Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Entering the kitchen only to step in an ominous puddle on the floor is never a great to start the day.

Thankfully, most everyday causes of dishwasher leaks are comparatively easy to diagnose and mend yourself. Meaning you might not be required to hand wash the dishes 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 an old towel to clean up the mess and get something clean up any further leaks and find out whether you can diagnose the issue. If you cannot call us for local dishwasher repair.

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

A lot of the most commonplace causes of dishwasher leaks aren’t in fact because of a dishwasher fault at all. Before you start preparing yourself for an engineering task as well as flicking through numerous online videos there are a few things you should troubleshoot first.

Check to find out if your dishwasher is aligned. If the dishwasher isn’t level water can quickly puddle and so spill out regardless of whether or not the dishwasher has a fault.
Test you are using the proper detergent. You might be aware of this issue with your washing machine. An excess of soap or the incorrect variety may lead an excess of bubbles, the bubbles overflow resulting in a leak.
Investigate your dishwasher door fully closes. If it does not there may be a blockage, or you might have to adjust the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Check the filter at the base of the tub for any obvious drainage issues as if your dishwasher isn’t draining correctly this is likely to cause it to overfill and 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 check for any obvious damage inside of the machine before you move on to the underside. If you are able to find and resolve the leak before you have to pull out the dishwasher you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle.

And 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 no doubt the most common area for leakage as well as one of the quickest issues to fix.

If the leak is occasional the problem might be as easy as a big pan or something else pushing against the door thus stopping it from shutting properly.

Else-ways the door gasket might have come out of place or got cracked.

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

Extracting the gasket and allowing it a good wash has been known to help in some instances or you could be required to purchase a new seal and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The fill valve can be another commonly seen issue. This is usually situated under the machine so you will have to unscrew the kick plate and could need to unscrew the door cover.

The inlet valve opens and also closes to allow water into the machine at different parts of the programme. The water inlet valve may be damaged, demonstrated with a slight drip, or it may be damaged and so not functioning fully while the dishwasher is running.

In the case that the fill valve doesn’t shut properly this can lead to the dishwasher overfilling and result in a leakage.

In General fill valve are not able to be fixed, and so the entire part would have to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

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

Two problems could develop with hoses.

The seals might go or the contact points might come loose thus it’s a good idea to have a look at all the connection points .
The other fault than can often develop over time is that hoses might become damaged or cracked.

If you are able to determine that the leak is a result of a faulty hose this will be simple to change and replacement hoses are easy to procure.

Pumps and Seals

You can visually investigate the rubber gaskets around the water pumps or motor to determine if there is a leakage and also replace them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

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

When working correctly the float will lift up as the water level goes up until the optimum or maximum water level is reached. The tail of the float should then operate the switch. A blockage or breakage could be your issues.

Checking the switch will require a multi-meter although it could be clearly damaged in which case getting a new one should stop the leak.

Other Components that Could Cause a Leak

A cracked wash arm or support might force water under the door causing leakage. This could also often affect how well your dishes are being cleaned.

Broken or damaged lines may also result in this issue as could a damaged pump cover if your dishwasher has one.

The motor shaft seal might have cracked causing a leak. This will generally show as a puddle coming from the underside of the appliance.

Top Tips to Fix Your Machine

Spend less by changing the seal rather than the whole part. In most cases, you can buy the gasket separately which saves you having to change the entire part.
Test the easy fixes first. There’s no point pulling the entire thing out if it’s the detergent that’s making the problem.
Take pictures as you go along. This might assist you to reverse the process, describe the part you need in a shop, as well as identify the issue to a repair person if required.
Be careful. Water and electricity do not mix so turn off the power first.
If you’re struggling call the professionals.

The Next Steps You Should Take If Your Trouble Shooting Fails to Disclose or Fix the Leak

If the cause of the issue can’t be uncovered the next step you can take is to pull the machine away from the wall to get better access underneath it and add water to the tub to see whether the leakage becomes visible.

If you are still in the dark your appliance could only leak if during a cycle. If this is the case, you should hire a appliance repair person to diagnose as well as mend the leak due to the safety risks of checking for faults with electrical elements uncovered.