Is Your Dishwasher Not Drying Dishes?

It may not be the primary function but getting your dishes dry might really be harder for your machine than getting them clean. Dishes and glassware have multiple crevices that could pool water stopping it from drying out, and as your dishwasher loses heat water droplets form out of the humid air.

Different machines also utilize a number of different methods to get your plates dry. Certain models opt for a heating coil to heat up the air in the machine and help the water to evaporate, some heat the water more nearing the end of the cycle, some make use of a fan, and some employ a combination of all three. There are thus a number of reasons why your machine may not be drying dishes optimally and a number of things you can do to rectify the situation.

Plastic is more difficult to dry than glass or ceramics as it doesn’t retain heat in the same way which helps with the drying process, so it’s worth taking note whether the items that aren’t drying are predominantly plastic items.

If dishes are coming out wet you can call a dishwasher repair service or first employ this troubleshooting list to help you identify and rectify the problem.

Top Explanations Your Dishwasher Isn’t Drying Plates

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

Not all appliances are built to the same spec and you will find that some appliances do a better job of drying your plates than others. However, if you notice a change in how effectively your machine is working one of these issues might be the problem.

Have a Look at the Placement of Your Crockery and Cutlery

It might be that there is no fault with the appliance. Before assuming the appliance is broken you should first check that you haven’t overfilled it or accidentally stacked items one inside the other. Also be aware that plastics don’t dry as well as metal, glass or ceramics.

Have a Look at The Rinse Aid Dispenser

Rinse aid plays a key role in drying your crockery and cutlery therefore, if you’ve forgotten to top up or the rinse aid dispenser is faulty this can stop your crockery and cutlery coming out properly dry.

The best thing to do is inspect the dispenser for damage and check that it’s full.

Check The Heating Coil

Without enough heat your dishes will not dry so a faulty heating coil might be the reason your machine is not working as it should. If your dishes aren’t hot to touch when they come out of the machine this can be a good indicator that the heating element isn’t working as it should.

To check the heating coil first unplug the appliance, then find the heating coil, you could need the manual to do this, then use a multimeter to check it’s working.

Inspect the Thermostat

The thermostat ensures your dishwasher doesn’t get too hot, regulating the temperature of the water and the drying part of the cycle. Therefore, if it’s broken this can result in your machine not reaching a high enough temperature.

If the heating element seems to be in working order but there’s still no heat, then the thermostat might be the issue. Again you can make sure with the help of a multimeter.

Check The Fan and Vent

Many dishwashers will make use of a drying fan and vent to suck moist air from the dishwasher. If either of these elements are broken then the water vapor will remain in the appliance preventing the crockery and cutlery from drying.

You can make use of your instruction manual to check if your dishwasher has a fan and find its location. Don’t forget to make sure the machine is disconnected before attempting to access the fan.

First visually inspect the fan and vent to ascertain if anything is blocking it that would prevent it from working as it should. And again testing for continuity using a multimeter.

Tips to Increase Drying Capability

There are a number of things you can do to boost how well your dishwasher dries your dishes and make sure you need to get the drying up cloth out as little as possible.

Allow sufficient space between crockery and cutlery. Overcrowding the machine inhibits the circulation of both water and air decreasing the effectiveness of your machine when it comes to both washing and finishing your dishes. Although it’s appealing to try and stuff everything in, you will get better results if you leave sufficient space so that water and air can circulate freely.
Utilize rinse aid. Some dishwasher tablets include a rinse aid but even so, adding a little extra to the dishwasher can only improve matters. Rinse aid helps reduce marks and gives your glasses a streak-free finish but it also breaks the bond between water molecules and your dishes helping the water to run off them and thus making them dry more quickly and evenly.
Open the door at the end of the program. Some newer dishwashers do this automatically, but many do not, thus, opening the machine when the cycle finishes can help allow the water to escape and prevent water droplets forming as the machine cools down.
Have a look to see if your machine employs a heat feature and make sure it’s turned on. The higher the heat the better the drying and you may be able to add more heat at different points in the program.
Unload the lower level before the top. 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 you have checked all the above it could be necessary to phone an engineer or perhaps replace your machine.