Service
Dishwasher Repair in Ottawa
We repair dishwashers that stop draining, leave dishes dirty, leak onto the floor or quit partway through a cycle.
Dishwashers fail in a few familiar ways. Standing water in the bottom after a cycle usually means a blocked filter, a jammed drain pump or a kinked drain hose. Dishes that come out gritty point to clogged spray arms or a weak wash motor. A puddle on the floor can be a worn door seal, a cracked spray arm or an overfill problem. Some models simply stop and flash a code, often because of a door latch or float switch fault. A dishwasher that hums but never fills usually has a stuck inlet valve.
We begin by asking how the dishwasher behaves and reading any error code it shows. Then we pull the filter, check the sump and run a test cycle to watch what happens. Because dishwashers sit under your counter, we take care with cabinets and flooring when we slide the unit out. You get a clear price before we start. Bosch, Whirlpool, KitchenAid, GE, Samsung and LG are all familiar to us, along with most other built-in brands.
If you are tired of washing by hand, Smart Appliance Service can book a visit to your kitchen at a time that suits you, including evenings and Sundays.
Serving Ottawa, Almonte, Arnprior and surrounding area.
Common dishwasher faults and what to check first
Start with the filter. Most newer dishwashers have a twist-out filter under the bottom rack, and a clogged one is a very common reason for poor draining and cloudy dishes. Rinse it under the tap. If your dishwasher drains through a garbage disposal, run the disposal first, and if the disposal is new, check that its knockout plug was removed. Make sure the spray arms spin freely and their holes are clear.
Beyond that, the faults we handle include drain pumps jammed with glass or bone, inlet valves that stick, door latches that fail their safety check, heating elements that no longer dry, and leaks from worn tub or door gaskets. We also check the air gap and drain loop, since a poor install can cause draining problems on its own.
Repair or replace your dishwasher
Dishwashers are mid-priced appliances, so the math is fairly simple. Pumps, latches, valves and seals are worth repairing on almost any machine in good shape. A good rule: if the tub is not rusting or cracked and the repair is well under half the price of a comparable new model, fix it.
If the tub itself leaks, the racks are rusted through, or the machine needs both a motor and a control board, putting that money toward a new dishwasher usually makes more sense. We will tell you which side of the line your machine is on and let you decide.
How long a dishwasher repair takes
Most dishwasher repairs take an hour to an hour and a half. Filter and drain work is quick. Jobs that need the unit pulled out from under the counter, like a leak from the tub base or a motor swap, take longer because we disconnect the water, drain and power, then reinstall the dishwasher level and secure.
When a part is not on hand, we order it and come back once it arrives, usually within a few business days. Until then we make sure the dishwasher is safe to leave and, if it was leaking, that its water supply is shut off. You will not be left with water seeping under your cabinets while the part is on its way.
Where we work
Dishwasher Repair across Ottawa and the surrounding area.
Brands we repair
Dishwasher Repair: common questions
Start with the filter at the bottom of the tub, which collects food and glass and slows draining when it is full. Then check that the drain hose under the sink is not kinked and, if it runs to a garbage disposer, run the disposer once. If water still sits in the tub, the drain pump or a blocked air gap is the likely cause.
Blocked spray arm holes and a full filter are the usual reasons, along with dishes loaded so they shield each other. Run the hot tap at the sink before starting so the first fill is hot, and use fresh detergent. If the wash still looks weak, the wash motor, the heater or the inlet valve may not be doing its job.
A worn door gasket, a dishwasher that is not level or the wrong detergent are common causes; dish soap made for hand washing will foam out of the door. Look under the sink for a drip at the supply or drain connection. Water under the machine itself usually means a pump seal or hose, so turn the water off and keep the floor dry until it is checked.
Make sure the door is latched firmly and that control lock is not on, since most dishwashers ignore every button when locked. A delay-start setting can also look like a dead machine. If the panel is dark or the door is latched and nothing happens, the door latch, a fuse or the control board needs testing.
Many newer dishwashers dry with leftover heat and rinse aid rather than a heating element, so plastics often stay wet. Keep the rinse aid dispenser topped up and choose a heated or extra dry option if your model has one. If glass and metal also come out wet, the heater or the vent may have failed.
Food trapped in the filter and the door gasket is the most common source. Clean the filter, wipe the seal and run an empty hot cycle with a dishwasher cleaner. A smell that returns within days can mean water is standing in the tub because of a partial drain blockage.
Read: Dishes Still Dirty After the Cycle
Read: Dishwasher Not Draining
Seeing an error code? Bosch dishwasher error codes
Seeing an error code? LG dishwasher error codes
Seeing an error code? Samsung dishwasher error codes
Seeing an error code? Whirlpool & KitchenAid dishwasher error codes
All appliance error code guides
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