Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Coming downstairs only to discover a large puddle on the floor is never the best to start the day.

Luckily, most everyday explanations of dishwasher faults are comparatively straightforward to determine and fix yourself. Meaning you might not have to hand wash the dishes for too long, wait for the repair man or need to pay the call-out fee.

So, find the manual if you can, clean up the puddle and get a towel soak up any additional spills and so find out if you can find a DIY solution. If you aren’t able to call us for local dishwasher repair.

Simple Sources of Dishwasher Leaks as well as How to Fix Them

Many of the more common explanations of dishwasher leaks aren’t really because of a dishwasher fault at all. Prior to starting getting the tools out and also looking at endless online tutorials there are a few issues you can rule out first.

Check to see whether your dishwasher is aligned. If your dishwasher is not level water can easily puddle and leak without there being anything that needs to be fixed or changed.
Check you are using the proper soap. You could have seen this with your washer. An excess of soap or the wrong type can lead an excess of soap suds, the soap suds deluge resulting in a leak.
Check your dishwasher door fully closes. If there’s a gap there may be a blockage, or you might need to adjust the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Investigate the filter located at the bottom of the tub for any visible obstructions because if your dishwasher isn’t draining effectively this will cause it to overfill and so leak.

When you have looked at these possible causes it’s time to get ready and begin a thorough check.

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 underneath. If you can find and so resolve the problem before you have to pull out the dishwasher you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle.

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

Door Seal

The most everyday place for leakage is around the door, thankfully it is also one of the quickest issues to fix.

If the leakage is periodic the fault may be as simple as an oversized dish or something else putting pressure into the door and preventing the door from shutting correctly.

Else-ways the door seal may have come out of place or been split.

Check the door gasket and check for any degradation, a build-up of limescale or other gunk, or any areas where the gasket might have come away from the door.

Removing the gasket and allowing it a good clean could help in some cases or you might need to purchase a new gasket and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The fill valve can also be a simple fault. This is in most cases located underneath the machine and so you will most likely need to unscrew the kick plate and also could have to remove the door cover.

The inlet valve opens and closes to allow water into the tub at varying times in the programme. The inlet valve could be leaking, shown with a slow drip, or it might be damaged thus not operating fully during the cycle.

When the water inlet valve fails to close fully this can result in the dishwasher overfilling and result in a leakage.

Usually fill valve are not able to be fixed unless it is only the rubber gasket that is damaged, thus the entire component would have to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to fill, empty and redistribute water along the cycle.

Two problems may arise where hoses are the cause.

The gaskets might go or the contact points might work loose meaning it’s a good idea to have a look at all the connections .
The alternative problem than may easily develop as you use the machine is that hoses might be degraded or cracked.

Luckily faulty hoses are easy to buy and change.

Pumps and Gaskets

You are able to visually check the rubber gaskets that are part of the water pumps or motor to see whether there is a leakage and replace them if there is.

The Float Switch

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

A working float will go up as the water rises until it reaches the optimum fill level. The tag of the float will then operate the switch. A blockage or breakage could be your issues.

Testing the switch will require electrical equipment but it could be noticeably damaged in which case replacing it should resolve the leak.

Alternative Components that Might Result in Leakage

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

Broken or damaged tubes might likewise result in this problem as may a damaged pump cap if your machine has one.

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

Top Tips to Sort Out Your Machine

Save money by changing the seal rather than the whole part. In most situations, you are able to purchase the gasket separately which saves you having to replace the whole part.
Check the simple solutions before you get more complicated. There’s no point pulling the entire thing away from the wall if it’s the soap that’s making the issue.
Photograph your progress. This can make your life easier when you come to put the machine back together, show the part you are looking for in a shop, and identify the problem to an engineer if needed.
Stay safe. Water and electricity are not good friends so turn off the power first.
If you’re not sure get in a professional.

The Next Steps You Should Take If Your Initial Investigation Fails to Identify or Fix the Leak

If the root of the issue remains a mystery the next step you can take is to pull out the dishwasher to get a better look underneath it as well as fill it with water to find out if the leakage becomes visible.

If you don’t find any faults with this method your machine might only show a leakage when the pump is running. In this case, you should hire a service engineer to determine and fix the leak as there are safety risks of checking for faults with electrical parts exposed.