Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Getting up in the morning only to discover a large puddle coming from the dishwasher is no-one’s favorite manner to start the day.

Thankfully, most commonplace causes of dishwasher faults are comparatively straightforward to determine and fix by yourself. Meaning you could not need to wash the dishes by hand that much, call an engineer or need to pay the call-out fee.

So, if you’re feeling up to it find the instruction manual if you know where it is, get a towel to clean up the mess and get something clean up any further spills and see whether you can’t fix the problem. If you cannot call us for local dishwasher repair.

Commonly Seen Explanations of Dishwasher Leaks as well as How to Mend Them

Some of the more commonplace causes of dishwasher faults are not in fact because of a broken dishwasher at all. Before you start getting the tools out and flicking through numerous youtube tutorials there are a few issues you might want to take a look at first.

Investigate to see whether your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher isn’t level water will quickly puddle and leak regardless of whether or not the dishwasher has a fault.
Test you are using the proper detergent. You might be familiar with this problem with your washing machine. Too much detergent or using the incorrect type can result in an excess of suds, the soap suds bubble over resulting in a leak.
Check your dishwasher door fully closes. If there’s a gap there may be a blockage, or you may need to adjust the door fixings.
Check the filter located at the base of the machine for any visible drainage issues because if your dishwasher isn’t draining properly this can result in fill too much and so leak.

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

The easiest place to start is the door and test for any visible problems within of the machine before you move on to the underneath. If you are able to identify as well as fix the leak before you need to pull out the dishwasher so much the better.

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

Door Gasket

The most common place for leakage is on the door, fortunately it is likewise one of the quickest issues to resolve.

If the leakage is periodic the issue could be as straightforward as an oversized dish or another object putting pressure against the door thus preventing it from shutting correctly.

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

Inspect the door seal and check for any cracks, a build-up of limescale or other deposits, or any tracts in which the gasket has come away from the door.

Taking off the seal and allowing it a thorough wash might help in some cases or you may be required to acquire a new gasket and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The fill valve can also be a common fault. The inlet is in most cases located on the underbelly of the machine so you will need to take off the kick plate and also may have to take off the door cover.

The inlet valve opens and also closes to allow water into the dishwasher at various times in the programme. The inlet valve could be leaking, shown by a slow drip, or it might be damaged and so not functioning correctly during the cycle.

If the inlet valve doesn’t close properly this can result in the dishwasher overfilling and cause a leakage.

Usually fill valve are not able to be fixed, which means the entire component would have to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to fill, drain as well as redistribute water along the programme.

Two complications can arise with hoses.

The gaskets can get damaged or the connections can work loose thus it’s a good idea to check all the connection points first.
The other problem than may easily develop as time goes by is that hoses can get damaged or cracked.

Luckily broken hoses are relatively simple to get hold of and also replace, even for a novice.

Pumps and Seals

You can visually check the rubber seals surrounding the water pumps or motor to ascertain whether there is a leak as well as change them if there is.

The Float Switch

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

When working as it should the float will rise with the water level until it reaches the desired fill level. The tail of the float would then activate the switch. A blockage or breakage could be causing your issues.

Checking the switch would need a multi-meter although it could be noticeably broken in which case replacing it should fix the issue.

Alternative Components that Might Result in Leakage

A cracked wash arm or support might build up pressure resulting in a leak. This will likewise often affect how well your dishes are being cleaned.

Broken or faulty lines might likewise cause this fault as can a cracked pump cap if your machine has one.

The motor shaft seal might have degraded causing leakage. This generally presents as leakage coming from underneath the machine.

Top Tips to Mend Your Dishwasher

Spend less by replacing the seal instead of the entire component. In many cases, you can purchase the gasket separately which saves time as well as money.
Test the quick solutions first. There’s no point pulling the entire thing out if it’s the soap that’s making the leak.
Take pictures as you go along. This can make your life easier when you come to put the machine back together, describe the part you need to a sales person, as well as identify the problem to a repair person if required.
Stay safe. Water and electricity do not mix so turn off the power first.
If you’re struggling get in a repair person.

What To Do Next If Your Initial Investigation Fails to Disclose or Fix the Leakage

If the root of the issue remains a mystery the thing you may do is to pull the dishwasher away from the wall to get a clearer view of the beneath it and fill it with water to find out whether the leakage can be seen that way.

If this gives no further clues your dishwasher could only leak when it’s running. In this instance, you should get a service engineer to determine and resolve the fault as there are safety risks of checking for faults with electrical components uncovered.