Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Entering the kitchen to step in a large puddle on the floor is no-one’s chosen manner to start the day.

Thankfully, most everyday explanations of dishwasher leaks are relatively easy to pinpoint and fix yourself. This means you may not have 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, find the instruction manual if you have it, grab an old towel to clean up the puddle and get a towel clean up any further leaks and so see if you can find a DIY solution. If you cannot call us for local dishwasher repair.

Commonly Seen Causes of Dishwasher Faults as well as How to Mend Them

A lot of the most everyday explanations of dishwasher leaks are not actually a result of a broken dishwasher at all. Prior to starting getting the tools out as well as flicking through endless youtube tutorials there are a number of problems you can take a look at first.

Investigate to find out whether your dishwasher is aligned. If the dishwasher is misaligned 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 have seen this with your washing machine. Too much soap or the wrong type could lead an excess of soap suds, the bubbles bubble over and you get a spill.
Check your dishwasher door closes correctly. If there’s a gap there may be a blockage, or you could need to fix the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Check the filter at the bottom of the machine for any easy to see obstructions because if your dishwasher isn’t draining properly this will result in fill too much and so leak.

When you have ruled out these issues it’s time to roll up your sleeves and really start a thorough check.

The easiest place to start is the door as well as check for any visible issues inside of the machine before you move on to the underside. If you are able to identify and so fix the leak without pulling out the dishwasher you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle.

Before you do anything else make sure you disconnect the dishwasher.

Door Gasket

The most usual place for a dishwasher to leak is around the door, luckily it is likewise one of the quickest issues to solve.

If the leakage is intermittent the problem could be as easy as a large plate or something else pushing against the door and stopping the door from shutting correctly.

Otherwise the door seal might have come loose or become cracked.

Examine the door seal and investigate for any brittleness, a build-up of limescale or other debris, or any parts in which the seal has separated from the door.

Removing the gasket and also giving it a good clean might help in some instances or you might be required to acquire a new gasket and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The water inlet valve can be another commonly seen issue. This is in most cases located underneath the machine so you will have to remove the toe board and also could need to take off the door cover.

The fill valve opens and also closes to let water into the machine at various times in the cycle. The inlet valve might be showing a leak, demonstrated by a slow drip, or it could be damaged and so not functioning fully throughout the programme.

If the inlet valve fails to shut fully this can lead to the dishwasher leaking.

In General these valves cannot be fixed, thus the whole component would need to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Your dishwasher uses hoses to supply, empty as well as redistribute water during the cycle.

Two complications could arise with hoses.

The gaskets could go or the connections could come loose so it’s a good idea to check all the connections first.
The alternative issue than may often develop over time is that hoses may get broken or get a hole in.

Luckily broken hoses are easy to get hold of as well as change, even for a novice.

Pumps and Seals

You can visually investigate the rubber seals surrounding the water pumps or motor to see if there is a leak and change them if there is.

The Float Switch

Either the float or the float switch could be not working correctly causing the dishwasher to overfill.

A working float will rise as the water rises until the optimum or highest water level is reached. The end piece of the float should then turn on the switch. If something is blocking this or the float is broken this could be your problem.

Checking the switch will require electrical equipment but it could be noticeably broken in which case replacing it should fix the problem.

Other Components that Might Lead to a Leak

A broken wash arm or support might build up pressure resulting in a leak. This can also often affect how well your dishes are being cleaned.

Broken or faulty tubes might also cause this problem as can a damaged pump cover if your machine has one.

The motor shaft seal could have cracked causing leakage. This generally presents as a puddle coming from underneath the machine.

Top Tips to Sort Out Your Dishwasher

Spend less by changing the seal rather than the whole part. In most situations, you are able to buy the seal without the rest of the part which saves time as well as money.
Test the quick resolutions first. There’s no point pulling the entire machine out if it’s the detergent that’s making the issue.
Photograph your progress. This could help you put the machine back together, show the part you are looking for in a shop, as well as identify the problem to an engineer if needed.
Be careful. Water and electricity do not mix so unplug the machine first.
If you’re struggling get in a repair person.

The Next Steps You Should Take If Your Initial Investigation Fails to Identify or Mend the Leakage

If the cause of the problem can’t be discovered the thing you may do is to pull the machine away from the wall to get a better look beneath it and fill it with water to find out whether the leakage becomes visible.

If you don’t find any leakages with this method your machine might only leak if the pump is running. In this instance, you should get a qualified technician to diagnose and also mend the leak due to the safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical components exposed.