Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Coming downstairs only to step in an ominous puddle on the floor is never a great to start the day.

Thankfully, most simple causes of dishwasher leaks are relatively easy to pinpoint and resolve yourself. This means you may not be required to wash the dishes by hand for more than a day or two, spend a day at home waiting for an engineer or have to pay a high call-out fee.

So, if you’re feeling up to it find the manual if you can, grab an old towel to clean up the mess and get a towel clean up any additional spills and so see if you can’t fix the problem. If you can’t, call us for local dishwasher repair.

Everyday Explanations of Dishwasher Faults as well as How to Fix Them

Many of the more common causes of dishwasher faults are not really because of a broken dishwasher . Prior to starting preparing yourself for an engineering task and also flicking through numerous youtube tutorials there are a few problems you should take a look at first.

Test to find out whether your dishwasher is aligned. If your dishwasher is wonky water can quickly puddle and spill out even if the dishwasher is working perfectly.
Investigate you are using the right soap. You might have seen this with your washing machine. Too much detergent or the incorrect variety could result in to too many suds, the bubbles overflow and you get a leak.
Check your dishwasher door fully closes.If there’s a gap there may be an obstruction, or you could need to adjust the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Test the filter at the base of the machine for any easy to see obstructions because if your dishwasher isn’t emptying correctly this can result in fill too much and so leak.

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

The easiest place to start is the door as well as test for any obvious issues in the interior of the machine prior to moving on to the underside. If you can identify and fix the issue without pulling out the dishwasher so much the better.

Also make sure you disconnect the appliance first by either unplugging it or turning off the circuit breaker for the dishwasher.

Door Gasket

The door is probably the most simple area for a dishwasher to leak as well as one of the simplest problems to solve.

If the leak is intermittent the problem may be as straightforward as a large plate or something else putting pressure into the door thus stopping it from sealing fully.

Else-ways the door seal may have come out of place or got damaged.

Inspect the door gasket and investigate for any brittleness, mineral deposits or other gunk, or any tracts in which the seal has separated from the door.

Extracting the seal and giving it a comprehensive scrub could improve the situation in some instances or you may be required to buy a new seal and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The water inlet valve can also be a simple problem. This is usually situated on the underbelly of the machine which means you will need to unscrew the kick plate and could have to take off the door cover.

The fill valve opens and also closes to let water into the dishwasher at different times in the program. The fill valve might be damaged, evidenced by a slight drip, or it may be broken and not operating properly while the dishwasher is running.

If the inlet valve fails to close correctly this can mean that the dishwasher overfills, causing a leak.

Usually fill valve can’t be fixed, and so the whole part would need to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to supply, empty and recirculate water within the cycle.

Two problems can present themselves where hoses are the cause.

The seals may go or the connections may come loose meaning it’s a good idea to check all the connection points first.
The other problem that could often happen over time is that hoses can become degraded or get a hole in.

If you can identify that the leak is a result of a faulty hose this should be relatively easy to replace and spare hoses are easy to come by.

Pumps and Gaskets

You can visually test the rubber gaskets surrounding the pumps or motor to ascertain if there is a leakage as well as replace them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

Either the float or the float switch could be faulty causing the dishwasher to overfill.

When operating as it should the float will lift up with the water level until it reaches the maximum fill level. The tail of the float will then turn on the switch. If something is blocking this or the float is broken this could be your issues.

/fault finding the switch will require a multi-meter although it could be clearly broken in which case replacing it should solve the problem.

Alternative Components that Might Result in a Leak

A broken wash arm or support might build up pressure resulting in leakage. This could also often affect how well your dishes are being cleaned.

Broken or faulty lines may likewise cause this issue as can a loose pump cap.

The motor shaft seal might have degraded causing leakage. This generally presents as leakage coming from underneath the machine.

Top Tips to Sort Out Your Dishwasher

Save money by checking the gasket instead of the whole component. In plenty instances, you are able to purchase the gasket without the rest of the part which saves time as well as money.
Investigate the easy fixes first. You don’t need to pull the whole dishwasher out if it’s the soap that’s causing the issue.
Take photos as you go along. This could help you put the thing back together, describe the component you need to a sales person, and also explain the problem to an engineer if required.
Be careful. Water and electricity do not mix so unplug the machine first.
If you’re not sure call a professional.

What To Do Next If Your Trouble Shooting Fails to Disclose or Fix the Leakage

If the cause of the leak can’t be discovered the next step you might take is to pull out the machine to get a clearer view of the underneath it and fill it with water to see if the leakage presents itself.

If you are still in the dark your machine could only show a leakage if during a cycle. In this case, you may wish to hire a service engineer to diagnose and mend the leak as there are safety risks of checking for faults with electrical elements exposed.