Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Coming downstairs to step in an ominous puddle coming from the dishwasher is never the best to start the day.

Fortuitously, most commonplace explanations of dishwasher leaks are relatively simple to pinpoint and mend on your own. Meaning you could not have to wash the dishes by hand for more than a day or two, wait for the repair man or have to pay a high call-out charge.

So, grab the operating manual if you can, clean up the puddle and so get a towel soak up any additional spills and see if you can diagnose the fault. If you aren’t able to call us for local dishwasher repair.

Everyday Causes of Dishwasher Leaks and How to Mend Them

Some of the more common explanations of dishwasher faults aren’t really due to a broken dishwasher at all. Before you start preparing yourself for an engineering task and also watching endless youtube videos there are a few things you might want to take a look at first.

Test to see if your dishwasher is level. If the dishwasher isn’t aligned water will quickly pool and so spill out even if the dishwasher is working perfectly.
Test you are using the proper soap. You may be familiar with this fault with your washing machine. Too much soap or the incorrect variety could lead an excess of suds, the bubbles spill over resulting in a leak.
Check your dishwasher door fully closes. If there’s a gap there may be a blockage, or you could need to replace the door fixings.
Investigate the filter in the bottom of the machine for any visible obstructions because if your dishwasher isn’t emptying effectively this will result in overfill and so spill.

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

To make your life easier start with the door and test for any visible problems in the interior of the machine before you move on to the underside. If you can find and so fix the leak before you need to pull out the dishwasher you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle.

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

Door Seal

The door is seemingly the most simple area for leakage and also one of the simplest issues to fix.

If the leakage is occasional the fault might be as simple as a large plate or another object pushing into the door and stopping the door from closing properly.

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

Inspect the door seal and also check for any brittleness, mineral deposits or other debris, or any tracts in which the seal has come away from the door.

Extracting the gasket and giving it a comprehensive clean could help in some instances or you may be required to purchase a new gasket and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The fill valve can also be a commonplace fault. The Valve is generally found underneath the machine so you will most likely have to remove the kick plate and might have to take off the door cover.

The inlet valve opens and also closes to let water into the dishwasher at different times in the cycle. The water inlet valve may be leaking, shown with a slow drip, or it could be broken and so not operating fully during the cycle.

If the water inlet valve doesn’t close correctly this can lead to the dishwasher overflowing.

Usually these valves are not able to be refurbished, which means the entire component would have to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to supply, empty and also recirculate water during the programme.

Two problems could develop where hoses are concerned.

The gaskets could go or the connections might come loose so it’s worth having a look at all the connection points .
The alternative issue than could often develop as you use the machine is that hoses can get damaged or get a hole in.

If you are able to see that the leakage is a result of a faulty hose this will be easy to change and new hoses are easy to come by.

Pumps and Gaskets

You can visually test the gaskets that are part of the water pumps or motor to see whether there is a leakage as well as change them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

Either the float or the float switch might be damaged causing the dishwasher to overfill.

A working float will go up as the water rises until the desired or maximum water level is reached. The end piece of the float would then turn on the switch. A blockage or breakage could be causing your issues.

Checking the switch will require electrical equipment but it could be clearly damaged in which case replacing it should stop the leak.

Other Components that Might Cause a Leak

A cracked wash arm or support may puch water under the door causing a leak. This could also often result in your dishes not being cleaned as effectively as they should.

Broken or cracked tubes can also cause this problem as might a cracked pump cap if your machine has one.

The motor shaft gasket may have cracked resulting in leakage. This will generally show as a puddle coming from the underside of the dishwasher.

Top Tips to Fix Your Dishwasher

Spend less by replacing the seal instead of the whole part. In most situations, you can purchase the gasket without the rest of the part which saves you having to change the whole component.
Test the quick solutions first. You don’t need to pull the entire thing away from the wall if it’s the soap that’s causing the problem.
Take pictures as you go. This may help you put the thing back together, show the part you need in a store, as well as explain the issue to an engineer if needed.
Be careful. Water and electricity do not mix so turn off the power first.
If you’re struggling call the professionals.

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

If the root of the problem can’t be uncovered the next step you could take is to pull out the machine to get a better look underneath it and add water to the tub to find out if the leak can be seen that way.

If this doesn’t shed any light your machine might only show a leakage if it’s running. In this instance, your best bet would be to hire a service engineer to determine as well as resolve the leak as there are safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical elements exposed.