Here’s a new checklist for inspecting dishwashers during a home inspection.
For those inspectors who exceed the standards to provide a dishwasher inspection, here’s an inspection checklist for inspecting a dishwasher in the kitchen during a home inspection.
2 Likes
An addition is:
- Remove the kickplate and inspect under the dishwasher for installation and operation issues.
There are various issues that can be found there such as the following but not all inclusive.
- Improper wiring to the dishwasher.
- Signs of leakage and potential damage to cabinet bases.
- Signs of mold growth due to prior leakage.
- Loose or missing drain hose clamps.
- Improper water line connections.
- Damage to various visible components.
- Leveling with pieces of debris instead of adjusting the leveling feet.
I’ve found all of these issues and more just by removing the kickplate. I find issues under close to if not 20% of dishwashers and that includes on brand new construction as well. BTW I mostly do new construction (99%) and if they can’t get it right there why should an Inspector expect it to be done right at an existing home?
5 Likes
Added #24 to the list. Thanks, @escanlan.
NEW inspection checklist for bathrooms just published.
Well worded, Ben. The Check List is well worth downloading and saving on you PC drive for repeat education for dishwashers.
I use to inspect dishwashers, and other appliances, but stopped after a couple of years, when the overall enormity of a home inspection truly kicked in.
You know what they say about home inspectors exceeding their SoP or Standards of Practice? They take on additional unneeded liability.
When/If observing dishwashers, and they are not part of the buildings structure, systems or components, I do not take on additional unneeded liability.
What I do to circumvent this is, I ask the client to ask the seller or realtor to operate the dishwasher and inform me afterwards so I can see if there were any negative conditions to add to my findings and report them thereafter.
Thanks for your astute thread and string, Ben!
You’re The Best!
Confirm the water supply connection is the hot water line. Dishwashers require hot water for proper cleaning performance. While quantitative temperature measurements exceed the Standards of Practice, inspectors may check the temperature of the appliance water with a laser thermometer. The industry standard is 120°F (49°C) minimum. Home inspectors don’t measure water temperature or the heating element temperature. Instead, they observe how systems and components operate using normal operating controls.
Yes good addition. Before I run the dishwasher and disposal I inspect under the sink for signs of leakage and other issues. One is which line is the dishwasher hooked to.
Also I would recommend running lots of water down the drain before starting the dishwasher. This is especially applicable on new construction where many times the tradespeople have used it to wash their mud/grout buckets and tools. I have found enough that have caused blockage in the disposal and/or trap. If I experience back-up in the sink I don’t run the dishwasher or disposal. For the dishwasher the last thing I want is water backing up in the sink with potential overflow.
@Emmanuel_Scanlan this has been added to the checklist. I also rearranged some of the steps to make the sequence of inspection steps more applicable. Thank you!