"badgolferman" wrote in message
...
My dishwasher is a 15 year-old Whirlpool that has been okay up to now.
Last night I noticed the adjacent cabinet was wet inside so the
dishwasher was obviously leaking and the cabinet must have been wicking
up the moisture over time.
I pulled the dishwasher out about 6 inches before I realized the power
cord was keeping it from coming out any farther. Since it was after 10
PM I didn't want to mess with it any more but I did take a look
underneath to see what was there. The linoleum underneath was
discolored and a hole had been eaten through it from the water that had
been dripping. It looked like waterdrops were falling from the lowest
structure of the dishwasher. I assume it was the pump; it was in the
middle of the dishwasher. At the time there was no water running and
the unit was off.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what may be leaking and what to
check when I pull the dishwasher out? I realize its probably old
enough to replace, but I'm about to spend some money on other household
items and if I can fix this myself that would save several hundred
dollars.
I just got done with a similar dishwasher saga, so it must be the season for
it, or something. Got a good library or appliance parts store that sells
repair books? See if you can find one called "Dishwasher Repair - Cheap and
Easy", by Douglas Emley. Written for people who have some skill with tools.
Not a fabulous book, but it has some very clear descriptions, pictures and
disassembly instructions that may be just enough to help you either fix it,
or buy new. I got lucky - my problem involved a $10.00 valve.
Before proceeding, I inquired at a locally owned appliance dealership about
the cost of buying new, since I hadn't shopped for one in many years. I was
expecting to hear $400-$700, but was told that you can get a perfectly
decent (if not fancy) dishwasher for $275.00 to $300.00. The guy's
explanation was reasonable and sensible, and was echoed by the person at the
parts counter. I won't go into details, but buying new may not be as bad as
you expect.
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