Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Coming downstairs to discover an ominous puddle on the floor is no-one’s chosen manner to start the day.

Fortunately, most commonly seen explanations of dishwasher faults are comparably easy to diagnose and fix by yourself. This means you may not be required to wash the dishes by hand for too long, call an engineer or need to pay a high call-out charge.

So, if you’re feeling up to it find the manual if you have it, clean up the mess and get a towel clean up any further spills and find out whether you can find a DIY solution. If you cannot call us for local dishwasher repair.

Simple Explanations of Dishwasher Faults and How to Resolve Them

A lot of the most commonly seen sources of dishwasher leaks are not in fact a result of a broken dishwasher at all. Before you start preparing yourself for an engineering task and also flicking through endless online tutorials there are a couple of things you might want to rule out first.

Test to see whether your dishwasher is aligned. If the dishwasher isn’t aligned water can quickly puddle as well as spill out regardless of whether or not the dishwasher has a fault.
Investigate you have been using the correct detergent. You could have seen this with your washing machine. An excess of soap or using the incorrect type may lead to too many bubbles, the suds bubble over resulting in a leak.
Check your dishwasher door closes correctly. If there’s a gap there may be a blockage, or you might have to adjust the door fixings.
Test the filter located at the base of the machine for any easy to see obstructions because if your dishwasher isn’t emptying properly this can cause it to fill too much and spill.

If none of the above issues apply it’s time to roll up your sleeves and really start the investigation.

To make your life easier start with the door as well as investigate for any obvious issues within of the machine before you move on to the underside. If you are able to identify as well as fix the problem without pulling out the dishwasher so much the better.

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 everyday area for a dishwasher to leak and one of the easiest issues to solve.

If the leak is periodic the issue could be as easy as a large plate or something else putting pressure against the door and stopping it from sealing correctly.

On the other hand the door gasket may have come out of place or been split.

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

Taking off the gasket and allowing it a comprehensive scrub might improve the situation in some cases or you might be required to acquire a new seal and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The inlet valve can be a further commonly seen issue. The inlet is usually located under the machine so you will have to take off the kick plate and might need to remove the door cover.

The water inlet valve opens and closes to allow water into the dishwasher at various parts of the cycle. The inlet valve could be damaged, evidenced by a slight drip, or it could be damaged and so not operating correctly during the cycle.

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

In General these valves can’t be fixed unless it is just the rubber seal that is damaged, thus the entire component would need to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to fill, empty and redistribute water during the programme.

Two complications might develop when it comes to hoses.

The gaskets could go or the contact points can come loose thus it’s worth having a look at all the connections first.
The other issue than may often develop as you use the machine is that hoses may become damaged or get a hole in.

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

Pumps and Gaskets

You are able to visually investigate the rubber seals that are part of the water pumps or motor to determine whether there is a leak and also change them if there is.

The Float Switch

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

A working float will go up as the water level goes up until the optimum or maximum water level is reached. The tail of the float will then operate the switch. If something is blocking this or the float is broken this could be your issues.

Checking the switch will require a multi-meter but it might be obviously damaged in which case replacing it should stop the leak.

Alternative Components that Might Cause Leakage

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

Broken or faulty lines might likewise result in this issue as may a loose pump cap if your dishwasher has one.

The motor shaft seal could have degraded causing leakage. This generally presents as leakage coming from the underside of the dishwasher.

Top Tips to Mend Your Machine

Save money by changing the gasket in place of the entire component. In plenty instances, you are able to acquire the seal without the rest of the part which saves you having to replace the whole component.
Investigate the easy resolutions before you get more complicated. You don’t need to pull the whole machine out if the problem is the detergent.
Take photos as you go along. This might assist you to put the thing back together, describe the component you are looking for in a store, and explain the fault to an engineer if needed.
Stay safe. 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 Doesn’t Identify or Resolve the Leakage

If the cause of the leakage remains a mystery the thing you could do is to pull out the machine to get a clearer view of the beneath it and also add water to the tub to find out whether the leak presents itself.

If you don’t discover any leakages with this method your machine could only show a leakage if during a cycle. In this instance, you may wish to hire a service engineer to pinpoint and resolve the leak as there are safety risks of checking for faults with electrical parts exposed.