My last post was on a house being moved and saved from the wrecking block. It seems many readers feel the same about wa
So this morning when I filled the dishwasher the top rack wouldn't come out. When I did get it to come out it wiped out the dishes on the lower rack so something had come off so that the top rack was hanging down.
Now it took quite a few looks before I saw what the problem was. A small roller that runs in the slide that is part of the mechanism to pull out the top rack had broken. More to the point this little roller had almost disintegrated.
I phoned the best appliance parts place. No, these rollers are not made anymore. I tried a used appliance place. They didn't have a roller. They gave me the bad news that appliances only last 3-5 years before they need repairs.
I went to Habitat for Humanity and dug around in the mountains of used dishwashers and parts. I couldn't find anything.
Now for the wise use of resources and energy. I bought my dishwasher in 1987! That's right. My dishwasher is 29 years old and I'm not going to part with it yet if I can help it.
I've done repairs on this appliance but have never taken it to a repair shop. I've changed a little control valve twice as they get corroded and then seize up and won't work. There are a couple of zip ties holding things together, I've painted racks to cover the rust. For most of the time only two of us have been using the dishwasher. I don't wash pots and pans in it. Sometimes I run vinegar in it and other times some margarine. I also clean out the screen for the water outlet.
I wish that more quality was put into today's appliances. I hate to see things thrown away. However, if everybody used their dishwasher for 29 years the making of dishwashers wouldn't be very lucrative and the fat cats wouldn't make their millions of easy money.
I will not throw my whole dishwasher out just for one small roller that is missing!
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| This is my central vac motor that needs a talking to once in a while. |
Now that's a record for dishwasher use, if you ask me! I'll be curious to know what happens if you take it to a repair shop. :-)
ReplyDeleteIt will never go to a repair shop. It's not worth it but I will get it to work.
DeleteI agree Red. This throw-away society is very wasteful. However the cost to manufacturers keeping old parts for years and the labour costs involved in mending together with the way things are made to cut costs isn't going to see things change anytime soon until the world actually starts seeing the effects of the fact that we are running out of resources.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid you are right about running out of resources.
DeleteI imagine you can make use of the washer even without the top rack.
ReplyDeleteI can wash with both racks now but I don't want to cause more damage.
DeleteI do not have the talent/intelligence/patience to fix stuff. My father was great at that and saved money every time. I wish I did have a little bit of the ability to fix the easy stuff.
ReplyDeleteFixing does not come naturally to me. I had to learn the hard way.
DeleteWe bought our big old microwave oven in 1987 and it still works. I keep expecting it to not work one of these days. A dishwasher lasting 29 years is amazing. It probably gets used a lot more than a microwave. Hope you can find a part and repair it.
ReplyDeleteNow when microwaves go kaput there's nothing you can do. I think I'm on my fourth.
DeleteGood gosh! A 29 year old dishwasher? That's totally amazing! What brand was it?
ReplyDeleteBut my clothes dryer is 46! It's a Maytag of course.
DeleteGood luck with the little roller search. My money is on you for finding a solution to the problem. I was wailing to my son yesterday about my lawnmower, it's being temperamental and is only 10 years old. He thought that was a great joke, in his "next generation" opinion I'd had a good run with it. If there were anyone to listen I'd probably have a rant about this throw away society right now.
ReplyDeleteYou can rant. I'm listening.
DeleteGood for you for hanging on to your dishwasher! They don't make appliances like they used to. We bought a dishwasher when we moved here in 2009 and within the year we had problems. It's a piece of crap :) My mother had a refrigerator for almost 40 years and it finally broke down last year, so she went to buy a new one. The salesman couldn't believe that her bridge was that old! He was shocked. Well, she bought a new one and within no time she started having issues and had to call for repairs. Another piece of crap. That's what they make now...
ReplyDeleteI hear the same story over and over again.
DeleteYou are a real handyman, hope you can fix it. People can't miss a dishwasher anymore.
ReplyDeleteI don't claim to be a handiman. It's almost fixed today. I had too many other things to do.
DeleteObsolescence certainly seems to be built in to many of today's household appliances. Manufacturers have a vested interest in making sure that things don't last too long. Four wedding my late brother Paul bought us as an anglepoise lamp. Twenty eight years later it wouldn't work any more so I asked him if he still had the receipt. He didn't.
ReplyDeleteYes, I hear about stuff that rapidly falls apart in a couple of years.
DeleteHahahha that problem seems familiar to one I had some time ago:)))I fixed it masself!!
ReplyDeletehope you can find a way too:))))
Good luck!
Good for you for fixing your appliance. Mine is almost fixed today.
DeleteIt is a pet peeve of mine that nothing is made to last anymore. It is one way of companies making sure they make money but it sure isn't good for the landfill or the pocket.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad that companies play this game with us.
DeleteThree years? That is dreadful! Nothing is built to last these days.
ReplyDeleteI admire your determination! I hope you find a solution to the roller problem. My mom was famous for making her appliances last forever. I'd do the same but of course now we're renting, so it's pretty much up to the landlord whether to repair or replace.
ReplyDeleteThat old saying, "they don't make 'me like they usta" comes to mind. We try to fix everything we can and it's sort of a matter of pride not to give up and buy a new whatever. Congrats on making your dishwasher last for 29 years!
ReplyDeleteGood for you, Red, on trying to salvage a part for your trusty dishwasher. At 29 years of age it's just getting broken in!
ReplyDeleteHi Red, I have to agree with Mr. Steve Reed, up above ... I admire your determination. And the guy at the appliance store who said they only last 3 to 5 years ... wow, I hope that isn't true. Not much of a sales person eh? On the other hand, 29 years may be a bit more than my expectations. :-)
ReplyDelete