Dishwasher odor can be tough to pinpoint

January 30, 2009|By Karen Youso, McClatchy-Tribune: Minneapolis Star Tribune

Q. What can be causing an awful odor that is suddenly coming from our dishwasher? We had a serviceman out, but he couldn't find the problem and suggested we buy a new one. Any other suggestions?

A. Odor in a dishwasher can come from numerous sources and, like odors in general, they can be difficult to locate.

The most common cause of dishwasher odor is dirty dishes sitting until there's a full load. If you run the dishwasher only every other day or so, bacteria will grow, causing odor. If you have to hold dishes before washing, be sure to run them through a rinse or rinse-and-hold cycle.

It could be that your water quality is fluctuating with the weather and other circumstances, causing odors. (When the city is flushing hydrants, the water may temporarily be discolored and have a slight odor.) Sometimes odors can come from a malfunctioning water heater.

Dirty filters or gaskets can cause odors. Be sure to clean them regularly.

Consider changing detergents and keeping a record of the odor intensity or frequency. You might see a pattern, experiencing odors, for example, when dishes are washed after certain meals or when particular utensils are included in a load.

Q. Soon after replacing my bathroom sink faucet, the hot-water flow decreased significantly. I had a plumber come to fix it, and he said that when the water was shut off to change the faucet, it allowed gunk that clings to the pipes to become loose and partly block the line. He said if he shut off the water again to fix the water flow, it could just jam it up somewhere else, such as the kitchen or shower line. He looked at the 50-year-old pipes in the basement and said I should have all the pipes replaced, because replacing just part of one will result in a blockage somewhere else. I think replacing all the pipes to the tune of several thousand dollars is extreme. What do you think?

A. You probably need to update the plumbing. Here's why:

The smaller-diameter pipes (less than 1 inch) installed in years past do not serve today's water needs well. In addition, the galvanized or lead pipes in older plumbing installations can build up deposits over time that further restrict water flow, as you now know.

The solution is to replace the piping with today's standard 1-inch copper piping. That can be expensive, but it's the only real solution. Sometimes acid solutions have been used to clear pipes of sediment, but this method is often unsuccessful and can result in leaks. In addition to solving your problem, updating the plumbing will make your house more valuable if you sell it.

As with most sizeable home-improvement projects, you'll want to get bids for the work from more than one plumber.