Is Your Dishwasher Not Drying Dishes? | Alhambra Appliance Repair

It turns out getting your crockery and cutlery dry could really be harder for your dishwasher than getting them clean. Crockery and cutlery and glasses have lots of nooks and crannies that may trap dishwater making it more difficult for it to evaporate, plus as your appliance loses heat water condenses from the steam.

Dishwashers also utilize a number of different means to dry your plates. Certain models will employ a heating coil to warm the inside of the dishwasher and assist the water to evaporate, some heat up the water more near the end of the cycle, certain models have a fan, and certain models employ a combination of all three. There are thus a number of reasons why your dishwasher could not be drying dishes fully and a number of things you can do to rectify the situation.

Plastic items are less likely to dry fully than other materials as it cools down more quickly hindering the drying process, so it’s worth taking note whether the drying issue is related to the material rather than the machine.

If your dishwasher isn’t drying properly you can enlist the help of a dishwasher repair service or first use this troubleshooting list to figure out what the problem is and with any luck fix it.

Top Reasons Your Dishwasher Isn’t Drying Dishes

There is nothing more frustrating than an appliance that doesn’t work as it should, regardless of whether its a smartspeaker, air conditioner or dishwasher we expect them to do the job they were designed for. If you open the dishwasher to wet plates here are a few places you can look to help you figure out why.

Not all appliances are created equal and some appliances perform to a superior standard compared to others. But if you notice a change in how well your machine is working one of these issues could be the cause.

Have a Look at the Placement of Your Crockery and Cutlery

It might be that there is no fault with the dishwasher. Before assuming the machine is faulty you should look at how it has been loaded, ensuring it isn’t too full. It’s also worth noting that plastic items are more difficult to dry than metal, glass or ceramics.

Inspect The Rinse Aid Dispenser

Rinse aid plays a key role in drying your crockery and cutlery and so if you’ve forgotten to top up or your rinse aid dispenser is not working this can mean wet plates at the end of the cycle.

The best thing to do is inspect the rinse aid dispenser for cracks and check that there is rinse aid inside.

Inspect The Heating Coil

Heat is essential for drying your dishes so a faulty heating coil might be the explanation your machine is not drying crockery and cutlery. If your crockery and cutlery aren’t hot when they come out of the machine this can mean that the heating coil isn’t working as it should.

To check the heating element first unplug the appliance, then locate the heating element, you may need the owners manual to do this, then use a multimeter to check it’s working.

Have a Look at the Thermostat

The thermostat stops your appliance overheating, determining the heat of the water and air during drying. However, if it’s broken this can result in your dishwasher not reaching a high enough temperature.

If the heating coil appears to be working as it should but there’s still no heat, then the thermostat might be the problem. Again you can make sure using a multimeter.

Check The Drying Fan and Vent

Many dishwashers will employ a drying fan and vent to suck moist air out of the machine. If the fan isn’t operating as is should or the vent is blocked then the water vapor will remain in the dishwasher preventing the plates from drying.

You can employ your user manual to find out if your machine uses a fan and locate it. Again you need to double check the dishwasher is disconnected before trying to make repairs.

You can visually inspect the fan and vent to ascertain if anything is blocking it that would stop it from working correctly. And again testing for continuity using a multimeter.

Tips to Boost Drying Power

There are a number of methods you can use to improve your appliances effectiveness at drying and prevent you needing to dry them by hand as little as possible.

Allow ample space between crockery and cutlery. Overloading the appliance limits the flow of air and water decreasing the effectiveness of your appliance when it comes to both washing and finishing your dishes. Although it’s tempting to try and cram everything in, your appliance will work better if you leave sufficient space so that water and air can circulate freely.
Use rinse aid. Some detergents include a rinse aid but even if the brand you use says it does, adding a little extra to the dishwasher can only improve matters. Rinse aid works by breaking the bond between water molecules and your dishes, helping water run off quickly, speeding up drying time and giving a spot and streak free finish.
Open the door at the end of the cycle. Some newer models have this as an automatic option, but if yours doesn’t, opening the dishwasher when the cycle completes allows warm air to evaporate thus preventing water droplets forming as the dishwasher cools down.
Have a look to see if your appliance uses a heat feature and use it. The higher the temperature the better the drying and it might be possible to choose which points in the program you add more heat.
Think about how you empty your machine. This is simply because cups and glasses that are upside down on the top shelf often have a concave bottom where water can pool. Emptying the bottom rack first stops you spilling this water onto the dishes below.

If none of the above solves the problem it might be necessary to call in an engineer or even buy a new dishwasher.