How to Replace the Heating Element in the Dishwasher

Recently, to our dismay, we had a problem with our dishwasher. The dishes were constantly coming out soaking wet, even after they had been through the drying cycle. After receiving two very high estimates to have the problem fixed by a professional, we decided to do the work ourselves and set about to replace the heating element. The job was not difficult to perform and now our machine is once again working perfectly well. Our dishes are dry when we open the dishwasher to remove them. If you have a heating element that is on the fritz in your dishwasher, here are some easy step-by-step instructions to help you replace it.

First things first; turn off the electricity that goes to the dishwasher. You want to do this by going to the circuit breaker or fuse box within your home. Test the machine to ensure it is off before you proceed any further.

The only supplies you will need for this job is a wrench to remove the nuts, a screwdriver to unscrew the element, an ohmmeter to test the actual part, and the replacement part if it is truly burnt out. You will also need to replace the thick washer that goes with the part, if upon inspection, yours is not in pristine working order (you do not want any cracks or wear on this piece).

Carefully remove the access panel from the bottom of your machine.

Disconnect the heating element wires from their terminals, writing down in which space they will reconnect, or somehow marking them so you remember. You can find them by following the two wires down from the element itself which you will see coming through the bottom of the tub on the underside of the dishwasher.

Use an ohmmeter (if you do not have one you can purchase one for a very reasonable price) to determine if the heating element has truly blown out. If you get a reading of infinity (which looks like double zeros) or a reading above 30 ohms, then yes, it is time to replace the part.

Remove the screws or nuts holding the heating element into the washer and lift it out from the inside of the machine.

Check the washer to see if it is in good working order and if it is, you can simply put a new heating element in place, tightening the nuts to hold it firmly in place. If it is not, purchase a replacement washer and put it into place.

Reattach the wires to their original places, using the reminder guide you created at the beginning of the process. Turn on the electricity that goes to the machine and run a test cycle.

This very simple installation process will save you quite a bit of money from professional repair costs. By following this advice, your dishwasher, if your heating element needs replaced, will be up and running in no time at all.