Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Entering the kitchen only to find a large puddle coming from the dishwasher is never a great to start the day.

Thankfully, most simple sources of dishwasher faults are relatively straightforward to pinpoint and mend by yourself. This means you may not be required to hand wash the dishes for too long, wait for the repair man or need to pay the call-out fee.

So, find the operating manual if you can, clean up the mess and get something soak up any further leaks and find out if you can diagnose the fault. If you aren’t able to call us for local dishwasher repair.

Simple Explanations of Dishwasher Leaks and How to Fix Them

A lot of the more simple causes of dishwasher leaks aren’t actually a result of a broken dishwasher at all. Before you start getting the tools out and flicking through endless online tutorials there are a few problems you can take a look at first.

Investigate to find out if your dishwasher is aligned. If the dishwasher is not level water will quickly pool and so leak without there being anything that needs to be mended or changed.
Test you have been using the proper soap. You could have seen this with your washer. Too much soap or using the incorrect variety can lead an excess of soap suds, the suds overflow and you get a spill.
Investigate your dishwasher door fully closes. If it does not you may have an object blocking it such as a large plate, or you could have to fix the door fixings.
Check the filter located in the bottom of the tub for any obvious obstructions as if your dishwasher isn’t emptying effectively this is likely to result in overfill and so spill.

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

The easiest place to start is the door and test for any visible damage inside of the machine before you move on to the underneath. If you can identify and so fix the problem without pulling out the dishwasher you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle.

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

Door Seal

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

If the leak is periodic the issue might be as easy as a big pan or something else pushing against the door and stopping the door from shutting properly.

Else-ways the door seal may have been dislodged or been split.

Check the door gasket and also investigate for any cracks, mineral deposits or other deposits, or any parts in which the gasket might have come away from the door.

Taking off the gasket and also giving it a good wash could help in some instances or you could need to acquire a new seal and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The fill valve can be another simple problem. It is usually found under the machine therefore you will most likely need to take off the kick plate and also could need to take off the door cover.

The fill valve opens and closes to let water into the dishwasher at various parts of the cycle. The fill valve could be damaged, shown by a slow drip, or it could be broken and so not operating fully during the programme.

If the water inlet valve fails to shut properly this can mean that the dishwasher overfills, causing a leak.

Usually these valves can’t be refurbished, and so the entire part would need to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to fill, drain and recirculate water within the cycle.

Two complications can arise where hoses are concerned.

The seals could go or the contact points could work loose thus it’s worth having a look at all the connections first.
The alternative problem than could often happen as time goes by is that hoses may be damaged or get a hole in.

Luckily broken hoses are easy to buy and replace, even for a novice.

Pumps and Gaskets

You can visually test the seals surrounding the pumps or motor to ascertain whether there is a leakage and also replace them if there is.

The Float Switch

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

When working correctly the float will rise with the water level until it reaches the maximum fill level. The end piece of the float would then activate the switch. A blockage or breakage could be your problem.

Testing the switch will require electrical equipment although it could be obviously damaged in which case getting a new one should stop the leak.

Alternative Parts that Might Lead to Leakage

A broken wash arm or support could puch water under the door causing leakage. This can likewise often affect how well your dishes are being cleaned.

Broken or faulty tubes can also cause this fault as may a loose pump cap.

The motor shaft seal might have degraded resulting in leakage. This will generally show as a puddle coming from the underside of the machine.

Top Tips to Mend Your Dishwasher

Spend less by changing the gasket instead of the entire part. In many cases, you can purchase the seal separately which saves time as well as money.
Test the simple resolutions before you get more complicated. You don’t need to pull the whole thing out if it’s the detergent that’s making the leak.
Take photos as you go. This can assist you to put the machine back together, explain the part you need in a store, and also explain the fault to an engineer if needed.
Be careful. Water and electricity are not good friends so unplug the machine first.
If in doubt call a repair person.

The Next Steps You Should Take If Your Trouble Shooting Fails to Disclose or Fix the Leakage

If the cause of the issue remains a mystery the next step you can take is to pull out the dishwasher to get a better look underneath it and add water to the tub to find out if the leak becomes visible.

If you are still in the dark your appliance may only leak when it’s running. In this instance, you may wish to find a qualified technician to diagnose as well as resolve the fault as there are safety risks of checking for faults with electrical parts uncovered.