Strange Tenant request to repair dishwasher

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Strange Tenant request to repair dishwasher

Ali BenAyed
Gaithersburg, MD · Member since 2015 · 24 posts · 2 votes

Hello, 

This tenant request to repair dishwasher is strange to me, and I need more opinions about this. Backstory: I lived in this house more than 2 years and I used to use the dishwasher almost everyday with no problem. 
the tenant text “Hi Ali! We have a bit of plumping issue or something going wrong. I’m not entirely sure. We never use the dishwasher. We always handwash our dishes and use the drying rack because the dishwasher never thoroughly washed the dishes when I originally moved in. Plus i prefer hand washing. When we got home this evening from work and daily activities we smelled this awful odor coming from the kitchen. We inspected and come to find out it was water piling up in the dishwasher. Angelica [the girlfriend] said that perhaps it could be the garbage disposable pipe? This water looked like it has been piling up for awhile. Could you have a plumper come out and look at it sometime over the weekend? Or early next week?”

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Nik Corbaxhi
Rental Property Investor · Stratford, CT · Member since 2019 · 154 posts · 115 votes
6y

@Ali BenAyed, if I understand correctly, they are using the dishwasher rack for drying purpose but not the dishwasher itself. Are they actually using the dry option of the dishwasher or are they letting the dishes just rest there and dry on their own? Could it be that every time they wash the dishes and just hang them in the rack, all of the water that goes off of them ends up in the bottom of the dishwasher? This might seem significant but overtime, every drop adds up to quite a bit of water, hence giving them the smell. Here is what I would do:

1. Go give the dishwasher a full cycle run. If it works and drains properly, then you know there is no problems with drain pipes and garbage pipes...etc. Inform your tenants that they using just the rack to dry the dishes, 

2. If step 1 gives you a problem and you see that the dishwasher is not working, it could be that the dishwasher needs to be changed. Unless you can make a connection that there was intend from your tenants to break the dishwasher, there is nothing strange about the request. Just because you used the dishwasher on a regular basis before with no issues, does not mean that it is their fault that it broke once they took over. 

Good Luck.

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  • Nik Corbaxhi
    Rental Property Investor · Stratford, CT · Member since 2019 · 154 posts · 115 votes
    6y

    @Ali BenAyed, if I understand correctly, they are using the dishwasher rack for drying purpose but not the dishwasher itself. Are they actually using the dry option of the dishwasher or are they letting the dishes just rest there and dry on their own? Could it be that every time they wash the dishes and just hang them in the rack, all of the water that goes off of them ends up in the bottom of the dishwasher? This might seem significant but overtime, every drop adds up to quite a bit of water, hence giving them the smell. Here is what I would do:

    1. Go give the dishwasher a full cycle run. If it works and drains properly, then you know there is no problems with drain pipes and garbage pipes...etc. Inform your tenants that they using just the rack to dry the dishes, 

    2. If step 1 gives you a problem and you see that the dishwasher is not working, it could be that the dishwasher needs to be changed. Unless you can make a connection that there was intend from your tenants to break the dishwasher, there is nothing strange about the request. Just because you used the dishwasher on a regular basis before with no issues, does not mean that it is their fault that it broke once they took over. 

    Good Luck.

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  • John Teachout
    Rental Property Investor · Concord, GA · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    6y

    If they were having issues with the dishwasher not cleaning the dishes, it could be the detergent. We nearly replaced our dishwasher due to the soap we had used for years no longer working effectively. Apparently they changed the formulation. We disassembled and cleaned the internal parts and still had issues. Then we tried a different brand of dishwasher detergent and voila! Problem solved. So take some good quality pods over there and run a cycle or two and see if things correct themselves.

    The nasty smell is probably from operational error. If the thing runs and pumps out the water, it should be fine. If the garbage disposer is backing up into the dishwasher, then the dishwasher line isn't routed per installation instructions as it's supposed to have a high point above the drain pipe level of the sink.

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  • Michael King
    Rental Property Investor · Navarre, FL · Member since 2019 · 913 posts · 640 votes
    6y

    Turn the water to the dishwasher off and unplug it. Maybe they inadvertently switched it on and ended up with water in it. That's a big ole bag of water they've got there. 

    You need to do something though. I'd look underneath too to see if it's on the floor. They've notified you about the problem, so from here on in, they are off the hook for any damage in that area until you've fixed the problem, I would suggest.

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  • JD MartinBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Nik Corbaxhi:

    @Ali BenAyed, if I understand correctly, they are using the dishwasher rack for drying purpose but not the dishwasher itself. Are they actually using the dry option of the dishwasher or are they letting the dishes just rest there and dry on their own? Could it be that every time they wash the dishes and just hang them in the rack, all of the water that goes off of them ends up in the bottom of the dishwasher? This might seem significant but overtime, every drop adds up to quite a bit of water, hence giving them the smell. Here is what I would do:

    1. Go give the dishwasher a full cycle run. If it works and drains properly, then you know there is no problems with drain pipes and garbage pipes...etc. Inform your tenants that they using just the rack to dry the dishes, 

    2. If step 1 gives you a problem and you see that the dishwasher is not working, it could be that the dishwasher needs to be changed. Unless you can make a connection that there was intend from your tenants to break the dishwasher, there is nothing strange about the request. Just because you used the dishwasher on a regular basis before with no issues, does not mean that it is their fault that it broke once they took over. 

    Good Luck.

     Exactly! 

    1. The dishwasher is not a drying rack. It pumps out virtually all water when it is finished. Unless it has an always-on water level sensor, that will turn the pump on if water builds up, you can flood water out of a dishwasher. I would guess that's what is happening - the water is draining into the dishwasher from hand-washing, and they probably close the door which doesn't allow it to evaporate. Run it a full cycle with some detergent and problem solved.

    2. If not that, then either the hose from the dishwasher is collecting drain water from lacking the raised loop, or there's a backup in the sink causing the water to push to the only available outlet. 

    Side note: I don't think I've ever seen someone collect dirty water into a trash bag. 

    Side note 2: She must not like the letter "B" since she called it "plumping" and a "plumper". 

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  • Domenick T.
    Investor · Springfield , NJ · Member since 2017 · 192 posts · 93 votes
    6y

    @Ali BenAyed

    Remove the filter and make sure it’s clear of debris. Run the machine empty using Finish machine cleaner (I give my tenants a couple and ask them to run it every few months). It will clean the insides and remove mineral buildup. That should help with any smell too.

    If the water hasn’t drained after the cleaning then you can trouble shoot a couple of other potential issues like a kinked drain hose (YouTube will have several videos) or call a technician.

    1Reply
  • Dennis M.
    Rental Property Investor · Erie, PA · Member since 2018 · 6k+ posts · 9k+ votes
    6y

    Unfortunately you selected tenants so stupid and I’ll equipped to deal with life that they can’t even use a older four button dishwasher correctly . This guys IQ must be the same number as his shoe size if he’s only using the dishwasher as a rack to dry his wet dishes that he hand washed ..What a douche 

    1Reply
  • Account Closed
    San Jose, CA · Member since 2015 · 4k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    6y

    It's completely reasonable for a tenant to call their landlord about a problem with a dishwasher.  Can we get that straight first?

    Next, my interpretation of the text was that the tenant uses a drying rack on their counter, like I do, instead of using the dishwasher at all.  I'd love to have a dishwasher, but maybe because I don't, I read the text to say they simply use a rack that stays on the counter to dry their dishes.

    I would go check this out in person.  If you can't, then I think you should send a plumber.  It sounds like there may be some kind of drain back-up that is backing water up into the dishwasher.  I'm going to assume the dishwasher is connected to the same drain system from the kitchen sink.

    Is it possible the pipes are freezing?  Other drainage problems?

    Let's not assume a tenant who is good enough to let you know about a problem is an idiot.  This is why tenants stop calling landlords when there is a problem.  If there is a drainage problem or pipes that are prone to freezing, wouldn't you rather have a tenant who told you about it before you had a full-blown problem that would cost you a heck of a lot more?

    For instance, heat tape for pipes is really cheap.  Replacing blown-out pipes due to freezing is not.  Snaking a clogged drain is cheap.  Replacing rotten wood due to water damage is not.

    Thank your lucky stars you have a tenant who calls you when there is a problem.

    1Reply
  • Matt R.
    Blue Springs, MO · Member since 2015 · 481 posts · 313 votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @JD Martin:
    2. If not that, then either the hose from the dishwasher is collecting drain water from lacking the raised loop, or there's a backup in the sink causing the water to push to the only available outlet.

    I agree with this - especially the "raised loop" part.  The dishwasher drain hose is supposed to come out of the dishwasher, go all the way up to the bottom of the countertop, and then back down to connect to the sink drain or Disposall.  Some locations call for an "air gap" in the high part of the hose - a little vent that pokes through the countertop or the wall right behind the countertop.

    In my experience, it's relatively common for DIY dishwasher installs or reinstalls to not have this; the dishwasher drain hose just snakes around on the cabinet floor, and then goes up to the sink drain.  In that condition, if the sink drain backs up a little - either because there's a clog in the pipes, or because there's a Disposall, you're busy scraping dishes, and you haven't turned on the Disposall yet - water from the sink will run down into the bottom of the dishwasher.  If there are particles of food in the sink water, they'll show up in the dishwasher too, and may cause a smell, especially after they sit for a while.

    If this is happening, the fix can be as simple as making sure the drain hose has that raised loop in it.  That can be a long drywall screw, something to go over the screw threads (a 1 or 2 inch piece of old garden hose, or several wraps of duct tape, or similar), and a zip tie.  Run the drywall screw into the cabinet, put whatever you have over the exposed threads, put the drain hose over the screw, and use the zip tie to keep the hose in place.  Or, get one of those zip ties that has the screw loop in the head, put the zip tie around the drain hose (gently), and run a screw through the loop into the cabinet.  Or, get a real official pipe strap - the ready-made kind, or that perforated steel tape you can unroll and cut to length.

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