If you do not use it, you lose it: a tale of a dishwasher

Growing up, I had a great desire to learn how to use the dishwasher. My mother cleaned our dishes by hand, and she had me dry when smaller. By the time when I was my son's age, she had me doing them by myself after dinner. My brother eventually became the rag man, but still that dishwasher looked enticing. My grandmother used her's. She found that it was great for storing baking supplies. Considering that she baked enough goods for the entire neighborhood, I had to bicycle over to her house each Sunday evening (baking day) to help wash up. She managed to get in the local paper for this habit (but did they include the poor kid washing up the dishes in the story?).

When I was sixteen, I thought that I would be smart, and give the dishwasher a try. I loaded it, turned it on, and I left. When I came back into the kitchen, I found my brother and his friend wearing bathing suits to slide across the floor in the suds. That floor was getting quite a mop job. The dishwasher had leaked. My mother decided to let them do it again next month.

While inspecting yet another foreclosure yesterday, I decided that I need to start carrying a mop. I keep a bundle of rags for such an occurrence, but a mop would make life easier. After turning the dishwasher on, I leave to check some other parts of the home. I come back to find a pool of water. The floor looked good when I was done with the cleanup. For the time period that most homes are sitting on the market in Houston, the o-rings and gaskets from this unit can dry out, but not enough to cause a substantial leak. Generally, it takes some time of not being used for the leaks to become noticeable. The moisture from running this equipment prevents the material of the o-rings and gaskets from drying, which helps maintain a tight seal. On a few occasions, I have found that the dishwasher's hose was not installed properly.

I wish I knew where the balance point is with this appliance. How often do you have to use it to prevent such leaks? I was told once a month by an installer; however, it might go for a bit longer. If you are not using an inspector, you might want to run the appliances when looking at a home. It is the only way that you will be able to make such discoveries. Well, I have to sign off now; I have dishes to do.