Is cloudy glassware a dishwasher problem or a water problem?
Usually water. There's a simple test: soak a cloudy glass in white vinegar for a few minutes. If the cloudiness clears, it's mineral etching from hard water — a chemical reaction, not a coating that can be washed off. If it doesn't clear, you're looking at actual food film or detergent residue, which is a dishwasher performance issue instead.
Why does this show up so much in Dallas?
Water hardness varies by exact supply source across Dallas County, but much of the metro sits in the moderately-to-very-hard range. Hard water minerals react with glass surfaces over repeated hot-water wash cycles, etching the surface at a microscopic level — that etching is what scatters light and creates the cloudy look, and unlike a coating, it can't be washed off once it's happened.
Can anything actually prevent it?
A rinse aid makes a real difference by helping water sheet off glass instead of forming mineral-laden droplets that dry in place — it doesn't stop hardness reactions entirely but slows the etching meaningfully. Lower wash temperatures (where your model allows it) also reduce the reaction rate somewhat, though at some cost to overall cleaning performance.
Does this mean my dishwasher itself is fine?
Usually, yes — if the vinegar test clears the cloudiness, the dishwasher isn't at fault. But it's still worth running a monthly dishwasher cleaner cycle, since mineral buildup inside the machine's own components (spray arms, heating element) happens alongside the glassware effect and can eventually cause real performance problems.
Call (469) 886-1122 if the vinegar test doesn't clear it, or if dishes are coming out with actual food residue — that's a dishwasher issue worth diagnosing.