What Can Homeowners Do to Prevent a Dishwasher Overflow?

10/13/2020 (Permalink)

When faulty appliances leave your home covered in water, Call the water damage experts at SERVPRO immediately for remediation assistance.

Restoration Technicians at SERVPRO are Available for Riverview Water Damage Repair 24/7.

Dishwashers, washing machines, and other such fixtures that operate with large amounts of water tend to be left to their own devices more often than not. However, this practice can eventually lead to leaks or even disastrous overflows and appliance failures that saturate carpet, floors, and cabinetry in Riverview homes. Worse still, the average cost of remediating damages from a dishwasher failure is around $5,000–a hefty expense for homeowners.

SERVPRO technicians perform water damage repair for Riverview properties 24/7 to ensure that the affected structures and contents return to a preloss condition. This Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC)-accredited firm is committed to extensive training and education resources for technicians, staff, and franchise owners alike to maximize the knowledge and benefits available to homeowners in need of mitigation and restoration services.

A Highly-Trained Team Ensures Consistent Results for Clients

SERVPRO’s commitment to education encompasses the following:

• Hands-on training and certification for restoration technicians per IICRC benchmarks. Employee certification training covers such topics as fire and water damage mitigation, as well as carpet and upholstery cleaning.
• A thorough 15-day course at the SERVPRO Corporate Training Center for new franchise owners to learn more about restoration.
• Additional self-paced e-Learning resources for staff to further hone their knowledge.
• Credit and noncredit courses for SERVPRO staff as well as real estate and insurance professionals who wish to learn more about structural damages from fire, water, and mold, as well as restoration industry best practices.

How Can Homeowners Inspect Their Dishwasher for Signs of Water Damage?

Dishwasher failures are often caused by such factors as overly sudsy detergents, damaged door gaskets, and compromised water inlet valves, sensors, or float switches. While a sudden overflow can be overwhelming to deal with, parts failures may also indicate leakage that may damage your floors and subflooring. If left unchecked, this moisture can create an environment in which mold can thrive.

If you suspect that there might be water damage underneath your dishwasher, you can take the following steps to examine it:

• Make sure the unit is off. Remove the kickplate at the bottom of your dishwasher and examine the area underneath it with a flashlight.
• Take note of wet floors or dripping, which can indicate a damaged supply line.
• If no damage is found while the unit is off, run a full cycle without the kickplate, and continue observing. If leaks occur while your dishwasher is running, you may need to rule out a variety of factors, such as:

• Leaky solenoid valves or circulation pumps
• A damaged internal hose
• A corroded tub

Certified restoration technicians like the team at SERVPRO not only remove moisture from surfaces, but they can also remediate potential mold growth with EPA-registered fungicides. Should floors or subfloor require repairs, this team’s rebuilding services can provide the fixes necessary to return your flooring to a safe and stable condition.

How Can Homeowners Prevent a Dishwasher Overflow Regularly?

While SERVPRO techs are available day and night to preserve Riverview homes, there are several small ways that homeowners can lower the risk of a dishwasher failure, including:

• Maintaining a clean drain basket. The drain basket at the bottom of your dishwasher catches debris that might otherwise clog the drain line. When removing the drain basket for cleaning, consider clearing the drain itself with baking soda, vinegar, and hot water to mitigate potential clogs.
• Keeping the garbage disposal clear of debris. If your dishwasher drains water through the garbage disposal, it is crucial to prevent water from backing up into your sink. Flush out the drain periodically.
• Inspecting the air gap in the drain line. The air gap, typically mounted by the kitchen sink, is crucial for keeping wastewater from getting sucked back into the dishwasher. Keep this chamber free of obstructions to ensure it functions as intended.

How Efficient is SERVPRO’s Moisture Extraction Process?

SERVPRO technicians are thoroughly trained in water extraction with tools like truck-mounted extraction units, wands, pumps, rover vacuums, and mops. Moisture extraction accelerates the structural drying process by as much as 1,200%, which is crucial in sudden, high-volume water damage situations like a dishwasher overflow.

• Wand extractors are the tool of choice for preventing moisture migration before moving on to other devices.
• The extraction process may require multiple passes to prepare a space for structural drying.
• Most extraction units feature heater, pump, and vacuum systems to address water-damaged upholstery and carpeting. However, for most water damage mitigation purposes, only the vacuum portion is used.

SERVPRO of Brandon / North Riverview can keep your property looking, “Like it never even happened.” Contact your local disaster cleanup team at (813) 741-3473 24 hours a day, seven days a week.