Most dishwashers start their wash by draining the standing water in the bottom of the tub, then sending power to the inlet valve so your home's water pressure pushes fresh water in through the inlet hose.
Dishwashers keep a small amount of water at the bottom of the tub between cycles. This standing water protects seals and gaskets from drying out and cracking.
When a cycle begins, the drain pump runs first to push that old water out before any fresh water comes in.
The control board sends power to a solenoid inside the water inlet valve. That solenoid pulls open a small gate and lets your home's pressurized water flow through the inlet hose into the dishwasher tub.
Most inlet valves are designed to operate between roughly 20 and 120 psi. If your home's water pressure is outside that range, the valve may struggle to open or close properly.
A timer, float switch, or flow meter tells the control board when enough water is in the tub. Power is then cut to the inlet valve and the solenoid snaps shut.
Match what you're seeing or hearing to the likely root cause — then give us a call.
Tell us what it's doing — we'll get it sorted, often the same day.