Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Getting up in the morning to discover an ominous puddle coming from the dishwasher is no-one’s chosen manner to start the day.

Luckily, most common causes of dishwasher leaks are comparatively simple to determine and resolve by yourself. Meaning you may not be required to wash the dishes by hand for more than a day or two, spend a day at home waiting for an engineer or need to pay a high call-out charge.

So, if you’re feeling up to it grab the instruction manual if you have it, clean up the mess and so get something soak up any further leaks and see whether you can’t fix the problem. If you cannot call us for local dishwasher repair.

Simple Sources of Dishwasher Faults and How to Resolve Them

A lot of the most commonly seen causes of dishwasher faults aren’t actually due to a broken dishwasher at all. Before you start getting the tools out as well as looking at numerous YouTube videos there are a few issues you can rule out first.

Test to find out if your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher is not level water will easily puddle and spill out even if the dishwasher is working perfectly.
Investigate you are using the right soap. You could be aware of this issue with your washer. Too much detergent or using the incorrect type could result in to too many suds, the suds deluge and so you get a spill.
Test your dishwasher door fully closes. If it does not there may be an obstruction, or you may have to replace the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Check the filter at the bottom of the tub for any visible drainage issues as if your dishwasher isn’t emptying properly this is likely to result in fill too much and so leak.

If none of the above issues apply it’s time to get ready and really start the inspection.

To make your life easier start with the door as well as check for any visible problems inside of the machine before you move on to the underneath. If you can find as well as fix the leak before you have to pull 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 commonly seen place for a dishwasher to leak is around the door, luckily it is likewise one of the easiest problems to solve.

If the leak is periodic the problem could be as easy as a big pan or something else pushing into the door and preventing it from shutting fully.

Otherwise the door gasket might have been dislodged or become damaged.

Check the door gasket and investigate for any cracks, mineral deposits or other deposits, or any parts in which the seal has separated from the door.

Taking off the gasket and also allowing it a thorough wash can help in some instances or you could need to buy a new seal and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The inlet valve can be a further common fault. The Valve is generally situated on the underbelly of the machine which means you may need to remove the kick plate and might need to remove the door cover.

The inlet valve opens and closes to allow water into the tub at varying parts of the cycle. The water inlet valve could be showing a leak, evidenced by a slight drip, or it could be damaged and not opening or closing properly during the program.

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

Often inlet valve cannot be repaired unless it is just the rubber seal that is broken, which means the entire component would have to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to supply, drain as well as redistribute water during the cycle.

Two complications may develop where hoses are involved.

The gaskets can get damaged or the connections might work loose thus it’s worth checking all the connections first.
The other issue than could often develop as time goes by is that hoses could be broken or get a hole in.

Luckily faulty hoses are relatively easy to procure and change, even for a novice.

Pumps and Seals

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

The Float Switch

The float itself or the float switch may be damaged resulting in the dishwasher overfilling.

A working float will rise with the water level until the optimum or highest water level is attained. The tag of the float will then operate 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 replacing it should stop the leak.

Other Parts that Might Lead to Leakage

A cracked wash arm or support might resulting in a leak. This can likewise often result in your dishes not being cleaned as effectively as they should.

Broken or cracked lines could also result in this issue as could a cracked pump cap if your machine has one.

The motor shaft seal could have come loose resulting in a leak. This generally presents as a puddle coming from the underside of the machine.

Top Tips to Mend Your Dishwasher

Spend less by changing the gasket in place of the entire component. In most cases, you can purchase the seal separately which saves you having to replace the entire component.
Test the simple fixes before you get more complicated. There’s no point pulling the entire thing out if the problem is the soap.
Take pictures as you go. This could make your life easier when you come to put the machine back together, show the component you need to a sales person, and also explain the fault to a repair person if required.
Stay safe. Water and electricity do not mix so unplug the machine first.
If you’re struggling call a professional.

What To Do Next If Your Initial Investigation Fails to Disclose or Resolve the Leak

If the cause of the problem can’t be discovered the thing you could do is to pull the dishwasher away from the wall to get a clearer view of the beneath it as well as add water to the tub to find out whether the leak presents itself.

If this gives no further clues your appliance might only show a leakage if the pump is running. In this instance, your best bet would be to employ a appliance repair person to pinpoint and mend the leak due to the safety risks of checking for faults with electrical components uncovered.