Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Entering the kitchen to find an ominous puddle coming from the dishwasher is never a great to start the day.

Fortunately, most commonplace explanations of dishwasher faults are comparatively straightforward to diagnose and mend by yourself. Meaning you might not be required to wash the dishes by hand that much, call an engineer or need to pay the call-out fee.

So, if you’re feeling up to it find the operating manual if you can, grab a towel to clean up the leak and get a towel soak up any further spills and see whether you can’t fix the problem. If you cannot call us for local dishwasher repair.

Common Explanations of Dishwasher Faults as well as How to Resolve Them

Some of the most common sources of dishwasher leaks aren’t in fact because of a broken dishwasher . Prior to starting preparing yourself for an engineering task as well as looking at numerous YouTube videos there are a few issues you can rule out first.

Check to see if your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher is misaligned water can easily puddle and leak even if the dishwasher is working perfectly.
Check you are using the correct detergent. You may have seen this with your washer. An excess of detergent or the incorrect type could result in to too many soap suds, the bubbles spill over and so you get a leak.
Investigate your dishwasher door closes properly. If there’s a gap there may be an obstruction, or you might need to replace the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Test the filter in the bottom of the machine for any obvious drainage issues as if your dishwasher isn’t draining properly this is likely to cause it to 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.

To make your life easier start with the door and check for any visible damage within of the machine before you move on to the underneath. If you are able to identify and mend the leak before you need to pull out the dishwasher you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle.

Before you do anything else make sure you unplug the dishwasher.

Door Seal

The most commonly seen place for a dishwasher to leak is around the door, luckily it is likewise one of the easiest issues to fix.

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

Otherwise the door seal may have come out of place or got cracked.

Examine the door seal and check for any cracks, a build-up of limescale or other deposits, or any parts where the seal has separated from the door.

Extracting the gasket and also allowing it a comprehensive clean could improve the situation in some instances or you could have to acquire a new seal and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The inlet valve can be another everyday fault. The Valve is usually situated on the underbelly of the machine which means you may have to unscrew the kick plate and may have to remove the door cover.

The water inlet valve opens and also closes to allow water into the machine at various times during the program. The fill valve may be damaged, evidenced by a slight drip, or it may be damaged and not functioning fully while the dishwasher is running.

If the fill valve doesn’t shut correctly this can mean that the dishwasher overfills, causing a leak.

Usually water inlet valve are not able to be fixed, and so the entire valve would have to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Your dishwasher uses hoses to fill, drain and also recirculate water during the program.

Two complications might present themselves where hoses are involved.

The gaskets might break or the connections can come loose meaning it’s a good idea to have a look at all the connection points .
The alternative issue than may often happen as you use the machine is that hoses can get degraded or cracked.

If you can determine that the leakage is a result of a faulty hose this should be relatively easy to change and replacement hoses are readily available.

Pumps and Gaskets

You can visually test the seals that are part of the pumps or motor to see if there is a leakage and change them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

The float itself or the float switch might be damaged causing the dishwasher to overfill.

When operating correctly the float will lift up with the water level until it reaches the desired fill level. The end piece of the float would then activate the switch. If something is blocking this or the float is broken this could be causing your problem.

Testing the switch will require a multi-meter although it may be clearly broken in which case replacing it should resolve the problem.

Other Parts that Might Lead to a Leak

A cracked wash arm or support may push water under the door causing a leak. This could likewise often affect how well your dishes are being cleaned.

Broken or damaged tubes can also cause this problem as might a damaged pump cap if your dishwasher has one.

The motor shaft gasket may have degraded causing leakage. This will generally show as a puddle coming from underneath the appliance.

Top Tips to Fix Your Dishwasher

Save money by replacing the gasket rather than the entire component. In plenty instances, you can buy the gasket without the rest of the part which saves time as well as money.
Investigate the quick resolutions before you get more complicated. You don’t need to pull the whole dishwasher out if the problem is the detergent.
Take photos as you go. This could make your life easier when you come to put the thing back together, show the component you need in a store, as well as identify the problem to a repair person if required.
Be careful. Water and electricity do not mix so unplug the machine first.
If in doubt call a professional.

The Next Steps You Should Take If Your Trouble Shooting Fails to Identify or Fix the Leak

If the cause of the leak can’t be uncovered the next step you could take is to pull the dishwasher away from the wall to get a clearer view of the beneath it and also add water to the tub to find out if the leak can be seen that way.

If you are still in the dark your machine might only show a leakage when during a cycle. In this case, you may wish to hire a service engineer to pinpoint as well as mend the leak due to the safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical components exposed.