Do Dishwashers Need Hot Water Supply (Can You Run With No Hot Water?)

Curious about whether dishwashers require a hot water supply?

Are you also concerned about high energy costs too? Don’t let the absence of hot water hold you back from getting well-cleaned dishes. But most of the dishwashers are designed to work with hot water.

In this article, we address the common concern of running a dishwasher with no hot water and provide a direct answer: Yes, it is possible! Discover alternative methods and practical tips for operating a dishwasher without a hot water supply.

Dive deeper into the details and unlock the secrets to efficient dishwashing without hot water in your kitchen.

Do You Need Hot Water To Run a Dishwasher?

There are several reasons for using hot water in dishwasher washing cycle operations. Some of them are:

• First, hot water quickens the cleaning process. The raised temperatures create an optimal environment for the cleaning detergents to easily remove dirt.
• Secondly, hot water is the best for cleaning greasy items. Some dishwashers have a high-temperature cycle that uses boiling water of over 150 degrees to remove grease from the dishes.
• Also, hot water sanitizes the dishes. The high temperatures can clean any disease-causing germ that might have entered your kitchen. As a result, it helps to keep your family healthy.
• Lastly, the hot water reduces the drying time. Let me explain. Hot water dries fast than cold water. Thus the dishes will dry themselves instead of using dishtowels which can also be a haven for bacteria.

Even though we have looked at some critical reasons why you should use hot water for your dishes, they might not be convincing enough. Most times, I get this question. It is mainly based on whether using hot water in the dishwasher will damage it.

This is the answer; you do not necessarily need hot water to run the dishwasher. Even if you run the device on cold water, it will still clean the dishes.

But water before you be over the moon.

Running the dishwasher on cold water does not affect its operations. However, it decreases its efficiency. In other words, the dishwasher will not perform well in cold water as expected. Thus, it is advisable to use hot water nonetheless.

Can You Run the Dishwasher With No Hot Water?

The hot water is used to fasten and improve the dishwasher’s cleaning ability. For instance, when dealing with greasy dishes, you need hot water to dissolve the oil.

However, we should make it clear that the dishwasher’s running is not dependent on the temperature of the water. Thus, it is constructed to work in both hot and cold water.

In other words, you can run the dishwasher with no hot water. Hence, you can wash dishes in a dishwasher with cold water. However, it will not perform at its best. That is why it is always recommended to have hot water for your dishwasher.

Do Dishwashers Heat Their Water?

The dishwashers are classified into two broad categories; traditional and modern dishwashers. The traditional dishwashers do not have an inbuilt heating element. Consequently, they do not heat their water.

This dishwasher must be connected to an external heating system if you want to clean your dishes with clean water.

On the other hand, modern dishwashers have an inbuilt heating element at the appliance’s bottom. Consequently, they heat their water.

These devices also have advanced technology that can sense the dirt on the dishes and determine the appropriate water temperature for the cleaning cycle. 

Dishwasher Hot Water Connection

If your heating element is damaged or your device does not have an inbuilt water heating element, you must connect the dishwasher to a hot water supply. Below are steps to follow to perform the hot water supply connection. You can also look at this video on how to perform the connection.

Step 1: Put off the water supply

You will be disconnecting the water pipes. Thus you should cut off the water supply to avoid causing messes. To do that, you should turn off the tap.

Step 2: Open the nuts connecting to the water supply

If you are doing a replacement, you will have to disconnect the existing water supply. To do that, first, identify the connection point from the water supply to the dishwasher and open the nuts to disconnect that ending

Step 3: Open the nuts connecting the line to the dishwasher

Next, unscrew the nuts securing at the inlet point of the dishwasher. All the openings are disconnected. Hence, you can pull out the pipe.

Step 4: Install the hot water system

Considering the dishwasher does not heat its water, you will need a hot water inlet. Consequently, you need to have an external hot water system.

Step 5: Connect the new line to the water supply

Before performing the connection, you must ensure the water supply is hot. After that, take one end of the pipe and connect it to the water supply using the nuts. Caution; ensure that the nuts are tight to avoid leakages.

Step 6: Connect the line to the dishwasher

After tightly connecting the line to the water supply, connect it to the dishwasher and tighten the nuts to avoid leakages.

Step 7: Test

You can now open the tap to check if the hot water line is leaking and correctly connected.

Final Words

Dishwashers do not require hot water to run. In other words, these devices can still work with only cold water.

However, using hot water is highly recommended to improve their cleaning capability. Hot water fastens the dirt removal and also kills the disease-causing microorganisms.

James Miller

James is an organic fertilizer professional who owns a successful organic fertilizer company in new jersey. He is an expert in waste management in both houses and community cases. In his free time, he loves to write about his experiences in the field.