Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Getting up in the morning to discover an ominous puddle on the floor is no-one’s chosen manner to start the day.

Thankfully, most common explanations of dishwasher leaks are relatively simple to determine and mend on your own. Meaning you could not need to wash the dishes by hand for too long, stay at home waiting for an engineer or need to pay a high call-out fee.

So, find the instruction manual if you have it, find a towel to clean up the puddle and get something soak up any additional leaks and so see if you can’t fix the problem. If you aren’t able to call us for local dishwasher repair.

Common Causes of Dishwasher Faults and How to Mend Them

A lot of the more commonplace sources of dishwasher faults aren’t really a result of a dishwasher fault . Prior to starting preparing yourself for an engineering task and also flicking through numerous youtube tutorials there are a number of things you should troubleshoot first.

Check to see whether your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher is not level water can easily puddle and spill out even if the dishwasher is working perfectly.
Test you are using the right detergent. You could have seen this with your washing machine. Too much soap or using the incorrect variety could result in an excess of bubbles, the bubbles deluge resulting in a spill.
Investigate your dishwasher door closes properly. If there’s a gap you could have an object obstructing it such as a large plate, or you may have to adjust the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Investigate the filter located in the bottom of the machine for any visible drainage issues as if your dishwasher isn’t emptying properly this can result in fill too much and spill.

If you have looked at these possible causes it’s time to roll up your sleeves and really begin the inspection.

To make your life easier start with the door as well as check for any visible problems inside of the machine before you move on to the underneath. If you are able to find as well as mend 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 Seal

The most usual place for leakage is on the door, luckily it is also one of the quickest problems to resolve.

If the leak is intermittent the problem could be as simple as an oversized dish or something else putting pressure against the door and stopping it from shutting properly.

Otherwise the door seal could have come out of place or been cracked.

Examine the door seal and investigate for any cracks, mineral deposits or other debris, or any tracts in which the gasket has separated from the door.

Extracting the gasket and giving it a thorough clean has been known to improve the situation in some cases or you could be required to acquire a new seal and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The inlet valve can also be a simple fault. This is usually found under the machine and so you may have to remove the kick plate and also might have to remove the door cover.

The inlet valve opens and also closes to allow water into the machine at various parts of the cycle. The water inlet valve might be damaged, demonstrated with a slight drip, or it could be damaged and not functioning correctly while the dishwasher is running.

In the case that the inlet valve doesn’t shut properly this can result in the dishwasher overflowing.

Often these valves cannot be refurbished, and so the whole part would have to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

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

Two issues could develop where hoses are the cause.

The gaskets may go or the connections might come loose meaning it’s a good idea to check all the connection points first.
The alternative problem than might often develop over time is that hoses could get degraded or get a hole in.

Luckily broken hoses are simple to procure and replace.

Pumps and Gaskets

You are able to visually test the gaskets that are part of the water pumps or motor to see if there is a leak and also replace them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

The float itself or the float switch might be broken resulting in the dishwasher overfilling.

A working float will go up with the water level until it reaches the highest fill level. The tail of the float would then turn on the switch. If something is blocking this or the float is broken this could be your problem.

Testing the switch will require a multi-meter but it may be noticeably damaged in which case replacing it should stop the leak.

Alternative Components that Could Lead to Leakage

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

Broken or faulty lines could also result in this issue as might a cracked pump cover if your machine has one.

The motor shaft gasket could have come loose causing a leak. This generally presents as leakage coming from underneath the dishwasher.

Top Tips to Mend Your Machine

Save money by replacing the seal instead of the entire part. In most cases, you are able to buy the seal separately which saves you having to change the whole component.
Test the simple solutions first. You don’t need to pull the whole dishwasher away from the wall if the problem is the detergent.
Take pictures as you go. This may make your life easier when you come to put the thing back together, explain the part you are looking for in a store, as well as identify the problem to an engineer if needed.
Stay safe. Water and electricity are not good friends so unplug the machine first.
If you’re struggling get in the professionals.

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

If the root of the problem can’t be uncovered the next step you might take is to pull out the machine to get a clearer view of the beneath it as well as add water to the tub to see whether the leak presents itself.

If this gives no further clues your appliance may only show a leakage if it’s running. In this case, you should employ a appliance repair person to determine as well as resolve the problem as there are safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical components uncovered.