Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

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

Fortunately, most commonplace explanations of dishwasher leaks are relatively straightforward to determine and resolve by yourself. Meaning you might not need to wash the dishes by hand that much, call an engineer or have to pay a high call-out fee.

So, if you’re feeling up to it grab the instruction manual if you know where it is, get an old towel to clean up the mess and get something clean up any additional spills and find out whether you can’t find a DIY solution. If you cannot call us for local dishwasher repair.

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

Some of the most simple causes of dishwasher leaks aren’t really a result of a dishwasher fault . Before you start preparing yourself for an engineering task and also flicking through numerous online videos there are a number of things you should rule out first.

Check to see if your dishwasher is aligned. If your dishwasher is not aligned water will easily pool as well as leak regardless of whether or not the dishwasher has a fault.
Test you are using the proper detergent. You could have seen this with your washing machine. Too much detergent or using the wrong variety may result in an excess of soap suds, the bubbles overflow resulting in a leak.
Test your dishwasher door closes correctly. If there’s a gap you could have something blocking it such as a large plate, or you might need to adjust the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Check the filter at the bottom of the machine for any easy to see drainage issues as if your dishwasher isn’t draining correctly this is likely to cause it to fill too much and so leak.

Once you have eliminated these issues it’s time to get ready and really begin the investigation.

The easiest place to start is the door and check for any visible problems in the interior of the machine prior to moving on to the underside. If you can find and so resolve the problem before you have to pull out the dishwasher so much the better.

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

Door Gasket

The most everyday place for a dishwasher to leak is on the door, luckily it is also one of the simplest problems to solve.

If the leak is occasional the issue might be as straightforward as a large plate or another object pushing into the door thus stopping it from closing properly.

Otherwise the door seal might have come loose or become damaged.

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

Removing the seal and also allowing it a good scrub can improve the situation in some cases or you could be required to purchase a new gasket and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The fill valve can also be a commonplace problem. The inlet is usually found under the machine and so you may have to unscrew the kick plate and also could need to remove the door cover.

The inlet valve opens and also closes to let water into the dishwasher at various parts of the programme. The fill valve may be showing a leak, evidenced with a slight drip, or it could be broken thus not functioning fully while the dishwasher is running.

In the case that the inlet valve fails to shut fully this can mean that the dishwasher overfills, causing a leak.

Usually fill valve can’t be fixed, thus the entire component would need to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to fill, empty and also redistribute water along the cycle.

Two complications could arise where hoses are involved.

The gaskets might break or the contact points may come loose thus it’s worth having a look at all the connections .
The other problem than could often happen as time goes by is that hoses could become damaged or get a hole in.

If you can identify that the leak is coming from a hose this will be relatively simple to replace and new hoses are readily available.

Pumps and Seals

You can visually investigate the seals around the pumps or motor to determine whether there is a leak and change them if there is.

The Float Switch

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

A working float will rise as the water rises until the optimum or highest water level is reached. The end piece of the float will then operate the switch. If something is blocking this or the float is broken this could be your issues.

Checking the switch will require a multi-meter although it may be obviously damaged in which case replacing it should solve the issue.

Other Components that May Cause a Leak

A cracked wash arm or support might build up pressure causing a leak. This will also often affect how well your dishes are being cleaned.

Broken or damaged lines could also cause this issue as can a cracked pump cover if your machine has one.

The motor shaft gasket could have degraded resulting in leakage. This generally presents as leakage coming from underneath the machine.

Top Tips to Mend Your Machine

Save money by changing the gasket in place of the whole component. In most instances, you are able to acquire the gasket separately which saves you having to replace the whole component.
Investigate the quick resolutions before you get more complicated. There’s no point pulling the whole thing out if the problem is the detergent.
Take photos as you go. This may make your life easier when you come to put the machine back together, explain the component you need to a sales person, as well as identify the issue to a repair person if required.
Be careful. Water and electricity do not mix so unplug the machine first.
If you’re not sure call the professionals.

The Next Steps You Should Take If Your Trouble Shooting Doesn’t Identify or Resolve the Leakage

If the root of the issue can’t be discovered the thing you could do is to pull the machine away from the wall to get better access beneath it as well as add water to the tub to see if the leak can be seen that way.

If you don’t discover any leaks with this method your appliance could only show a leakage if during a cycle. In this case, you should find a service engineer to pinpoint and also mend the leak as there are safety risks of checking for faults with electrical elements uncovered.