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Discussion Forum

winterize dishwasher

PurpleThumb | Posted in General Discussion on October 13, 2007 03:55am

New dishwasher in our summer cabin, which we close for the winter.  We drain all pipes and put RV antifreeze in all traps.  How do we protect a dishwasher against damage from freezing?  I’m thinking about adding antifreeze to the last rinse cycle and shutting it off  before it’s all pumped out.  Better ideas?

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  1. Dave45 | Oct 13, 2007 04:05am | #1

    I think I would be a little cautious about leaving antifreeze in the lines unless the manufacturer gave it the OK.  A quick call to their tech support should get their input.

  2. Scott | Oct 13, 2007 07:07am | #2

    >>>I'm thinking about adding antifreeze to the last rinse cycle and shutting it off before it's all pumped out. Better ideas?

    That's what I'd do. Toss a bit inside too. Run it empty a few times in the Spring.

    Scott.

    Always remember those first immortal words that Adam said to Eve, “You’d better stand back, I don’t know how big this thing’s going to get.”

  3. DanH | Oct 13, 2007 07:09am | #3

    I would think that RV antifreeze would work fine. Pour some in, roll around to the last cycle and pump it out, then repeat. Pour a bit more in afterwards to keep everything damp -- you don't want the seals to dry out.

    If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
  4. VAVince | Oct 13, 2007 02:54pm | #4

    I take off the kick plate and disconnect the drain line and let the water drain into a flat style pan or dish. Takes about 15 min.

    1. DanH | Oct 13, 2007 03:01pm | #5

      But you don't want to leave the sump dry -- damages the seals.
      If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader

      1. User avater
        BillHartmann | Oct 13, 2007 09:19pm | #7

        "
        But you don't want to leave the sump dry -- damages the seals."A friend of mine got one of those circulating emails that sugested minteral oil for seals on rarely used DW.I did a google on found this, but IIRC it does not mention bleach and was the MO was to lub the seals and not just prevent evaporation."Today, most homes have a dishwasher, but unlike other appliances, the less you use it the more likely it is to break down.Water that remains in the bottom of your dishwasher is there for a reason. It keeps seals moist. This prevents leaks and protects the motor. But when it's not used for long periods, the water evaporates, seals dry out, and leaks and motor problems become likely. To prevent this, when a dishwasher will sit unused for more than two or three weeks, pour in a half-cup of liquid bleach to prevent bacterial buildup. Then, add three tablespoons of mineral oil. It coats the surface of the water and prevents evaporation, even over long periods of time.With dishwashers -- use it or lose it or protect it. "At the time I checked a couple of DW manufactures website and found one that mentioned it. But was rather noncomitable about where it was not was not a good idea..
        .
        A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

  5. Piffin | Oct 13, 2007 05:28pm | #6

    That is how the plumbers here do the summer places.

     

     

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  6. JohnD1 | Oct 13, 2007 10:02pm | #8

    RR antifreeze is formulated a little differently. It doesn't use the usual ethylene glycol. Instead it uses a less toxic material. You certainly could use it; it fact if you look around you will find antifreezes designed for "vacation houses with septic fields". If you look closely at the ingredients, you will note that they are very similar to RV antifreeze.

    The ingredients are chosen so as not to poison the septic field. So you should be able to use it for the dishwasher. I would suggest that you run it several times before using in the spring, but otherwise I would think that it would be ok.

    BTW--have you called the customer service people that make you machine? This cannot be a new question.

    1. DanH | Oct 14, 2007 05:07am | #9

      Another point about RV antifreeze is that I believe it's formulated to evaporate more slowly than water, so that it won't leave the traps dry. But a tablespoon or so of some sort of food-grade oil on top won't hurt.
      If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader

      1. JohnD1 | Oct 14, 2007 09:26pm | #10

        Good Idea. To add to the thought: Sometimes food grade oils will go rancid. Food Grade Mineral Oil might be a better choice.

        1. DanH | Oct 14, 2007 09:36pm | #11

          Yeah, mineral oil would be the best choice, but plain corn oil is stable enough for this duty.Other petroleum oils shouldn't be used since they are apt to damage rubber components (though in the tablespoon "dose" any such damage would probably be negligible).There are other oils and oil-like chemicals that are produced specifically to reduce evaporation, but (unless you just happen to have them) they would be overkill for this problem.
          If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader

          1. VAVince | Oct 14, 2007 11:18pm | #12

            Sounds like you know best.

            I worked in a appliance warehouse years ago, that froze all of the time. How did they keep the units in good shape?

            Yea... I know the units had a little lub on the gaskets and motor... but are they really that delicate?

          2. DanH | Oct 15, 2007 02:25am | #13

            When shipped from the factory the seals are coated with grease from manufacturing, but that soon washes off. Then the seals absorb moisture from the water and swell a little, and they take a "set". Also, with age they become a bit less flexible. Let them dry out and the rubber shrinks and may even crack, plus in drying the solids in the water can weld parts together.
            If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader

          3. DanH | Oct 15, 2007 02:29am | #14

            And, of course, freezing itself isn't a problem when there's no water in the unit.Kind of a dilemma -- you need the water to cool and lubricate the seals, and keep them "fresh", but the water can freeze and crack the pump.
            If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader

  7. JeffinPA | Oct 15, 2007 03:37am | #15

    I have a vacation house in Northern New York and everybody I know up there puts RV/residential andtifreeze in the DW and runs it for a few minutes and pumps out what will pump out.  Then put a little more in the the bottom of the unit, and there you go.

    My DW is 3 years old and no problems so far.  (and there are many of them up there that are over 10 years old in the seasonal homes)

    Remember to do the same thing with the Washing Machine!!!!

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