Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Coming downstairs to find a large puddle on the floor is never a great to start the day.

Luckily, most common causes of dishwasher leaks are relatively straightforward to pinpoint and resolve by yourself. Meaning you could not have to wash the dishes by hand for too long, spend a day at home waiting for an engineer or have to pay a high call-out fee.

So, get out the manual if you can, clean up the puddle and get something clean up any further leaks and so see if you can’t fix the problem. If you can’t call us for local dishwasher repair.

Everyday Sources of Dishwasher Faults and How to Mend Them

Many of the most commonly seen explanations of dishwasher leaks are not really due to a dishwasher fault at all. Before you start preparing yourself for an engineering task as well as looking at numerous youtube videos there are a couple of issues you can troubleshoot first.

Test to see whether your dishwasher is aligned. If your dishwasher is not level water will quickly puddle and leak regardless of whether or not the dishwasher has a fault.
Test you are using the correct soap. You might be aware of this issue with your washer. Too much soap or using the incorrect type may result in an excess of bubbles, the suds deluge and you get a leak.
Investigate your dishwasher door fully closes. If there’s a gap you could have something blocking it, or you may have to replace the door fixings.
Test the filter in the base of the machine for any obvious obstructions as if your dishwasher isn’t draining properly 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 start a thorough check.

The easiest place to start is the door and investigate for any obvious damage inside of the machine prior to moving on to the underside. If you are able to find as well as mend the issue without pulling 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 seemingly the most simple area for leakage and one of the easiest issues to fix.

If the leak is periodic the fault may be as straightforward as a big pan or another object pushing into the door thus stopping the door from shutting properly.

On the other hand the door gasket may have come loose or been cracked.

Examine the door gasket and also investigate for any degradation, a build-up of limescale or other gunk, or any areas in which the gasket might have separated from the door.

Removing the gasket and giving it a good wash might improve the situation in some cases or you may need to acquire a new seal and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The inlet valve can also be a simple problem. The Valve is usually found underneath the machine therefore you will need to remove the kick plate and also may need to unscrew the door cover.

The fill valve opens and also closes to allow water into the dishwasher at varying times in the programme. The inlet valve could be leaking, demonstrated by a slow drip, or it might be broken thus not opening or closing fully during the cycle.

In the case that the fill valve doesn’t shut fully this can mean that the dishwasher overfills, causing a leak.

Usually these valves are not able to be refurbished unless it is only the rubber seal that is broken, which means the entire part would need to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to supply, empty and redistribute water within the programme.

Two complications could develop where hoses are concerned.

The gaskets could break or the contact points could come loose so it’s worth checking all the connection points .
The alternative issue than might easily happen as time goes by is that hoses could become damaged or get a hole in.

If you are able to determine that the leak is a result of a faulty hose this should be simple to change and new hoses are easy to come by.

Pumps and Gaskets

You can visually check the gaskets surrounding the water pumps or motor to see whether there is a leak as well as replace them if there is.

The Float Switch

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

A working float will rise as the water level goes up until the optimum or highest water level is attained. The tail of the float would then turn on the switch. A blockage or breakage could be your problem.

Testing the switch would need electrical equipment but it might be obviously broken in which case getting a new one should fix the leak.

Alternative Parts that Might Result in Leakage

A broken wash arm or support might build up pressure resulting in a leak. This can also often result in your dishes not being cleaned as effectively as they should.

Broken or cracked tubes might likewise result in this issue as may a loose pump cap if your machine has one.

The motor shaft gasket may have come loose causing a leak. This generally presents as a leak coming from the underside of the machine.

Top Tips to Sort Out Your Dishwasher

Save money by checking the gasket in place of the whole component. In plenty situations, you are able to buy the gasket without the rest of the part which saves you having to change the entire component.
Investigate the easy resolutions first. You don’t need to pull the entire thing away from the wall if the problem is the soap.
Photograph your progress. This could help you reverse the process, explain the part you need to a sales person, and explain the problem to a repair person if required.
Be careful. Water and electricity are not good friends so unplug the machine first.
If in doubt call the professionals.

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

If the root of the leakage can’t be discovered the next step you could take is to pull the dishwasher away from the wall to get a clearer view of the underneath it as well as fill it with water to see if the leakage becomes visible.

If this gives no further clues your dishwasher could only leak when the pump is running. In this instance, you should find a service engineer to diagnose and mend the issue due to the safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical components uncovered.