Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

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

Luckily, most simple causes of dishwasher faults are relatively simple to determine and resolve yourself. Meaning you might not need to hand wash the dishes for more than a day or two, wait for the repair man or need to pay a high call-out fee.

So, get out the operating manual if you have it, clean up the puddle and so get something soak up any additional spills and see if you can’t fix the problem. If you cannot call us for local dishwasher repair.

Simple Sources of Dishwasher Leaks as well as How to Fix Them

Some of the more simple explanations of dishwasher leaks are not really a result of a broken dishwasher . Before you start preparing yourself for an engineering task and also looking at numerous youtube tutorials there are a couple of problems you can rule out first.

Investigate to find out whether your dishwasher is aligned. If the dishwasher is wonky water will quickly pool as well as spill out regardless of whether or not the dishwasher has a fault.
Check you have been using the proper detergent. You may be aware of this problem with your washing machine. Too much detergent or using the incorrect variety could lead an excess of suds, the bubbles bubble over and you get a spill.
Test your dishwasher door fully closes. If there’s a gap there may be an obstruction, or you may need to replace the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Investigate the filter located at the bottom of the machine for any easy to see drainage issues because if your dishwasher isn’t draining effectively this is likely to result in overfill and leak.

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

The easiest place to start is the door and investigate for any visible issues in the interior of the machine prior to moving on to the underneath. If you are able to identify as well as fix the leak before you need to pull out the dishwasher so much the better.

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

Door Seal

The most common place for leakage is around the door, luckily it is also one of the simplest problems to solve.

If the leakage is occasional the problem may be as easy as an oversized dish or something else putting pressure into the door and preventing the door from closing fully.

On the other hand the door seal may have come out of place or been cracked.

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

Taking off the seal and giving it a comprehensive clean could help in some cases or you may have to acquire a new seal and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The fill valve can also be a simple issue. The inlet is in most cases located underneath the machine which means you will need to remove the kick plate and may have to remove the door cover.

The water inlet valve opens and also closes to let water into the tub at varying times in the cycle. The fill valve could be damaged, evidenced by a slight drip, or it might be broken and so not opening or closing fully during the cycle.

When the fill valve fails to close properly this can lead to the dishwasher leaking.

Often fill valve cannot be refurbished, and so the whole valve would have to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to supply, empty as well as redistribute water during the cycle.

Two issues can develop with hoses.

The seals might go or the contact points may work loose thus it’s worth examining all the connections .
The other issue than can often develop as time goes by is that hoses can be broken or get a hole in.

Luckily damaged hoses are relatively easy to procure as well as change, even for a novice.

Pumps and Seals

You can visually check the gaskets surrounding the water pumps or motor to ascertain whether there is a leakage and also replace them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

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

When working correctly the float will lift up as the water level goes up until it reaches the maximum fill level. The tag of the float would then activate the switch. A blockage or breakage could be causing your issues.

Checking the switch will require electrical equipment although it may be clearly broken in which case replacing it should fix the problem.

Other Parts that May Result in Leakage

A cracked wash arm or support can build up pressure causing leakage. This can also often result in your dishes not being cleaned as effectively as they should.

Broken or faulty lines might also cause this issue as may a cracked pump cap if your machine has one.

The motor shaft seal may have come loose resulting in a leak. This generally presents as a puddle coming from underneath the dishwasher.

Top Tips to Mend Your Machine

Spend less by changing the gasket instead of the whole part. In most situations, you can buy the seal separately which saves you having to replace the entire component.
Test the easy resolutions first. You don’t need to pull the whole machine away from the wall if the problem is the detergent.
Photograph your progress. This may help you put the thing back together, show the component you need to a sales person, and identify the problem to a repair person if needed.
Stay safe. Water and electricity do not mix so unplug the machine first.
If you’re struggling call the professionals.

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

If the cause of the leak can’t be uncovered the thing you might do is to pull the machine away from the wall to get better access beneath it and fill it with water to see whether the leak becomes visible.

If you don’t uncover any faults with this method your machine may only leak when the pump is running. In this instance, your best bet would be to employ a appliance repair person to determine and also fix the leak due to the safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical components exposed.