Residents
Owners
As a landlord, it’s your responsibility to maintain the appliances that live in your rental property. When a tenant calls saying that their dishwasher isn’t working, it’s important to have it repaired right away since it could cause flooding along with issues for your tenant’s daily needs. Your tenant can’t go without a dishwasher for long when a working appliance has been promised to them in their lease.
Keeping up with regular maintenance is important to avoid poor performance and costly repairs. Here is a look at what you should know about dishwasher upkeep and when it’s time to call a repair service.
How to Maintain Your Appliance
If your tenant calls saying that there is an issue with the dishwasher, take a look at it yourself first. Many times it’s an issue with the dishes not getting cleaned properly which may be easier to fix than it sounds. Grab the appliance guide and take a look at the most common troubleshooting issues preventing proper cleaning.
Make sure your tenant has been using it properly by loading it for maximum results, pre-rinsing dishes, and putting in the proper amount of detergent. Sometimes dishes can block the sprayer which prevents cleaning and sometimes people use the wrong amount of detergent which causes it to clog up the machine.
Try using the powder and tabs in the future to get better results and make sure the interior gets cleaned well before trying it again. Just remove racks, remove any large debris, clean the inside with a vinegar-water solution and rinse clean before using again.
When To Call for Help
Make sure you clean or replace filters, remove and unclog the spray arms, and repair the dish racks if they look worn down. After you’ve tried all of these steps, you’ll need to call a repair service if any of the following occur:
- An issue with no water going through the cycle
- An issue where the water is lukewarm or cold right after a cycle
- If the water isn’t draining
- If there are noises or smells that are unusual
- A broken door lock or cracks in the interior lining
- Mold or rust forming
Be proactive in maintaining a dishwasher and educating your tenants on proper use. If the issue seems out of your hands, call a professional to get it back up to speed right away. If you need further guidance, we created a Make-Ready Checklist to help get you started! Just click the link below for your FREE download today.
