Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Coming downstairs to discover an ominous puddle coming from the dishwasher is no-one’s chosen way to start the day.

Luckily, most simple causes of dishwasher leaks are comparatively easy to determine and mend by yourself. This means you may not have to hand wash the dishes for too long, call an engineer or have to pay a high call-out fee.

So, get out the operating manual if you know where it is, clean up the puddle and get a towel clean up any further spills and so see if you can’t fix the problem. If you can’t call us for local dishwasher repair.

Commonly Seen Explanations of Dishwasher Leaks and How to Fix Them

A lot of the more commonplace sources of dishwasher leaks are not in fact because of a broken dishwasher . Before you start preparing yourself for an engineering task as well as flicking through numerous online tutorials there are a number of issues you should rule out first.

Investigate to find out whether your dishwasher is aligned. If your dishwasher is misaligned water will quickly puddle as well as spill out even if the dishwasher is working perfectly.
Check you are using the correct soap. You might be aware of this fault with your washer. Too much detergent or the wrong type can result in an excess of bubbles, the soap suds overflow and so you get a spill.
Test your dishwasher door closes fully. If it does not you might have something obstructing it, or you could need to replace the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Investigate the filter located at the bottom of the machine for any obvious obstructions because if your dishwasher isn’t emptying correctly this can cause it to overfill and so leak.

If none of the above issues apply it’s time to get ready and begin the investigation.

The easiest place to start is the door as well as check for any visible problems inside of the machine prior to moving on to the underneath. If you are able to find and so resolve the issue before you need to pull out the dishwasher you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle.

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 commonplace place for leakage is on the door, fortunately it is also one of the simplest problems to fix.

If the leak is periodic the fault could be as straightforward as an oversized dish or something else putting pressure against the door thus preventing the door from closing fully.

On the other hand the door seal could have been dislodged or got split.

Check the door seal and also check for any degradation, a build-up of limescale or other deposits, or any tracts where the gasket might have separated from the door.

Extracting the gasket and also allowing it a comprehensive clean could help in some cases or you might need to buy a new gasket and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The fill valve can also be a commonplace problem. It is in most cases located underneath the machine and so you will need to take off the kick plate and also could need to remove the door cover.

The inlet valve opens and also closes to let water into the machine at varying parts of the programme. The fill valve may be damaged, shown with a slow drip, or it may be damaged thus not operating correctly during the cycle.

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

Often these valves are not able to be fixed, thus the entire component would need to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Your dishwasher uses hoses to fill, empty and also recirculate water within the cycle.

Two issues could develop where hoses are involved.

The seals can get damaged or the contact points could work loose thus it’s worth checking all the connections .
The alternative fault than can often happen as you use the machine is that hoses can be damaged or cracked.

If you can determine that the leakage is a result of a faulty hose this should be relatively simple to change and spare hoses are easy to come by.

Pumps and Gaskets

You are able to visually check the gaskets surrounding the water pumps or motor to ascertain if 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 not working correctly resulting in the dishwasher overfilling.

A working float will go up as the water rises until the desired or maximum water level is attained. The tail of the float should then operate the switch. If something is blocking this or the float is broken this could be causing your issues.

Checking the switch would need electrical equipment although it may be clearly broken in which case getting a new one should stop the leak.

Other Parts that May Result in a Leak

A damaged wash arm or support might causing leakage. This can also often affect how well your dishes are being cleaned.

Broken or damaged tubes might also cause this fault as might a broken pump cover if your machine has one.

The motor shaft gasket might have cracked causing leakage. This generally presents as a puddle coming from underneath the machine.

Top Tips to Sort Out Your Dishwasher

Spend less by replacing the gasket in place of the whole component. In plenty cases, you can acquire the gasket without the rest of the part which saves you having to change the entire component.
Test the quick fixes before you get more complicated. You don’t need to pull the whole machine out if it’s the soap that’s making the leak.
Photograph your progress. This can help you put the machine back together, show the component you need in a shop, and also identify the problem to an engineer if required.
Be careful. Water and electricity are not good friends so unplug the machine first.
If you’re struggling get in the professionals.

What To Do Next If Your Trouble Shooting Fails to Identify or Resolve the Leakage

If the root of the problem is still a mystery the next step you might take is to pull the machine away from the wall to get a better look underneath it as well as add water to the tub to see whether the leakage becomes visible.

If this doesn’t shed any light your dishwasher could only show a leakage when during a cycle. In this case, you may wish to hire a service engineer to pinpoint and also fix the issue due to the safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical components uncovered.