Garbage Disposer dilemma

What waste? Every manufacturer tells you to run the water until it is hot so the DW has hot water. In a load of dishes, I may run a couple of quarts at best to get the cooler water purged from the line. Save energy on the pre-heat If you like extra food and grease sloshing around your dishes, OK by me. I like to get the big stuff off. Time? Maybe 30 seconds. Not every item gets the splash of water, only a few plates and bowls.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski
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I don't know what kind of dishwashers you guys have. But I had a 15 year old basic Hotpoint and for 8 years I put dishes in it without pre-rinsing them. They often would sit for a few days before being washed too. And I almost never had a problem with them not getting clean. The few times I did, it was an obvious problem due to the object being blocked in some fashion from the spray. Two spoons resting againt each other, as an example. And of course there is an occasional baking pan or something that was heavily soiled that still has some material left, but that isn't a problem solved by pre-rinsing either.

Now, I have a new GE Profile. It's much quieter, easier to load, and holds a lot more stuff. Have had no problems with it either without pre-washing. And nothing in the manual says anything about having to run the hot water to make sure it;s hot before running the dishwasher. I have a fairly long run from the hot water heater to the dishwasher. And I fail to see how you;re saving any energy by running hot water down the sink to save "pre-heat." Even if it worked that way, you'd just be having the hot water heat it, instead of the dishwasher.

But the fact is, I don't think the dishwasher is heating the water during the first cycle or two anyway. When started, my GE Profile fills, washes a bit, and empties in just a couple of minutes for the first cycle. I think the design idea is that luke warm water is ok to start the first pass, before any detergent in even released. Houses are pretty much designed this way, so it seem logical to expect it to take a gallon or two of water before it gets really hot. In fact, the only cycle I'm sure that it does heat the water, is the last cycle. At that point, it sometimes just sits there, no washing for a min or two, while I'm assuming the water is heated to the final wash temp. Then it resumes and finishes the last cycle.

Reply to
trader4

We had some problems with a relatively new dishwasher not properly draining. Had the service guys come out. They cleaned it all up. Then the advised us to get rid of as much as possible before washing...no need to pre-wash, but clean off as much as possible. It wasn't a problem with the ability to wash they said, but that almost every dishwasher they've serviced ended up getting a build up of gunk in the drain system and will eventually have a problem. Sure the dishwasher could get them clean, but it had a problem getting rid of all the stuff.

Reply to
3D Peruna

"I've yet to see a dishwasher that has an adequate screening system so that fish bones (even small ones) don't plug up the discharge pipe. The only solution is to rinse or scrape them off. "

I believe what we were talking about was the need to always pre-rinse dishes. Sure, if there are any obvious fish or other bones, or large amounts of food, I scrape those off. That to me is different than pre-rinsing the dishes. I know people who routinely rinse all the items almost to the point that they're clean before going in the dishwasher. I only scrape any obvious large items that won't disolve and have never had a clog problem yet.

"The other problem happens when a glass breaks inside the DW. Again, most DW's don't have adequate screens to keep the pieces of glass out of the discharge system. They will either plug up the discharge pipe, or if they do make it to the disposer, you think you are grinding bones when the disposer hits the piece of glass.

I've had a few glasses break over the years, but all the glass as far as I could tell was contained in the bottom of the dishwasher and never caused a problem.

Reply to
trader4

The problem isn't getting the dishes clean, it's getting the stuff that comes off the dishes through the discharge pump and into the disposer.

I've yet to see a dishwasher that has an adequate screening system so that fish bones (even small ones) don't plug up the discharge pipe. The only solution is to rinse or scrape them off.

The other problem happens when a glass breaks inside the DW. Again, most DW's don't have adequate screens to keep the pieces of glass out of the discharge system. They will either plug up the discharge pipe, or if they do make it to the disposer, you think you are grinding bones when the disposer hits the piece of glass.

Reply to
Bob Morrison

would someone who does not know how to operate a garbage disposal be installing plumbing and electric services to it. very unlikely

Reply to
PipeDown

Possible, even probable. Lots of people that don't know how to drive also manage to screw up a try at an oil change or a tire change. Hopefully it would keep them off the road for a while but usually some well meaning person comes along and gets them going again.

Reply to
George E. Cawthon

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