Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Getting up in the morning only to find an ominous puddle coming from the dishwasher is never a great to start the day.

Thankfully, most commonplace causes of dishwasher leaks are relatively easy to diagnose and resolve yourself. Meaning 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, grab the operating manual if you know where it is, find an old towel to clean up the puddle and get something soak up any additional leaks and so find out whether you can’t find a DIY solution. If you aren’t able to call us for local dishwasher repair.

Simple Sources of Dishwasher Leaks and How to Mend Them

Many of the more commonly seen sources of dishwasher faults aren’t in fact due to a dishwasher issue . Before you start preparing yourself for an engineering task and also looking at endless online tutorials there are a number of problems you might want to rule out first.

Test to see if your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher is misaligned water can quickly puddle and spill out regardless of whether or not the dishwasher has a fault.
Investigate you are using the correct soap. You may be aware of this issue with your washing machine. Too much soap or using the wrong type may result in to too many suds, the bubbles spill over and so you get a leak.
Test your dishwasher door fully closes. If there’s a gap you could have an object obstructing it, or you could need to replace the door fixings.
Check the filter at the bottom of the tub for any obvious drainage issues as if your dishwasher isn’t draining properly this can cause it to fill too much and leak.

When you have looked at these issues it’s time to get ready and begin the investigation.

The easiest place to start is the door as well as investigate for any visible problems within of the machine before you move on to the underside. If you are able to identify and mend the problem before you have 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 no doubt the most everyday area for a dishwasher to leak as well as one of the easiest issues to solve.

If the leakage is periodic the issue could be as simple as a large plate or another object pushing against the door and preventing it from sealing fully.

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

Check the door seal and check for any degradation, a build-up of limescale or other debris, or any tracts in which the gasket has separated from the door.

Removing the seal and also giving it a good scrub could help in some cases or you may need to buy a new gasket and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The fill valve can also be a commonly seen issue. This is in most cases found under the machine therefore you may need to remove the kick plate and could have to take off the door cover.

The fill valve opens and closes to let water into the machine at varying parts of the programme. The inlet valve may be showing a leak, demonstrated with a slow drip, or it could be damaged thus not operating correctly while the dishwasher is running.

When the water inlet valve doesn’t shut fully this can result in the dishwasher overfilling and result in a leak.

Often these valves cannot be fixed, thus the entire part would need to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Your dishwasher uses hoses to supply, empty and redistribute water along the programme.

Two issues could arise when it comes to hoses.

The gaskets could break or the connections could come loose so it’s a good idea to have a look at all the connections .
The other fault than might easily happen as time goes by is that hoses can get damaged or get a hole in.

Luckily damaged hoses are relativelyeasy to get hold of as well as change.

Pumps and Gaskets

You can visually check the rubber gaskets that are part of the pumps or motor to determine if there is a leak as well as replace them if there is.

The Float Switch

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

A working float will go up as the water rises until it reaches the maximum fill level. The tag of the float should then operate the switch. If something is blocking this or the float is broken this could be causing your problem.

Checking the switch would need a multi-meter although it might be obviously broken in which case getting a new one should stop the leak.

Alternative Components that Could Result in a Leak

A broken wash arm or support can build up pressure causing leakage. This could likewise often result in your dishes not being cleaned as effectively as they should.

Broken or faulty tubes could also cause this issue as could a broken pump cover if your machine has one.

The motor shaft gasket might have degraded causing leakage. This will generally show as a puddle coming from the underside of the dishwasher.

Top Tips to Fix Your Machine

Save money by replacing the seal instead of the entire component. In most instances, you can buy the gasket without the rest of the part which saves you having to replace the entire part.
Check the quick resolutions first. There’s no point pulling the whole machine away from the wall if it’s the detergent that’s making the issue.
Take photos as you go. This may help you reverse the process, describe the component you need in a shop, and identify the fault to an engineer if needed.
Stay safe. Water and electricity do not mix so unplug the machine first.
If you’re struggling call a repair person.

The Next Steps You Should Take If Your Trouble Shooting Doesn’t Identify or Resolve the Leakage

If the root of the issue can’t be uncovered the thing you may do is to pull out the dishwasher to get better access underneath it and fill it with water to see if the leak presents itself.

If this doesn’t shed any light your machine might only leak if it’s running. In this case, you may wish to get a service engineer to diagnose and mend the problem due to the safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical components uncovered.