need advice updated questions.

[rancher hicks]

Apparently we can't have a gray well here.

As I stated before we've had to have our sceptic pumped three of the four years we've lived here. I hope because the leach field is to small for the house and the number of people who live here. Four adults and the baby.

Maple - do you know the model of your parents dishwasher?

As for phosphates and the white dishes? I wonder if vinegar might help the rinsing of the soap off. Not that I've used a dishwasher or know anything about them. Wouldn't phosphates be bad for the ground water?

From what I understand our property borders a designated wet land. Wet is an understatement.

I to agree we put to much crud into our environment. One solution would be for the government to require smaller packaging of our products. What most people don't realize is that once it's in the eco- system it can NEVER be taken out. NEVER! I know I had to do a research paper for a college course. NEVER!

I've been looking at dishwashers tonight and learned there are those with filters for junk and some with grinders for junk. The ones with grinders are noisier the salesman said. I think with the filter at least I can take the crud and throw it into the trash rather than into the tank.

 

[Dunkopf]

I never thought the amount of water going into a septic system was an issue. It's the amount of solids. My septic tank is always clear full of fluid. It's the stuff in the bottom that matters. We have a 1200 gallon septic tank and 7 people with 3 bedrooms. Washer runs at least 3 times a day. DW goes at least once a day. We have a Whirlpool. If you talk to a repairman they will tell you that most DW's are made by Whirlpool with different badges tacked on. Do watch out for junk going in your DW. With 5 kids we get the occasional piece of plastic and it plugs up the drain going to the garbage disposer in the bottom of the DW. All a DW does is fill up in the bottom then pump the same water through the jets for a while to spray the dishes off. Then it drains and repeats the process. So if the drain isn't working right the old water just gets used again. Be sure your drain hose goes up to the recommended height as specified in the installation directions.

I always learn all my lessons the hard way. Screw it up first then figure it out. Good DW can be had for around 300.00. It's rare to use all the extra fancy features they throw on. Pot Scrubber cycles are just a really long soak cycle. Take about 4 hours to complete one load. Be sure you can turn off the dry feature too. Uses a lot of juice for no reason.

 

[journey11]

I've got a Kenmore and it works great. We're on a septic too, but our kitchen and bath water empty into a grey water system. The less water you send through your septic, the less trouble you'll have with it.

 

[chickened]

I have installed septic over the years and if your soil passes the perk test a proper system should last 20 years minimum. If water is leaching to the surface yor lines are no longer perking or the soil around them is saturated and not doing the chemical reaction from the micro-organisms, you need new lines AND new location for them. THe norm is 125' per bedroom on a standard system. Good luck. Oh I should mention that hair is the worst and hardest thing for a septic to digest.

 

[cassie]

I have always had a septic system. Most of the time I have had a dishwasher. Any troubles I have ever had with the septic were not due to the dishwasher. I don't have a dishwasher now simply because mine died and since I will be moving half way across the country shortly I don't want to get a dishwasher before I move. DO NOT GET THE CHEAPEST DISHWASHER!!! You don't have to get the most expensive one either. Not all dishwashers are created equal. Meaning some do a whole lot better job of getting dishes clean than others. Check out what Consumers Reports has to say. Look for the ones they rate Best Value.

 

[SallyF]

Our first house had an OLD KitchenAid dishwasher which worked great, and we had a septic system there. Had to have it pumped out once in six years. Our second house had a new General Electric which had to have the spring in the door replaced about every other year. We put up with that for about six years and then replaced it with a KitchenAid. Our third (retirement) house has a KitchenAid, and we have a septic system. Everything is working fine, we use the powdered soap and the dishes are always clean (I don't rinse anything except the BIG particles). Can you guess what my favorite brand is? We've been in this house for about a year and a half. The septic system, which has been in for about four years, serves a small cabin (which we lived in while the house was being built) and this house, and so far, so good.

 

[rancher hicks]

Clearly our leach field is not big enough for the people in the house. We do live an a wet area and I have no idea why they allowed houses to be built in the area. Our was built in 1959 so that might explain it. Seems to me the water doesn't leach out of the field fast enough.

So we are having work don't to rectify the size of the leach field and fix things so rain water drains away from the area. A new sewer system in the area would be a God send to me and creek. Lord knows sooner or later everything ends up in the water system.

So it looks like a Kenmore is in order.

Now what features to get or not to get? I know there are lots of bells and whistles they add that just mean more problems.

Oh and a stainless steel interior? Instead of plastic? Man says the steel reflects the heat and the plastic absorb it? Plus plastic turns gray?

 

[rancher hicks]

So I've been looking at dishwashers and learned a few things.

One, stainless steel interior is better than plastic.

B, there are multiple sprayers and I say a Kitchen Aid that has four.

Three, they have filters for junk and grinders for junk but don't know which is better. I like the filter thingy better. I figure the grinder is one more thing to break, but would the warranty help alleviate my stress?

Four, the warranty means I have to have it installed. Can't do it myself? We don't have one in the space now so that means plumbing and electric being done but I have friends. Warranty covers parts and labor for five years. This is only at Olums. Haven't checked Sears.

Any thoughts?

Rancher

 

[Rubyegg]

I have to say the Love of my life was a Bosch Stainless Steel Dishwasher. Quiet, cleaned like a dream, and had two removable garbage traps you cleaned out once in a while. My she was a beauty! My MIL used to bring her sisters over just so she could show them how shinny it was inside.

I sold her with my last house (dummy). And you are right Trish, no more phosphates in DW detergent! Wow did I notice the difference! I'll try the TSP after my bottle of Lemme Shine runs out. LS works okay but I hadn't thought about the TSP

 

[claud]

I never new a septic system was an issue. We've never had a problem but not all septic systems are equal.
I think I have a Frigidaire.

Consumer reports rates these as Best Buys:

Kenmore 1389
Whirlpool Gold GU2300xtv, GU2275xtv
Whirlpool DU1055xtv