Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Getting up in the morning only to step in a large puddle coming from the dishwasher is never the best to start the day.

Fortunately, most commonplace explanations of dishwasher leaks are comparably easy to diagnose and resolve on your own. This means you could not be required to hand wash the dishes for too long, call an engineer or need to pay a high call-out fee.

So, get out the operating manual if you can, clean up the mess and get something clean up any additional spills and see whether you can find a DIY solution. If you cannot call us for local dishwasher repair.

Commonplace Sources of Dishwasher Leaks and How to Resolve Them

Some of the more common explanations of dishwasher faults aren’t actually due to a dishwasher issue . Before you start preparing yourself for an engineering task and also flicking through endless youtube videos there are a number of problems you should rule out first.

Check to find out whether your dishwasher is level. If the dishwasher isn’t level water can easily puddle and spill out even if the dishwasher is working perfectly.
Check you are using the correct soap. You could be aware of this problem with your washing machine. An excess of detergent or the incorrect variety could result in an excess of bubbles, the suds overflow resulting in a leak.
Test your dishwasher door fully closes. If there’s a gap you may have an object obstructing it such as a large plate, or you might have to adjust the door fixings.
Check the filter in the bottom of the tub for any obvious obstructions because if your dishwasher isn’t emptying effectively this is likely to cause it to fill too much and so spill.

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

The easiest place to start is the door as well as test for any visible problems inside of the machine prior to moving on to the underside. If you are able to find and resolve the issue before you need to pull 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 Gasket

The door is no doubt the most everyday area for leakage as well as one of the quickest issues to solve.

If the leakage is intermittent the issue might be as easy as a large plate or something else pushing against the door thus stopping it from closing properly.

Otherwise the door gasket may have come loose or been damaged.

Check the door seal and check for any cracks, a build-up of limescale or other debris, or any tracts in which the seal has separated from the door.

Extracting the gasket and also allowing it a comprehensive scrub can improve the situation in some cases or you could be required to acquire a new gasket and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The fill valve can also be a commonplace issue. The Valve is in most cases situated underneath the machine so you will need to take off the kick plate and could need to unscrew the door cover.

The water inlet valve opens and closes to allow water into the tub at different times during the programme. The inlet valve may be damaged, shown by a slow drip, or it may be damaged and so not opening or closing fully throughout the cycle.

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

Generally these valves are not able to be refurbished unless it is only the rubber seal that is damaged, and so the entire component would need to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Your dishwasher uses hoses to supply, empty as well as redistribute water along the cycle.

Two issues could develop where hoses are concerned.

The seals could get damaged or the contact points might work loose thus it’s worth examining all the connections .
The other issue than can often develop as time goes by is that hoses may become damaged or cracked.

Luckily faulty hoses are easy to get hold of and also replace, even for a novice.

Pumps and Seals

You can visually check the seals that are part of the water pumps or motor to determine whether there is a leakage and also replace them if there is.

The Float Switch

The float itself or the float switch could be not working correctly causing the dishwasher to overfill.

A working float will rise with the water level until it reaches the maximum fill level. The tail of the float should then turn on the switch. If something is blocking this or the float is broken this could be your issues.

Testing the switch would need electrical equipment although it might be obviously damaged in which case getting a new one should solve the problem.

Alternative Parts that May Result in a Leak

A cracked wash arm or support may build up pressure causing leakage. This can also often affect how well your dishes are being cleaned.

Broken or faulty tubes might likewise result in this issue as might a cracked pump cover.

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

Top Tips to Mend Your Machine

Save money by changing the seal instead of the whole component. In most instances, you can buy the seal without the rest of the part which saves you having to replace the entire part.
Investigate the easy solutions before you get more complicated. There’s no point pulling the whole thing away from the wall if the problem is the detergent.
Take photos at each step. This can assist you to put the machine back together, describe the part you need to a sales person, as well as explain the problem to a repair person if needed.
Be careful. Water and electricity are not good friends so turn off the power first.
If you’re struggling get in the professionals.

What To Do Next If Your Trouble Shooting Doesn’t Identify or Resolve the Leak

If the cause of the leak is still a mystery the thing you may do is to pull out the dishwasher to get a better look beneath it and fill it with water to find out whether the leak becomes visible.

If this gives no further clues your machine may only show a leakage if the pump is running. In this case, you should hire a qualified technician to diagnose and mend the problem as there are safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical elements exposed.