Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Entering the kitchen to discover a large puddle coming from the dishwasher is no-one’s chosen way to start the day.

Fortunately, most commonplace explanations of dishwasher leaks are comparably straightforward to determine and fix on your own. Meaning you might not be required to wash the dishes by hand for too long, wait for the repair man or have to pay a high call-out fee.

So, if you’re feeling up to it find the operating manual if you have it, grab an old towel to clean up the leak and get a towel soak up any further spills and so see if you can’t fix the problem. If you cannot call us for local dishwasher repair.

Commonly Seen Causes of Dishwasher Faults and How to Fix Them

Many of the most everyday sources of dishwasher faults are not actually a result of a dishwasher issue . Before you start preparing yourself for an engineering task and looking at endless online tutorials there are a couple of issues you can rule out first.

Investigate to find out whether your dishwasher is aligned. If your dishwasher is not level water will easily pool and so spill out even if the dishwasher is working perfectly.
Investigate you are using the proper soap. You may be familiar with this issue with your washer. An excess of detergent or the wrong type could result in an excess of soap suds, the bubbles deluge resulting in a leak.
Check your dishwasher door closes fully. If it does not there may be a blockage, or you may need to adjust the door fixings.
Check the filter located at the base of the tub for any obvious obstructions because if your dishwasher isn’t emptying properly this will cause it to overfill and so leak.

Once you have eliminated these issues it’s time to get ready and start the investigation.

To make your life easier start with the door as well as check for any obvious problems in the interior of the machine prior to moving on to the underneath. If you are able to identify and resolve the leak without pulling out the dishwasher so much the better.

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 commonly seen place for a dishwasher to leak and one of the quickest issues to resolve.

If the leak is intermittent the issue could be as straightforward as a big pan or something else putting pressure against the door thus preventing it from closing correctly.

On the other hand the door seal could have been dislodged or become cracked.

Examine the door seal and also check for any brittleness, mineral deposits or other gunk, or any areas where the seal might have separated from the door.

Removing the gasket and giving it a comprehensive clean can improve the situation in some cases or you might have to purchase a new seal and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The water inlet valve can be a further common fault. It is generally situated underneath the machine so you will most likely need to unscrew the toe board and could need to take off the door cover.

The fill valve opens and closes to allow water into the machine at varying times during the cycle. The fill valve could be leaking, evidenced with a slight drip, or it could be damaged and so not operating correctly while the dishwasher is running.

In the case that the water inlet valve doesn’t shut correctly this can mean that the dishwasher overfills, causing a leak.

Usually these valves can’t be fixed unless it is just the rubber gasket that is damaged, and so the entire valve would have to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to supply, empty as well as recirculate water within the programme.

Two issues may arise with hoses.

The gaskets could get damaged or the connections could come loose so it’s a good idea to check all the connection points first.
The other issue than may often happen as you use the machine is that hoses may become broken or cracked.

Luckily faulty hoses are relatively easy to get hold of and replace.

Pumps and Gaskets

You can visually test the rubber gaskets that are part of the pumps or motor to ascertain whether there is a leak as well as change them if there is.

The Float Switch

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

When working as it should the float will lift up as the water rises until the desired or maximum water level is attained. The tail of the float should then turn on the switch. A blockage or breakage could be your problem.

Testing the switch will require electrical equipment but it could be obviously damaged in which case getting a new one should fix the problem.

Other Parts that May Lead to a Leak

A cracked wash arm or support can puch water under the door resulting in leakage. This will also often result in your dishes not being cleaned as effectively as they should.

Broken or cracked tubes could likewise result in this problem as can a loose pump cover if your machine has one.

The motor shaft seal might have degraded resulting in a leak. This will generally show as leakage coming from underneath the dishwasher.

Top Tips to Fix Your Dishwasher

Save money by changing the seal in place of the whole part. In many situations, you are able to buy the gasket without the rest of the part which saves you having to change the whole part.
Check the simple fixes first. You don’t need to pull the entire thing out if it’s the detergent that’s causing the problem.
Photograph your progress. This may help you reverse the process, explain the component you need in a shop, as well as identify the fault to a repair person if needed.
Stay safe. Water and electricity are not good friends so turn off the power first.
If you’re struggling get in a professional.

What To Do Next If Your Initial Investigation Doesn’t Identify or Fix the Leakage

If the cause of the problem can’t be uncovered the next step you might take is to pull the dishwasher away from the wall to get better access beneath it and fill it with water to find out if the leak can be seen that way.

If this gives no further clues your machine might only leak if during a cycle. If this is the case, you should get a qualified technician to determine and also mend the problem due to the safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical components uncovered.