The South Denver Water Problem
If you live in Parker, Castle Rock, or Highlands Ranch, you already know about our water. The mineral content (calcium and magnesium) in Colorado's water supply is incredibly high. While it might be okay to drink, it is waging a silent war on your dishwasher.
How Hard Water Destroys Your Dishwasher
When hard water is heated inside your dishwasher, the minerals separate and bond to metal and plastic surfaces. This creates a hard, white chalky scale. Over 2 to 3 years, this scale builds up in three critical areas:
- The Heating Element: The element gets coated in a thick layer of calcium. It acts as insulation, forcing the element to run hotter and longer until it burns out entirely. Your dishes come out cold and wet.
- The Wash Pump Impeller: The spinning plastic blades that shoot water up into the spray arms get coated in jagged mineral deposits. Eventually, the pump jams or the motor burns out trying to spin the heavy, calcified impeller.
- Water Inlet Valves: The tiny screens that let fresh water into the machine get clogged with sediment, leading to a dishwasher that simply won't fill.
How to Protect Your Appliance
You don't necessarily need a $3,000 whole-home water softener. We recommend running a specialized citric acid descaler (like Affresh or Lemi Shine) through an empty heavy-duty cycle once a month. This strips the calcium off the heating element and pump.
Is your dishwasher humming but not washing?
If your dishwasher sounds like it's trying to run but no water is spraying, your wash pump might be locked up with hard water scale. DAS offers complete descaling and pump diagnostic services across the Denver Metro.