishwasher, but they’re on the lookout for signs of other plumbing problems that could get out of hand without repair. Water damage is very costly and often robs people of precious possessions. We want to help you keep your plumbing in tip-top shape to avoid such situations.

DIYers might be tempted to launch into home repairs independently vs. contacting a professional plumber. There are some problems with this approach. For one, your municipality has codes that plumbing must meet. Second, you probably don’t have a complete set of proper plumbing tools. With all good intentions aside, you may end up with a far worse situation or even put your safety at risk.

If you have concerns about the dishwasher or any plumbing in your home, contact our Levittown, PA, office (Buck’s County). Call 215-945-8560. Or use our online contact form HERE. Barner Murphy also offers bathroom remodeling, new build installations, and water heater repair/replacement.