Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Coming downstairs only to find an ominous puddle coming from the dishwasher is never a great to start the day.

Fortunately, most simple sources of dishwasher leaks are comparatively straightforward to determine and resolve yourself. This means you might not be required to hand wash the dishes for more than a day or two, stay at home waiting for an repair person or need to pay a high call-out fee.

So, grab the manual if you know where it is, find an old towel to clean up the mess and get something soak up any further spills and so find out whether you can find a DIY solution. If you can’t call us for local dishwasher repair.

Everyday Explanations of Dishwasher Leaks and How to Mend Them

Many of the more everyday causes of dishwasher leaks are not in fact because of a broken dishwasher . Before you start getting the tools out as well as looking at endless youtube tutorials there are a few problems you can take a look at first.

Check to find out whether your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher isn’t aligned water will quickly pool and spill out regardless of whether or not the dishwasher has a fault.
Investigate you are using the right soap. You may be familiar with this fault with your washing machine. An excess of soap or using the wrong variety could lead an excess of bubbles, the suds deluge resulting in a leak.
Test your dishwasher door closes fully. If it does not there may be an obstruction, or you could have to fix the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Investigate the filter in the bottom of the machine for any visible obstructions because if your dishwasher isn’t emptying correctly this is likely to cause it to overfill and so leak.

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

To make your life easier start with the door as well as test for any obvious issues in the interior of the machine before you move on to the underneath. If you are able to identify and so fix the leak 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 probably the most commonplace place for a dishwasher to leak as well as one of the quickest problems to resolve.

If the leakage is periodic the problem could be as easy as a large plate or another object pushing into the door thus preventing it from shutting properly.

On the other hand the door seal might have come loose or been damaged.

Examine the door seal and investigate for any degradation, a build-up of limescale or other debris, or any areas in which the seal has come away from the door.

Extracting the gasket and giving it a thorough wash might help in some cases or you might have to buy a new seal and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The inlet valve can also be a everyday issue. The inlet is usually situated under the machine therefore you may have to remove the kick plate and may need to remove the door cover.

The fill valve opens and closes to let water into the machine at varying parts of the cycle. The fill valve might be damaged, evidenced by a slight drip, or it may be broken and so not operating fully while the dishwasher is running.

If the fill valve fails to shut correctly this can lead to the dishwasher overflowing.

Often these valves can’t be refurbished unless it is only the rubber seal that is broken, which means the whole component would need to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to fill, drain and redistribute water within the cycle.

Two complications may develop where hoses are concerned.

The gaskets can get damaged or the contact points can come loose meaning it’s a good idea to check all the connection points first.
The other problem than might easily develop as time goes by is that hoses could be damaged or get a hole in.

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

Pumps and Seals

You are able to visually investigate the gaskets around the water pumps or motor to see if there is a leakage and change them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

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

A working float will go up with the water level until it reaches the maximum fill level. The tag of the float would then turn on the switch. A blockage or breakage could be your problem.

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

Alternative Components that May Lead to a Leak

A damaged wash arm or support could causing a leak. This can likewise often affect how well your dishes are being cleaned.

Broken or faulty lines could also result in this problem as might a loose pump cover.

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

Top Tips to Sort Out Your Dishwasher

Spend less by replacing the seal rather than the entire part. In many instances, you are able to buy the seal without the rest of the part which saves time as well as money.
Test the easy solutions before you get more complicated. You don’t need to pull the whole thing out if the problem is the soap.
Photograph your progress. This might make your life easier when you come to put the machine back together, describe the part you are looking for to a sales person, as well as identify the fault to an engineer if needed.
Be careful. Water and electricity are not good friends so unplug the machine first.
If you’re not sure call the professionals.

The Next Steps You Should Take If Your Trouble Shooting Fails to Identify or Mend the Leak

If the root of the leakage can’t be uncovered the thing you can do is to pull the machine away from the wall to get a clearer view of the beneath it and also fill it with water to find out if the leak presents itself.

If you don’t find any faults with this method your appliance might only show a leakage if during a cycle. In this instance, your best bet would be to employ a dishwasher repair person to diagnose as well as resolve the fault as there are safety risks of checking for faults with electrical elements exposed.