Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Coming downstairs to find an ominous puddle on the floor is no-one’s favorite way to start the day.

Fortunately, most commonly seen explanations of dishwasher leaks are comparably easy to determine and mend by yourself. Meaning you might not have to hand wash the dishes for too long, call an engineer or need to pay a high call-out charge.

So, grab the manual if you can, find a towel to clean up the puddle and so get a towel clean up any further spills and see if you can’t fix the problem. If you cannot call us for local dishwasher repair.

Simple Causes of Dishwasher Leaks and How to Mend Them

Many of the more commonplace causes of dishwasher leaks aren’t really a result of a broken dishwasher at all. Before you start preparing yourself for an engineering task and also looking at numerous online tutorials there are a number of problems you might want to rule out first.

Investigate to see if your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher is wonky water can easily puddle and so leak without there being anything that needs to be mended or changed.
Test you have been using the correct soap. You might be aware of this problem with your washing machine. Too much detergent or the wrong variety may result in to too many soap suds, the bubbles overflow resulting in a leak.
Test your dishwasher door closes fully. If there’s a gap you could have something obstructing it such as a large plate, or you could need to adjust the door fixings.
Check the filter located at the bottom of the machine for any obvious obstructions because if your dishwasher isn’t draining effectively this is likely to cause it to fill too much and leak.

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

To make your life easier start with the door and test for any visible problems inside of the machine before you move on to the underneath. If you are able to identify and so mend the leak 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 Gasket

The door is no doubt the most commonly seen area for leakage and one of the simplest issues to fix.

If the leakage is occasional the issue may be as easy as a large plate or something else putting pressure into the door thus stopping the door from closing correctly.

Else-ways the door gasket could have been dislodged or been damaged.

Examine the door seal and also check for any brittleness, a build-up of limescale or other gunk, or any tracts in which the seal has separated from the door.

Extracting the gasket and allowing it a thorough scrub can help in some instances or you could have to purchase a new seal and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The fill valve can also be a common issue. The inlet is usually found under the machine which means you may have to take off the kick plate and may need to unscrew the door cover.

The fill valve opens and also closes to let water into the machine at varying parts of the cycle. The water inlet valve could be damaged, demonstrated by a slight drip, or it may be damaged and so not functioning properly throughout the programme.

In the case that the fill valve fails to close properly this can result in the dishwasher overfilling and cause a leak.

Generally these valves can’t be refurbished, which means the whole valve would need to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

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

Two problems can develop where hoses are involved.

The gaskets can get damaged or the contact points may come loose thus it’s worth having a look at all the connections .
The alternative fault than may easily develop over time is that hoses might get degraded or get a hole in.

If you are able to see that the leak is a result of a faulty hose this should be relatively easy to replace and spare hoses are easy to come by.

Pumps and Gaskets

You are able to visually test the rubber seals that are part of the pumps or motor to see if there is a leakage as well as replace them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

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

A working float will lift up as the water level goes up until the desired or maximum water level is reached. The tail of the float should then activate the switch. A blockage or breakage could be causing your problem.

Checking the switch would need a multi-meter but it might be clearly broken in which case replacing it should stop the leak.

Other Components that May Lead to a Leak

A broken wash arm or support may force water under the door causing leakage. This can also often result in your dishes not being cleaned as effectively as they should.

Broken or faulty lines can also result in this issue as could a broken pump cap if your dishwasher has one.

The motor shaft gasket may have come loose causing leakage. This generally presents as a leak coming from underneath the dishwasher.

Top Tips to Mend Your Dishwasher

Save money by changing the gasket instead of the whole part. In many situations, you are able to acquire the gasket without the rest of the part which saves you having to replace the entire component.
Check the simple fixes before you get more complicated. You don’t need to pull the entire machine out if it’s the detergent that’s making the problem.
Photograph your progress. This might assist you to put the thing back together, describe the part you need in a shop, and also explain the problem to a repair person if required.
Be careful. Water and electricity do not mix so unplug the machine first.
If in doubt get in a repair person.

What To Do Next If Your Trouble Shooting Doesn’t Identify or Mend the Leakage

If the root of the leakage remains a mystery the next step you may take is to pull the dishwasher away from the wall to get a clearer view of the underneath it and also add water to the tub to find out if the leakage becomes visible.

If you are still in the dark your dishwasher may only show a leakage when the pump is running. In this case, you should hire a service engineer to determine and fix the fault due to the safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical elements exposed.

CALL TODAY!