Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

Although it’s always annoying to open your dishwasher and realize the machine hasn’t emptied fully, try not to lose it just yet. You might manage figure out the issue by yourself, without having to call a repair person or buy a brand-new dishwasher.

Standing water in your dishwasher could be caused by a number of things a number of which can be straightforward to fix. Therefore, before you call a dishwasher repair service try this selection of potential things you can correct on your own. Some of which aren’t even caused by the dishwasher itself.

Check the dishwasher wasn’t stopped mid-cycle

It is possible that there is nothing stopping your machine from draining. Instead, the cycle might have been stopped mid-way.

The cycle could have been stopped mid-way for a number of of reasons. Children pressing controls, inadvertently pushing on the buttons, a power surge or opening the machine mid-cycle might all interrupt the program and mean your machine doesn’t drain.

If you think this could be the circumstance, or you think it may be a good idea to check run your machine again on a quick program.

A proportion appliances could have an empty capacity meaning it’s well worth consulting your manual or checking online to make sure.

Examine the waste disposal

If your dishwasher is plumbed into your disposal inspect this before you do anything else as a blocked garbage disposal will stop the dishwasher from emptying. Turn on the garbage disposal using lots of water to make sure there are no issues.

If you do find a blockage drain un-blocker or a plunger may be used to unclog the blockage and so this might solve the issue.

Inspect the sink for issues

If you kitchen sink is emptying reluctantly this could indicate an issue with the plumbing instead of a fault with your machine.

If the kitchen sink is emptying inefficiently you can attempt putting some bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar down the plughole, leaving it for a while, then washing it away with boiling water.

A sink plunger might also be used to try and shift the blockage.

This may be sufficient to let the appliance to work again so run a short rinse and empty cycle at this point. If not you may remove the standing water by hand using a cup and also a sponge and have a look at the next few possible issues.

Make certain to disconnect the machine to stay safe.

If during any one of these investigations you believe you have found and solved the error there is no need to continue to the next issue. Just complete an empty cycle to check your dishwasher is repaired.

Check and wash the filters

Popcorn, labels from containers, plastic film lids and smashed glass, plus food debris, could all obstruct the dishwasher filter. Clear film may also be difficult to spot if you aren’t looking for it.

Remove the filter and clean it thoroughly before putting it back in place. Not all machines have their filter in the same location so you might need to consult the instruction manual for this.

Is the waste water pipe blocked?

The next component to inspect is the waste pipe. Stuck food, a kink in the hose or a crushed hose may all impede your dishwasher from emptying.

Depending on the position of the hose (normally the ribbed one) you might have the means to view it by means of lifting away the base alternatively you could have to move the dishwasher away from the wall.

Visually inspect the pipe first to discover if there are any kinks or it’s been squashed. You might manage manually remove any kinks which is likely to deal with the issue, but be aware that once this has happened the probability of it happening again is significantly increased so you could need to buy a new hose.

If you can’t see any obvious kinks or obstructions you can remove the waste water pipe from the machine and blow into it to discover any blockages. Be sure to put down newspaper or towels before you remove the hose as there might still be waste water in the hose.

If you are unable to blow through the waste pipe this could be the problem.

Take off the other end of the hose and give it a thorough flush through to clear the blockage. If you can’t get rid of the obstruction or the waste hose is slit or damaged invest in a brand-new one. If you could get rid of the obstruction then replace the hose and run a quick cycle to check that you have solved the problem.

You could also examine where the hose attaches to the waste disposal as well. This is a common place for debris to build up so if you do remove the hose give this area a thorough clean as well.

Examine the drain valve

You may examine the drain valve by hand to make sure it isn’t got stuck. The drain valve will often be located at the base of the machine on the valve bracket. Consult your instruction manual if you can’t see it.

Depressing the valve or giving it a jiggle should be sufficient to let you know if it’s stuck. If you are able to see any debris blocking it carefully extract this. If you are unable to, this might be the right time to call a plumber unless you are happy in procuring and repairing the valve yourself.

Check your pump is not blocked

Your water pump uses impellers that may be obstructed by pieces of glass or other debris. Check your pump isn’t obstructed by taking off the safety cover and making sure the impellers are free to move.

Run your machine and listen for any unusual sounds

If your dishwasher sounds unusual your dishwasher pump or motor might be broken and need replacing.

Call a plumber

If you have been through the above list and the fault remains, or you have reason to believe the pump, pump valve or motor are not working, it might be the moment you need to call for help.

At least having attempted to troubleshoot you have managed to avoid needing to pay a big repair fee for a clogged filter.