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Repairs typically cost between $150 and $600, depending on the issue, parts needed, and labor charges.

It’s not worth fixing a 20-year-old dishwasher or any 20-year-old appliance. Twenty years is beyond the useful life span of nearly every major household appliance. Once the appliance nears the end of its useful life span, repairs will become more frequent. A replacement often becomes more cost-effective at that point.

The frequency for cleaning your dishwasher filter depends on your usage habits. If you run the dishwasher daily and don't scrape or rinse dishes before loading, you should clean the filter about once a month. For those who use it only once or twice a week and rinse items beforehand, cleaning it every three to six months may be sufficient. A clear sign that your filter needs cleaning is a musty smell, even after a wash cycle. Regularly cleaning the filter is important to prevent food buildup and clogging over time. It can be helpful to add this maintenance task to your calendar to stay on schedule.

A clogged air gap can cause a dishwasher not to drain. There are, however, other potential issues that can lead to improper drainage. For example, if you have attached the air gap to a garbage disposal and forgotten to remove the knockout plug, wastewater may backflow into the dishwasher. Check that the air gap is installed properly, and then look for clogs in the air gap and dishwasher filters.