Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Entering the kitchen to find a large puddle coming from the dishwasher is never the best to start the day.

Thankfully, most common sources of dishwasher faults are relatively straightforward to diagnose and resolve by yourself. Meaning you could not be required to wash the dishes by hand for more than a day or two, wait for the repair man or need to pay the call-out charge.

So, if you’re feeling up to it find the instruction manual if you can, clean up the puddle and so get a towel soak up any additional spills and see whether you can’t find a DIY solution. If you aren’t able to call us for local dishwasher repair.

Simple Explanations of Dishwasher Faults as well as How to Mend Them

Many of the more simple explanations of dishwasher faults are not actually due to a dishwasher fault . Before you start getting the tools out and also looking at numerous online videos there are a number of things you should troubleshoot first.

Investigate to see whether your dishwasher is aligned. If your dishwasher isn’t aligned water will easily puddle as well as leak regardless of whether or not the dishwasher has a fault.
Check you have been using the right detergent. You might have seen this with your washer. Too much detergent or the incorrect variety may lead to too many soap suds, the bubbles overflow and so you get a spill.
Check your dishwasher door fully closes. If there’s a gap there may be a blockage, or you might need to replace the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Check the filter located in the base of the machine for any obvious drainage issues because if your dishwasher isn’t emptying correctly this will cause it to fill too much and so spill.

If none of the above issues apply it’s time to roll up your sleeves and really start a thorough check.

To make your life easier start with the door and test for any visible issues in the interior of the machine before you move on to the underneath. If you can identify and fix the problem without pulling out the dishwasher you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle.

Before you do anything else make sure you disconnect the appliance.

Door Gasket

The door is seemingly the most everyday area for leakage and also one of the quickest problems to solve.

If the leakage is periodic the problem could be as easy as a big pan or something else pushing against the door thus stopping the door from shutting correctly.

On the other hand the door gasket could have come loose or got split.

Examine the door seal and test for any degradation, mineral deposits or other debris, or any tracts where the seal might have come away from the door.

Extracting the seal and also allowing it a good wash could improve the situation in some cases or you could have to acquire a new seal and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The water inlet valve can also be a everyday problem. It is usually found under the machine which means you will have to take off the kick plate and might need to unscrew the door cover.

The water inlet valve opens and closes to allow water into the tub at different parts of the cycle. The fill valve could be showing a leak, evidenced with a slow drip, or it could be broken and not functioning correctly throughout the programme.

In the case that the water inlet valve fails to close correctly this can lead to the dishwasher overfilling and result in a leak.

Usually inlet valve can’t be fixed unless it is only the rubber seal that is damaged, thus the whole valve would need to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Your dishwasher uses hoses to supply, empty as well as redistribute water along the programme.

Two issues might present themselves when it comes to hoses.

The seals may go or the connections might work loose meaning it’s a good idea to have a look at all the connections first.
The alternative issue than might easily develop as you use the machine is that hoses can get damaged or get a hole in.

If you are able to see that the leakage is a result of a faulty hose this should be relatively easy to replace and spare hoses are readily available.

Pumps and Seals

You can visually test the rubber seals that are part of the water pumps or motor to determine whether there is a leak as well as replace them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

Either the float or the float switch may be not working correctly resulting in the dishwasher overfilling.

A working float will rise with the water level until the optimum or highest water level is reached. The tail of the float should then activate the switch. If something is blocking this or the float is broken this could be causing your issues.

Testing the switch would need electrical equipment but it could be obviously damaged in which case getting a new one should resolve the issue.

Other Components that May Lead to Leakage

A damaged wash arm or support could resulting in leakage. This will also often result in your dishes not being cleaned as effectively as they should.

Broken or cracked tubes could likewise cause this fault as can a damaged pump cap.

The motor shaft gasket might have come loose resulting in leakage. This will generally show as leakage coming from the underside of the appliance.

Top Tips to Mend Your Machine

Spend less by changing the seal rather than the entire component. In plenty situations, you can buy the seal without the rest of the part which saves you having to replace the whole component.
Check the easy fixes first. You don’t need to pull the whole thing away from the wall if it’s the detergent that’s causing the issue.
Take pictures as you go along. This can make your life easier when you come to put the machine back together, describe the component you need in a store, as well as explain the problem to an engineer if needed.
Be careful. Water and electricity do not mix so turn off the power first.
If you’re not sure get in the professionals.

The Next Steps You Should Take If Your Initial Investigation Fails to Identify or Mend the Leakage

If the root of the leakage can’t be discovered the thing you might do is to pull out the dishwasher to get a better look beneath it and also fill it with water to find out if the leak presents itself.

If this doesn’t shed any light your appliance might only leak when it’s running. In this case, you should employ a service engineer to pinpoint and also mend the fault as there are safety risks of checking for faults with electrical components uncovered.