Cascade Pod Does Not Dissolve in Dishwasher - Sometimes

Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t. Since we have been using the dishwasher more than we ever did, I made sure we would have enough cascade pods and rinse to handle the extra load. We never had luck with dishwashers in the past. Our Capitol Hill model would no longer work with cascade liquid so we started using pods. In our new condo in northern Virginia it was the only appliance we had that worked when we moved in. The microwave wouldn’t heat, the oven didn’t hold a temperature and required a replacement, and the refrigerator filter was impossible to remove. Now it’s been a year and signs are showing there may be issues. The cascade pod doesn’t always “melt away” leaving the contents less than clean. So I looked up why that might be happening - make sure the slot the pod is placed in is working (opens and closes); check the filter on the bottom to be sure it is clean; and check the water temperature - it needs to be about 149-150 degrees. I did all the above and the last one seemed to make the most sense - because the pod not dissolving is very inconsistent. So before we turn the dishwasher on we run the faucet until the water is hot and then start the dishwasher. My husband doesn’t always use hot water at the sink so that might be the reason, although it seems strange. Since we’ve been adjusting the temperature there hasn’t been a problem. But it’s only been two times. You can certainly tell the difference when it works right - no pod residue, and sparkly shining dishes, glasses and silverware. When it works it really works. When it doesn’t it leaves a sort of soapy film. We will keep our fingers crossed - and turn on the hot water. 

GE Dishwasher Automatic Detergent Dispenser Clogged - DC Water Grain?

I don't know what it is with GE appliances, but we haven't had a lot of luck with them. In Milwaukee our automatic ice dispenser didn't last very long. And it didn't last much longer here with the new GE refrigerator in spite of following instructions for regular filter changes. Now we started to notice that the dishes weren't quite as clean as they should be, and found that the automatic detergent dispenser component didn't seem to be working because the level of detergent hasn't changed for awhile. So my husband snaked a wire through and sure enough, it was very clogged. But that maneuver didn't seem to fix the problem. So now we are going to use the manual dispenser. Upon reading the instructions, they said to contact the water department to find out how hard the water is first. That would then tell you how much detergent you should use. So I sent an email to the DC water department. It was bounced back because the person is on vacation. They left another name to contact so I did. That person returned the email with a number to call. I called the number. They said to leave a message with a name and number. I did.  Did they return the call? Of course not. So now we will probably never known whatever information we need. I think we will just get the cascade tablets and forget this ever happened.