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Read our article and find out what to do if your dishwasher is clogged.
After loading the dishes and turning on the “Start” key, did you hear that the dishwasher is buzzing, but not pouring water? Or the machine started the wash cycle, but stopped during the drain stage and refused to discharge the waste water? You need to take urgent action to fix the problem. Most often, blockages in the system become the cause.
Types of blockages and their causes
If the PMM does not drain or fill in water, the cause may be a blockage. Depending on the brand of dishwasher – Bosch, Siemens, Ariston, Indesit, Veko – an error code may appear on the display. The decryption of the code indicates a problem that needs to be found and fixed.
If no error is displayed on the scoreboard, you will have to look for the cause of the problem on your own. First you need to determine the type of blockage: external or internal.
External factors:
- The sewer system, pipes or the junction of the drain hose with the sewer are clogged.
- The siphon is clogged (when connected through it). With poor patency of the siphon, water is difficult to leave the sink. This may serve as an additional sign to check.
- Bent over, twisted drain hose. This happens when the connection is wrong. The hose may have been crushed by a foreign object.
What to do in this case? Check that the drain system is connected correctly. Shut off the water supply, disconnect and install the hose correctly, without kinks. Also disconnect its end from the sewer and clean the blockage with special means. Don’t forget to check and clean the siphon.
Hair Ball Clog in Drain Pipe
An internal blockage appears if you did not clean the dishes well before loading them into the chamber. Pieces of food, parts of napkins, toothpicks flow into the pan along with water. If the dishes break during washing, then the fragments also penetrate the filter and drain.
What parts can become clogged with debris:
- Drain filter. It serves as a barrier behind which the pump impeller and the pump itself are hidden. Water passes through the filter so that the water goes to the drain or starts to circulate again through the chamber. Therefore, it is recommended to clean twice a month. Better yet, check the filter after every wash.
- Spray. Water is supplied by a circulation pump to the sprinkler, from where it flies out under pressure from the nozzles (holes). The nozzles are clogged – water does not flow, the system gives an error or stops working.
- Drain clogged. If the filter fails, food residues penetrate further into the pump, drain hose. To remove foreign objects, you will need an article on how to disassemble a dishwasher. We will also describe the sequence of works in this publication.
- intake filter. At the inlet to the inlet valve there is a fine mesh that stops large particles of debris from the water supply, rust. Over time, the part becomes clogged and needs to be cleaned.
How to clean parts and clear clogs
To solve sewer problems, you can call a repairman or handle it on your own. For example:
- clean the contaminated area with a thin wire brush;
- disconnect the siphon and rinse it with water;
- pour a special powder and use a plunger.
What to choose is up to you. You also need to clean the drain hose: under pressure from a tap or mechanically (using a brush).
More time will have to be devoted to internal problems. Consider how to clean the filter from blockage.
Drain filter
Before starting work, disconnect the PMM from the network, turn off the water supply. Proceed like this:
- Open the chamber door.
- Pull out the lower basket for dishes.
- Unscrew the filter and metal mesh from the pan.
- Rinse under the tap. Additionally, you can use a non-rigid brush and a toothpick for especially difficult dirt.
Remove water from the container in the drip tray with a sponge. Remove the pump valve. Pull the cover to the side and then towards you. Additional screws may need to be removed. Check impeller for blockage. If everything is in order, then inspect the pump and its parts.
Drain pump
You need to disassemble the dishwasher to get to the pump. Remove all baskets from the chamber. Pull the machine out into the free space and put it “on its back”. Then do it like this:
- Loosen the screws or latches on the bottom cover (bottom).
- A float sensor can be attached to the back of the bottom.
- Carefully unscrew the mounting bolt and unfasten the wiring.
- Having gained access to the circulation block, you will notice that the pump is attached to the side.
- Loosen its screw.
- Disconnect wiring chips.
We encourage you to take pictures or videotape your activities. This will make it easier for you to put the car back together.
- Rotate the pump and remove from place. Check holes for clogging.
Additionally, you can inspect other parts, hoses, pipes.
Sprayer
Here everything is simple:
- The lower rocker is located near the drain filter.
- Scroll it and remove from the seat. On some models, it may be necessary to press the tabs.
- Rinse the item with water. Additionally, the nozzles are cleaned with a toothpick.
Don’t forget to inspect the top atomizer and its openings. Sometimes the scale accumulates in the holders to which the sprinkler is attached.
intake filter
The mesh can be cleaned by disconnecting the inlet hose from the PMM body. If the part is clogged with scale, put it for a while in water with the addition of citric acid. The mesh is recommended to be cleaned at least once every six months.
How to avoid problems
By adhering to the operating rules, problems can be prevented. What do we have to do:
- It is good to clean the utensils from food debris.
- Clean your dishwasher regularly.
- Twice a month, clean the drainage filter, once every six months – the bulk filter.
- Remove scale from parts. Use special salt.
- Dry the hopper after the wash cycle.
So you can fix problems with your own hands, as well as prevent their occurrence. Video on the topic will help you: