Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

Although it’s never a pleasant sight to open a machine and discover the machine hasn’t drained properly, try not to panic just yet. You may manage fix the issue before you have to call a plumber or purchase a brand-new dishwasher.

Standing water in your dishwasher could be induced by a number of things a number of which can be simple to rectify. Therefore, in advance of calling a dishwasher repair service try this list of probable things you can identify by yourself. A proportion of which aren’t even caused by the dishwasher itself.

Check the cycle wasn’t cut short

If you’re fortunate the fact your dishwasher hasn’t emptied may not be an issue at all. Alternatively, the cycle might have been stopped mid-way.

The program may have been interrupted for a number of of reasons. Little fingers pushing buttons, accidentally pushing against the controls, a power cut or opening the machine mid-program might all prevent the cycle from completing and mean your dishwasher doesn’t empty.

If you believe this may be the circumstance, or you feel it may be worthwhile checking run the dishwasher again on a quick program.

A few dishwashers might have an empty cycle meaning it’s well worth checking your instruction manual or consulting google to make sure.

Check the waste disposal

If your dishwasher is plumbed into the waste disposal examine this first as a blocked waste disposal will prevent your dishwasher from draining. Run the garbage disposal with plenty of water to ensure there are no issues.

If you do find a blockage drain unclogger or a natural alternative could be employed to unclog the obstruction and this might deal with the error.

Check the sink waste for blockages

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

In the case that the kitchen sink is emptying slowly you may try putting some bicarbonate of soda and vinegar down the drain, letting it sit for a while and subsequently flushing it away with hot water.

A sink plunger might also be employed to attempt to dislodge the obstruction.

This might be sufficient to let your machine to drain so start a short program at this point. If this hasn’t worked you can manually drain the dishwasher using a bowl and a sponge and troubleshoot the next few possible issues.

Make sure you disconnect the machine to avoid electrocution.

If during any of these investigations you believe you have found and fixed the issue there is no need to continue to the next issue. Just start an empty cycle to check your machine is fixed.

Inspect and clean the filters

Corn Kernels, paper from containers, film covers and smashed glass, as well as food debris, may all block the dishwasher filter. Clear film may also be difficult to spot if you aren’t looking for it.

Remove the filter and give it a good clean before replacing it. Not all machines have their filter in the same location so you might need to look at the instructions for this.

Is the drain pipe blocked?

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

Contingent upon the position of the hose (generally the ribbed one) you may have the means to view it simply by lifting away the kick plate or you might need to pull the machine away from the wall.

Have a look at the hose first to see if it has been squashed or kinked. You may have the means to fix these issues by hand which should solve the issue, but it’s worth noting that when this has happened it is significantly more inclined to happen again so you may need to buy a replacement hose.

If you can’t see anything you could take off the waste water hose from the dishwasher and blow into it to discover any blockages. Be sure to put down newspaper or towels first as there could still be water in the hose.

If you can’t blow air through the waste hose this could be the problem.

Remove the other end of the hose and then give it a thorough flush through to clear the blockage. If you can’t dislodge the blockage or the waste pipe is cracked or degraded invest in a brand-new one. If you can remove the obstruction then put the hose back and run a short cycle to find out if you have solved the issue.

You could also inspect where the hose attaches under your sink as well. This is a likely spot for debris to build up so if you do take off the waste hose give this point a good scrub as well.

Inspect the drain valve

You may manually check the drain valve to ensure it hasn’t got stuck. The drain valve will often be located at the base of the dishwasher on the valve bracket. Check your manual if you’re unsure.

Depressing the valve or wiggling it a bit will likely be sufficient to find out if it’s seized. If you are able to see an object stopping it from moving carefully extract this. If you can’t, this could be the right time to call a plumber unless you are confident in procuring and swapping out the part on your own.

Inspect your pump is not blocked

Your water pump makes use of impellers that could get obstructed by broken china or other debris. Check your pump isn’t blocked by taking off the safety cover and making sure the impellers can be easily rotated.

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s running

If the dishwasher sounds unusual your dishwasher pump or motor could be faulty and need replacing.

Call a plumber

If none of the above investigations has solved the problem, or you suspect the pump, pump valve or motor are not working, it might be the moment you need to get the professionals.

At least having done your best to troubleshoot you have prevented needing to pay a hefty repair fee for a blocked hose.