Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Getting up in the morning only to discover a large puddle on the floor is no-one’s favorite manner to start the day.

Fortunately, most simple causes of dishwasher leaks are comparably easy to diagnose and resolve yourself. Meaning you could not need to hand wash the dishes for more than a day or two, take a day off waiting for an repair person or have to pay the call-out fee.

So, if you’re feeling up to it grab the instruction manual if you have it, grab an old towel to clean up the mess and so get something soak up any further leaks and see if you can’t fix the problem. If you aren’t able to call us for local dishwasher repair.

Common Sources of Dishwasher Leaks as well as How to Resolve Them

A lot of the more everyday causes of dishwasher faults are not in fact due to a dishwasher issue at all. Before you start getting the tools out as well as flicking through numerous youtube videos there are a few problems you might want to troubleshoot first.

Test to find out if your dishwasher is level. If the dishwasher isn’t level water can quickly pool as well as spill out regardless of whether or not the dishwasher has a fault.
Test you have been using the proper soap. You might have seen this with your washing machine. An excess of soap or the wrong type could result in an excess of bubbles, the suds overflow and so you get a leak.
Check your dishwasher door closes fully. If there’s a gap you may have something obstructing it such as a large plate, or you could need to adjust the door fixings.
Investigate the filter located at the bottom of the tub for any visible drainage issues as if your dishwasher isn’t emptying properly this will result in fill too much and leak.

Once you have looked at these potential problems it’s time to get ready and really begin a thorough check.

The easiest place to start is the door and check for any visible problems within of the machine prior to moving 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.

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

Door Seal

The door is seemingly the most common place for leakage and one of the easiest issues to solve.

If the leak is occasional the problem may be as simple as an oversized dish or something else pushing into the door thus preventing the door from shutting properly.

On the other hand the door gasket might have come loose or got cracked.

Examine the door seal and investigate for any degradation, a build-up of limescale or other debris, or any areas in which the seal might have come away from the door.

Extracting the gasket and also allowing it a good scrub might help in some instances or you could have to purchase a new gasket and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The water inlet valve can be another commonly seen fault. It is in most cases found under the machine which means you may have to take off the toe board and could have to take off the door cover.

The water inlet valve opens and closes to let water into the dishwasher at various times in the cycle. The water inlet valve might be leaking, demonstrated by a slight drip, or it might be broken and not operating correctly throughout the programme.

When the water inlet valve fails to close fully this can mean that the dishwasher overfills, causing a leak.

Usually inlet valve can’t be fixed unless it is only the rubber seal that is faulty, which means the entire component would have to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

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

Two issues can develop with hoses.

The gaskets could go or the contact points might come loose thus it’s worth having a look at all the connections first.
The other fault than may easily happen as time goes by is that hoses may get broken or get a hole in.

Luckily broken hoses are simple to buy and also replace.

Pumps and Seals

You can visually check the seals around the pumps or motor to determine if there is a leakage and also replace them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

Either the float or the float switch may be faulty resulting in the dishwasher overfilling.

A working float will lift up as the water rises until the optimum or highest water level is attained. The tail of the float should then turn on the switch. A blockage or breakage could be your issues.

Testing the switch will require a multi-meter although it could be clearly damaged in which case getting a new one should stop the leak.

Other Components that May Result in Leakage

A broken wash arm or support might causing a leak. This could likewise often result in your dishes not being cleaned as effectively as they should.

Broken or cracked tubes may also cause this fault as could a broken pump cover.

The motor shaft gasket may have cracked causing leakage. This generally presents as leakage coming from underneath the dishwasher.

Top Tips to Fix Your Machine

Save money by changing the gasket instead of the entire part. In most situations, you are able to purchase the gasket separately which saves you having to replace the whole part.
Test the easy solutions first. You don’t need to pull the whole thing away from the wall if the problem is the detergent.
Photograph your progress. This may help you reverse the process, show the part you are looking for to a sales person, and identify the issue to an engineer if required.
Stay safe. Water and electricity do not mix so unplug the machine first.
If in doubt get in a repair person.

What To Do Next If Your Initial Investigation Fails to Disclose or Resolve the Leakage

If the root of the issue is still a mystery the thing you can do is to pull out the machine to get a better look underneath it and fill it with water to see if the leakage becomes visible.

If this doesn’t shed any light your dishwasher could only leak when it’s running. In this instance, you may wish to employ a appliance repair person to diagnose as well as fix the fault as there are safety risks of checking for faults with electrical elements exposed.