Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Getting up in the morning only to step in a large puddle on the floor is no-one’s chosen way to start the day.

Fortuitously, most everyday explanations of dishwasher leaks are relatively easy to pinpoint and fix on your own. This means you could not be required to hand wash the dishes for more than a day or two, wait for the repair man or have to pay the call-out charge.

So, if you’re feeling up to it grab the manual if you have it, clean up the puddle and get a towel soak up any additional leaks and so find out whether you can’t diagnose the issue. If you aren’t able to call us for local dishwasher repair.

Commonplace Causes of Dishwasher Faults and How to Mend Them

Many of the more everyday explanations of dishwasher faults aren’t in fact because of a broken dishwasher at all. Before you start getting the tools out as well as watching endless YouTube tutorials there are a number of issues you might want to rule out first.

Check to find out if your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher isn’t level water can easily puddle and spill out without there being anything that needs to be mended or changed.
Investigate you are using the correct detergent. You might be aware of this fault with your washing machine. Too much soap or the incorrect variety may result in to too many soap suds, the soap suds spill over and so you get a leak.
Investigate your dishwasher door closes correctly. If there’s a gap there may be an obstruction, or you might need to adjust the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Test the filter at the bottom of the tub for any obvious drainage issues because if your dishwasher isn’t emptying correctly this can cause it to overfill and so leak.

If none of the above issues apply it’s time to get ready and begin a thorough check.

The easiest place to start is the door as well as test for any obvious damage inside of the machine before you move on to the underneath. If you are able to identify and fix the leak before you need to pull out the dishwasher you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle.

Also make sure you disconnect the appliance first by either unplugging it or turning off the circuit breaker for the dishwasher.

Door Seal

The door is probably the most everyday place for a dishwasher to leak and also one of the simplest issues to resolve.

If the leak is occasional the fault could be as simple as a large plate or something else putting pressure into the door and stopping the door from shutting correctly.

On the other hand the door seal may have come loose or been split.

Examine the door gasket and investigate for any degradation, mineral deposits or other debris, or any areas in which the seal has separated from the door.

Taking off the seal and giving it a thorough clean might improve the situation in some instances or you may be required to acquire a new gasket and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The fill valve can be a further simple fault. This is generally situated underneath the machine therefore you will need to remove the kick plate and also might need to unscrew the door cover.

The fill valve opens and closes to allow water into the tub at different parts of the program. The inlet valve may be leaking, demonstrated by a slight drip, or it may be damaged thus not functioning fully while the dishwasher is running.

If the water inlet valve doesn’t close correctly this can mean that the dishwasher overfills, causing a leak.

Often these valves are not able to be refurbished unless it is only the rubber gasket that is broken, thus the whole component would have to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to supply, drain and also recirculate water along the cycle.

Two issues might develop where hoses are involved.

The seals can go or the contact points can work loose so it’s worth checking all the connections .
The alternative fault than might often happen over time is that hoses may get degraded or get a hole in.

Luckily faulty hoses are easy to get hold of and change.

Pumps and Seals

You can visually investigate the rubber seals around the pumps or motor to determine whether there is a leakage as well as replace them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

The float itself or the float switch might be faulty resulting in the dishwasher overfilling.

A working float will rise with the water level until the desired or maximum water level is reached. The end piece of the float would then turn on the switch. If something is blocking this or the float is broken this could be causing your problem.

Testing the switch will require electrical equipment although it could be noticeably damaged in which case getting a new one should resolve the issue.

Other Components that May Lead to a Leak

A cracked wash arm or support may causing a leak. This could also often result in your dishes not being cleaned as effectively as they should.

Broken or faulty tubes may also cause this fault as could a broken pump cover.

The motor shaft gasket may have come loose causing leakage. This generally presents as a leak coming from underneath the appliance.

Top Tips to Fix Your Dishwasher

Spend less by replacing the seal instead of the whole part. In most situations, you are able to purchase the gasket separately which saves time as well as money.
Investigate the quick fixes before you get more complicated. There’s no point pulling the entire dishwasher out if the problem is the soap.
Photograph your progress. This can assist you to reverse the process, describe the part you need in a store, and also identify the issue to an engineer if required.
Be careful. Water and electricity do not mix so turn off the power first.
If you’re struggling call a repair person.

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

If the cause of the problem can’t be discovered the next step you might take is to pull the dishwasher away from the wall to get a clearer view of the underneath it and fill it with water to see if the leak can be seen that way.

If this gives no further clues your appliance may only show a leakage if it’s running. In this case, you may wish to get a qualified technician to determine and also mend the problem due to the safety risks of checking for faults with electrical parts exposed.