Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

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

Luckily, most commonplace explanations of dishwasher leaks are comparatively easy to pinpoint and fix yourself. This means you could not need to wash the dishes by hand for too long, stay at home waiting for an repair person or have to pay a high call-out fee.

So, if you’re feeling up to it get out the operating manual if you have it, clean up the puddle and get something soak up any further leaks and so see if you can diagnose the problem. If you aren’t able to call us for local dishwasher repair.

Simple Causes of Dishwasher Faults and How to Fix Them

Many of the most everyday causes of dishwasher leaks aren’t actually because of a broken dishwasher . Prior to starting preparing yourself for an engineering task and watching endless youtube videos there are a few things you should rule out first.

Test to see whether your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher isn’t level water will easily pool as well as leak even if the dishwasher is working perfectly.
Investigate you are using the proper detergent. You could be familiar with this issue with your washing machine. Too much soap or the incorrect variety can result in to too many bubbles, the bubbles overflow and you get a leak.
Check your dishwasher door fully closes. If there’s a gap there may be an obstruction, or you might have to fix the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Check the filter located at the base of the tub for any easy to see obstructions as if your dishwasher isn’t draining properly this can result in fill too much and so spill.

Once you have eliminated these potential problems it’s time to roll up your sleeves and start the investigation.

The easiest place to start is the door and check for any obvious problems within of the machine prior to moving on to the underside. If you are able to find and so fix the problem 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 door is no doubt the most simple area for leakage as well as one of the easiest problems to resolve.

If the leak is intermittent the problem might be as easy as an oversized dish or something else pushing against the door and stopping it from shutting fully.

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

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

Taking off the seal and also giving it a thorough clean could help in some cases or you might have to acquire a new gasket and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The water inlet valve can be another common fault. The Valve is generally found underneath the machine so you will have to take off the kick plate and could have to unscrew the door cover.

The inlet valve opens and also closes to allow water into the dishwasher at various times during the programme. The inlet valve might be showing a leak, evidenced with a slight drip, or it may be broken and not operating correctly throughout the cycle.

If the inlet valve doesn’t close properly this can lead to the dishwasher overfilling and cause a leak.

Usually these valves are not able to be repaired unless it is only the rubber gasket that is broken, which means the entire valve would have to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to supply, drain as well as recirculate water along the programme.

Two issues could develop with hoses.

The seals might go or the connections may work loose thus it’s worth having a look at all the connection points first.
The other issue than could easily develop as you use the machine is that hoses could get damaged or cracked.

Luckily broken hoses are relatively simple to buy and replace.

Pumps and Seals

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

The Float Switch

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

When operating correctly the float will go up with the water level until it reaches the highest fill level. The end piece of the float would then activate the switch. A blockage or breakage could be your problem.

Testing the switch would need a multi-meter but it might be obviously broken in which case replacing it should stop the leak.

Alternative Components that Might Lead to a Leak

A broken wash arm or support might force water under the door causing leakage. This will also often result in your dishes not being cleaned as effectively as they should.

Broken or faulty lines may likewise result in this issue as may a damaged pump cap.

The motor shaft gasket could have degraded resulting in leakage. This generally presents as a puddle coming from underneath the appliance.

Top Tips to Fix Your Machine

Spend less by changing the seal rather than the whole part. In most cases, you are able to buy the seal separately which saves you having to replace the entire component.
Test the simple solutions before you get more complicated. You don’t need to pull the entire thing out if it’s the detergent that’s making the issue.
Take photos as you go. This might make your life easier when you come to put the thing back together, describe the part you are looking for in a shop, and also explain the fault to a repair person if needed.
Stay safe. Water and electricity are not good friends so turn off the power first.
If in doubt get in a repair person.

What To Do Next If Your Trouble Shooting Fails to Identify or Mend the Leak

If the root of the issue can’t be uncovered the next step you may take is to pull out the machine to get a better look beneath it as well as add water to the tub to see whether the leak can be seen that way.

If this gives no further clues your dishwasher may only show a leakage when it’s running. In this case, your best bet would be to find a qualified technician to pinpoint and also fix the leak due to the safety risks of checking for faults with electrical components exposed.