Do you remove the dishwasher bottom cover?

[David C. Macy]

Originally Posted by belliott

Perhaps this makes a good excuse to buy a see snake.

Bob
I will sell you mine. Very disappointed with tool. Waste of my money. The lens needs to be directly on top of something to see. Has 0 range. I wanted it for furnace heat exchangers.


Taking off the cover is not a bad idea. I guess my 7 minute kitchen inspection will now take 8 minutes.

[David Nasser]

A Home Inspection is not evasive.....A check from the normal controls
would proper. A Home Inspection cannot find every defect that exist.
These words are coming from the Nachi Standards of Practice

Its easy to turn a Home Inspection into a fix it tour.

David

[David Nasser]

Originally Posted by fcarrio

Sean,
I would say that you were very lucky on this inspection and that you "dodged the bullet". I have been in this industry since 1972 and some other things that I have found are;
1. Small leaks like you found.

2. Major leaks, and I mean MAJOR!
{This happens a lot on homes that have been vacant/closed/and or winterized for some time}

3. On more than one occasion the water line was disconnected!
{One job with brand-new hardwood floors was extremely exciting and I was lucky because the Real Estate agent was the one who ran the dishwasher and the water was just pouring all over the brand-new hardwood floors! It turned out to be $15,000 worth of damage to the floors!}

NOTE: If you see a BRAND NEW dishwasher {especially in an older home that was vacant} DO NOT assume that it is connected!

4. I have found "live wires" that were actually in the water.

Things I have found inside the dishwasher ...... after it was turned on by the Real Estate agent!
1. All of the paperwork/instruction manuals {they were soaking wet}
2. "Important Papers for the house"
3. Clothes.
4. Shoes.
5. Homework.
6. Baked Cookies on the top rack.
7. Leftover "birthday cake" that the homeowner wanted to make sure no one ate during the inspection.
8. A small box with all of the hidden "family jewels".

99% of the time I tell the real estate agent that it is a violation of my SOP to turn on the dishwasher and they have no problem turning it on. Most of them will even remove the kick plate.

So bottom line is..... I strongly advise you NOT to turn on the dishwasher but if you have to ..... be sure to check the inside of the dishwasher before you turn it on and be sure that the kick plate is removed so that you can see underneath the machine!


Good luck!

This is the best answer......I will use your advise.

David
www.pyramid-home-inspections.net

[Wayne B. Wilson]

Originally Posted by belliott

Perhaps this makes a good excuse to buy a see snake.

They have some good buys out there Bob I use mine 4 or 5 times week

[Jeff Merritt]

Here is what I do, I after running the dishwasher I slip a piece of paper from my legal pad under the from cover and pull it out, if it's wet it has a leak,

[Bob Elliott]

Originally Posted by jmerritt1

Here is what I do, I after running the dishwasher I slip a piece of paper from my legal pad under the from cover and pull it out, if it's wet it has a leak,

There you go.
Not always easy to do depending on how it sits though, but a good idea.

[ROBERT W. NEWLAND, JR.]

Originally Posted by jmerritt1

Here is what I do, I after running the dishwasher I slip a piece of paper from my legal pad under the from cover and pull it out, if it's wet it has a leak,

Now that's a good tip. If it's wet I guess I'll still take the cover off to get a picture, but still, I like it!

Thanks Jeff!

[Jeff Merritt]

Most of the panels its easy to loosen the screws with out removing it all the way.

[John Shishilla]

Jeff that is a great idea

[Jeff Merritt]

By the way I do the same with toilets if I suspect a leak, and no caulk around the base.

[rmaday]

Good tip Jeff.

[Mark Thorman]

Originally Posted by fcarrio

So bottom line is..... I strongly advise you NOT to turn on the dishwasher but if you have to ..... be sure to check the inside of the dishwasher before you turn it on and be sure that the kick plate is removed so that you can see underneath the machine!

I have to say I'm a bit disappointed to hear a CMI and others recommend you not turn on a diswasher.

www.MauiHomeInspections.com

[Mark Thorman]

Originally Posted by fcarrio

99% of the time I tell the real estate agent that it is a violation of my SOP to turn on the dishwasher and they have no problem turning it on. Most of them will even remove the kick plate.

From the nachi sop.

Plumbing:
E. Inspect the interior water supply including all fixtures and faucets.
F. Inspect the drain, waste and vent systems, including all fixtures.

www.MauiHomeInspections.com