Unused dishwasher

[garyr]

I think I read somewhere that a dishwasher left unused for several years would probably leak if it was used. Is that correct?

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Yes. my BIL's DW leaked when tried to use it after many years non-use. I think seals dry up and crack or whatever happened.

[DerbyDad03]

I've never left a dishwasher unused for any long period of time, but if you DAGS on the subject, you will finds lots of hits about the danger of seals drying out and causing leaks. I don't know if that equates to "probably" but the potential does exist.

I would say that the only way to know for sure would be to try it. You could pour a quart (or less) of water into the unit and then run it on the Cancel/Drain cycle, assuming it has one. That way if it leaks it'll just be a small amount. If you can get a towel under the unit before the test, that would be even better.

One other item: depending on the age of the unit, it might make sense to just upgrade to a more efficient model and eliminate the potential for a leak caused by non-use. Newer models will have more features, may use less water and may do a better job.

[garyr]

Can the seals be replaced?

[The Daring Dufas]

I'd do a test wash cycle with the bottom cover removed so I could watch for leaks. If the shaft seals on the pump are not leaking, a hose may be rotten and cracked and that's what I'd look for. ^_^

TDD