Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Entering the kitchen only to step in a large puddle coming from the dishwasher is no-one’s favorite manner to start the day.

Luckily, most commonly seen causes of dishwasher faults are comparably straightforward to pinpoint and mend yourself. This means you may not have to wash the dishes by hand that much, wait for the repair man or have to pay the call-out charge.

So, grab the instruction manual if you have it, get a towel to clean up the leak and get something clean up any additional leaks and find out whether you can’t find a DIY solution. If you aren’t able to call us for local dishwasher repair.

Everyday Explanations of Dishwasher Leaks and How to Fix Them

A lot of the most commonplace sources of dishwasher faults aren’t in fact because of a dishwasher fault . Prior to starting getting the tools out and watching numerous youtube videos there are a couple of issues you should troubleshoot first.

Investigate to find out whether your dishwasher is aligned. If the dishwasher is misaligned water will quickly pool as well as leak without there being anything that needs to be fixed or changed.
Check you are using the correct soap. You might have seen this with your washing machine. Too much detergent or the wrong type could lead to too many suds, the suds bubble over and so you get a leak.
Investigate your dishwasher door fully closes. If it doesn’t you could have something blocking it such as a large plate, or you could have to adjust the door fixings.
Check the filter at the base of the machine for any obvious drainage issues because if your dishwasher isn’t draining correctly this will result in overfill and leak.

When you have ruled out these issues it’s time to roll up your sleeves and start a thorough check.

To make your life easier start with the door as well as investigate for any visible damage within of the machine before you move on to the underneath. If you are able to identify and so resolve the problem without pulling out the dishwasher so much the better.

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 seemingly the most commonly seen area for a dishwasher to leak and one of the easiest issues to resolve.

If the leak is intermittent the issue may be as simple as a large plate or something else putting pressure into the door and stopping the door from shutting fully.

Otherwise the door gasket might have come out of place or become damaged.

Examine the door seal and test for any brittleness, a build-up of limescale or other deposits, or any tracts in which the seal might have separated from the door.

Taking off the seal and also allowing it a thorough scrub could help in some cases or you may be required to buy a new gasket and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The water inlet valve can be another commonly seen fault. It is generally located underneath the machine and so you will have to remove the toe board and may have to remove the door cover.

The fill valve opens and closes to allow water into the tub at various parts of the cycle. The inlet valve might be damaged, shown by a slow drip, or it may be broken thus not opening or closing correctly during the cycle.

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

Generally these valves can’t be repaired, and so the entire part would have to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Your dishwasher uses hoses to supply, empty and also redistribute water during the cycle.

Two issues can present themselves with hoses.

The gaskets can go or the connections can come loose thus it’s a good idea to have a look at all the connections first.
The alternative problem than could easily develop as time goes by is that hoses can be degraded or cracked.

If you can see that the leakage is a result of a faulty hose this should be relatively simple to replace and new hoses are readily available.

Pumps and Gaskets

You are able to visually check the rubber seals around the water pumps or motor to ascertain if there is a leak and change them if there is.

The Float Switch

Either the float or the float switch could be faulty causing the dishwasher to overfill.

A working float will rise as the water level goes up until it reaches the maximum fill level. The end piece of the float will then activate the switch. A blockage or breakage could be causing your problem.

Checking the switch would need electrical equipment although it might be clearly damaged in which case replacing it should stop the leak.

Alternative Parts that Could Lead to Leakage

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

Broken or faulty lines may also result in this problem as could a broken pump cover.

The motor shaft seal could have degraded causing leakage. This generally presents as a puddle coming from the underside of the machine.

Top Tips to Mend Your Dishwasher

Spend less by checking the gasket rather than the entire component. In many situations, you are able to purchase the gasket separately which saves time as well as money.
Check the quick resolutions first. There’s no point pulling the entire machine out if it’s the detergent that’s making the leak.
Photograph your progress. This might make your life easier when you come to put the thing back together, describe the part you are looking for in a store, and also identify the fault to an engineer if required.
Stay safe. Water and electricity do not mix so turn off the power first.
If in doubt call a professional.

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

If the root of the issue can’t be uncovered the thing you may do is to pull out the machine to get better access underneath it and fill it with water to see whether the leakage presents itself.

If you don’t uncover any leaks with this method your appliance might only leak if the pump is running. In this case, your best bet would be to employ a service engineer to determine and also mend the problem as there are safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical elements uncovered.