Why Does My Dishwasher Take So Long to Wash?

The act of dishwashing in the appliance seems like it would be a pretty expedient thing. It washes, it rinses, and then it dries. The whole act together can actually take sort of a long time. You can expect most dishwashing cycles to take at least an hour and a half. However, if your dishwasher does run longer than that, it could be normal, but it could also be a malfunction. So what could be causing your dishwasher to run longer?

More Wash Features

The more wash features you use on a dishwasher, the longer the cycle will take. Sometimes, you can expect to be waiting up to four hours for clean dishes if you add on an extra rinse, sanitize cycle, and run a heavy load. Try keeping the extra features to a minimum if you need something washed quickly.

Heated Water

The biggest cause for a dishwasher that has consistently run a lot longer than you think it should is because it is hooked to the cold water line rather than a hot water line. This means the water coming in is completely cold and the heating element needs to run longer to heat it to the appropriate temperature. If you hear the water run and your dishwasher seems to be doing nothing for 45 minutes, this is likely the case. Even with a hot water connection, your dishwasher still needs to heat the water more before use. It just does so faster.

Filling Issues

One actual malfunction that could prevent your dishwasher from running timely is a water fill issue. If it is not getting enough water or is not draining quickly enough, it could affect how long the dishwasher runs. You will likely notice other issues as well, like poorly washed dishes. However, this is usually an issue that manifests spontaneously, not one that has always been happening like the above.