Patent ID: 8496760

Claim:
A method of operating a dishwasher having a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving dishes for treatment according to a cycle of operation, and a closed loop condensing system having a moist air conduit fluidly coupling a heat exchanger to the treating chamber, the method comprising: a first condensing phase where liquid is condensed from air within the treating chamber using the closed loop condensing system to recirculate the moist air in the treating chamber through the heat exchanger until a first predetermined condition is met; warming air external to the treating chamber by a heat generating component of the dishwasher to form warmed external air; and a second condensing phase, after the first condensing phase, where warmed air external to the treating chamber is supplied to the treating chamber to form a mixture of moist air and warmed external air, and liquid is condensed from the mixture of air using the closed loop condensing system until a second predetermined condition is met.