I’m a kitchen expert and your dishwasher is in the WRONG place – it could be costing you more

PUTTING your dishwasher in the wrong place could cost you more cash than needs be, according to a designer.

It’s not the end of the world, but it helps to know a way to shave off some money from your fitting bill when it’s time to replace your old kitchen appliance.

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“When it comes to appliances, where you put your dishwasher is key,” according to Anne Ellard, kitchen designer at Kitchens by Kathie.

Ellard’s pro tip when it comes to dishwasher placement and kitchen design is this: put it next to the sink.

Either side of the basin is fine.

“As a kitchen designer, I usually recommend that a dishwasher is positioned next to the sink,” she says.

“It makes plumbing it in easier and less costly.”

But it also suits household habits, Ellard adds, with most people generally using the a ‘scrape, rinse, load’ method to load their dishwasher.

“This involves scraping the leftovers from your plates into the bin (located to one side of, or under, your sink), then giving those plates a quick rinse under the tap, before loading them straight into the dishwasher,” she says.

“Consequently, the best place for your dishwasher is on the side of the sink that’s opposite to the scraping area.”

There are a number of higher-tech dishwashers on the market that don’t need dishes to be rinses beforehand.

But these cost more than their simpler predecessors.

So installing your dishwasher near the sink can also help facilitate opting for a less snazzy machine.

However, the cost of moving where you dishwasher is currently placed should be also be considered.

How do you know when it’s time to replace your dishwasher?

Here’s four tell-tale signs on when to bite the bullet and buy a new one, according to electricals retailer Currys:

1. The door doesn’t close properly – it could be a dodgy latch, but the dishwasher may have also warped over time and will leak.
2. The drain is blocked – if there’s pools of water at the bottom of the dishwasher after a cycle, there’s likely a drainage problem.
3. Dishes are left cold – dishes could be hot and steamy after a wash, not cold. Replacing the heating element can be expensive, so if that is the problem, it might be cheaper to buy a new dishwasher.
4. You’ve spotted a leak – this can be determined with flecks of rust nearby or a huge pool on the floor.

Before rushing to throw in the towel, it’s always best to call someone in for repairs to see if there is an easy, cheaper fix.

Fixing your old dishwasher instead of buying a new one can not only be cost-effective – but also more environmentally sustainable.

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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk