Non-return valve attached to dishwasher and washing machine combo & blockage..?
 

Hi,

I've recently moved to my first home with enough space in the kitchen
to have a dishwasher and a washing machine. I have both linked up to
the same waste water supply. I know next to nothing about plumbing,
dishwashers, washing machines, etc.

The dishwasher was plumbed in when i moved in as the previous owners
left it behind. I noticed the waste pipe has a non-return valve next
to the dishwasher. It then flows into the same outlet pipe as the
(clothes) washing machine, which runs through a u-bend and then into
the sink waste outlet pipe.

My first question: should I have fitted another non-return valve to
the washing machine waste pipe as well? I didn't, but thinking about
it probably should have done..?

My second question is this: About a week after I moved in I found the
dishwasher wasn't making things clean and realised that it probably had
something to do with the fact it hadn't drained itself properly after
the wash, as there was still dirty water sitting in the bottom. I
drained all this out, took out the filters and rinsed them and checked
there was nothing obvious obstructing the pump. Then I ran a rinse to
see if it would drain. It didn't, so I took the non-return valve off
and found some small bits of food stuck in it. However it still seemed
able to open a little bit.

I cleaned it out and the dishwasher drained fine, so I wondered off
feeling vaguely pleased with my new-found diy abilities.

However, since then, I've had to take the valve off and clean it out
about three times in the next fortnight to sort this problem again. I
take it this is not usual. Is there something wrong with my
dishwasher? Should I be doing something cleverer with the pipes?

Any help would be much appreciated,

Many thanks,

Don

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Don1815 wrote:

Hi,

I've recently moved to my first home with enough space in the kitchen
to have a dishwasher and a washing machine. I have both linked up to
the same waste water supply. I know next to nothing about plumbing,
dishwashers, washing machines, etc.

The dishwasher was plumbed in when i moved in as the previous owners
left it behind. I noticed the waste pipe has a non-return valve next
to the dishwasher. It then flows into the same outlet pipe as the
(clothes) washing machine, which runs through a u-bend and then into
the sink waste outlet pipe.

My first question: should I have fitted another non-return valve to
the washing machine waste pipe as well? I didn't, but thinking about
it probably should have done..?

My second question is this: About a week after I moved in I found the
dishwasher wasn't making things clean and realised that it probably
had something to do with the fact it hadn't drained itself properly
after the wash, as there was still dirty water sitting in the bottom.
I drained all this out, took out the filters and rinsed them and
checked there was nothing obvious obstructing the pump. Then I ran a
rinse to see if it would drain. It didn't, so I took the non-return
valve off and found some small bits of food stuck in it. However it
still seemed able to open a little bit.

I cleaned it out and the dishwasher drained fine, so I wondered off
feeling vaguely pleased with my new-found diy abilities.

However, since then, I've had to take the valve off and clean it out
about three times in the next fortnight to sort this problem again. I
take it this is not usual. Is there something wrong with my
dishwasher? Should I be doing something cleverer with the pipes?

Any help would be much appreciated,

Many thanks,

Don

Perhaps you should *eat* the food before putting the plates in the
dishwasher. That way, there'll be less debris to clog up the non-return
valve. g
--
Cheers,
Set Square
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