Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Coming downstairs only to step in a large puddle coming from the dishwasher is never the best to start the day.

Luckily, most commonplace explanations of dishwasher leaks are comparatively simple to pinpoint and resolve yourself. This means you might not have to wash the dishes by hand for too long, wait for the repair man or need to pay a high call-out charge.

So, get out the instruction manual if you know where it is, grab an old towel to clean up the leak and so get a towel clean up any additional leaks and see if you can’t fix the problem. If you aren’t able to call us for local dishwasher repair.

Everyday Sources of Dishwasher Leaks and How to Resolve Them

Many of the more common explanations of dishwasher faults are not in fact because of a broken dishwasher at all. Prior to starting getting the tools out as well as watching numerous online videos there are a number of things you should take a look at first.

Investigate to see whether 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 right detergent. You could be familiar with this fault with your washer. Too much detergent or using the incorrect variety can result in to too many bubbles, the bubbles overflow and so you get a spill.
Check your dishwasher door closes fully. If there’s a gap you could have an object obstructing it such as a large plate, or you might have to replace the door fixings.
Check the filter at the bottom of the machine for any obvious drainage issues because if your dishwasher isn’t emptying properly this will cause it to fill too much and spill.

Once you have eliminated these possible causes it’s time to get ready and start a thorough check.

The easiest place to start is the door and investigate for any visible issues inside of the machine before you move on to the underneath. If you are able to identify as well as fix the issue before you need to pull 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 seemingly the most everyday area for leakage as well as one of the easiest issues to resolve.

If the leakage is intermittent the fault could be as simple as a large plate or something else pushing into the door thus stopping the door from closing properly.

Else-ways the door seal could have come out of place or been damaged.

Check the door gasket and also test for any cracks, mineral deposits or other gunk, or any parts in which the seal has separated from the door.

Extracting the gasket and also giving it a thorough clean might help in some instances or you might be required to buy a new gasket and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The fill valve can also be a commonly seen problem. It is in most cases located under the machine and so you will most likely have to take off the toe board and also might need to unscrew the door cover.

The fill valve opens and also closes to allow water into the tub at various parts of the cycle. The water inlet valve could be damaged, shown with a slow drip, or it may be damaged and not functioning fully while the dishwasher is running.

In the case that the water inlet valve fails to shut fully this can mean that the dishwasher overfills, causing a leak.

Generally these valves cannot be repaired, and so the whole part would have to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Your dishwasher uses hoses to supply, drain and recirculate water along the program.

Two issues could arise where hoses are involved.

The seals could get damaged or the contact points could come loose meaning it’s worth having a look at all the connections first.
The alternative issue than could easily happen as time goes by is that hoses could become degraded or cracked.

If you can see that the leakage is coming from a hose this should be easy to change and spare hoses are easy to procure.

Pumps and Gaskets

You can visually test the rubber gaskets surrounding the pumps or motor to determine if there is a leak and change them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

Either the float or the float switch may be faulty resulting in the dishwasher overfilling.

A working float will go up as the water level goes up until the optimum or maximum water level is attained. 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.

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

Other Parts that Could Lead to Leakage

A damaged wash arm or support could push water under the door causing leakage. This will also often result in your dishes not being cleaned as effectively as they should.

Broken or faulty lines may also result in this fault as can a loose pump cover.

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

Top Tips to Mend Your Dishwasher

Spend less by checking the seal rather than the entire part. In plenty instances, you are able to buy the seal without the rest of the part which saves time as well as money.
Investigate the easy fixes first. You don’t need to pull the entire machine out if the problem is the detergent.
Take pictures at each step. This can assist you to reverse the process, explain the component you need in a store, and also explain the issue 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 call a repair person.

The Next Steps You Should Take If Your Trouble Shooting Fails to Identify or Resolve the Leak

If the cause of the leakage can’t be uncovered the thing you may do is to pull out the dishwasher to get a better look underneath it and add water to the tub to find out if the leakage becomes visible.

If this gives no further clues your dishwasher might only show a leakage when during a cycle. In this instance, your best bet would be to hire a qualified technician to determine as well as resolve the leak due to the safety risks of checking for faults with electrical elements exposed.