Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

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

Fortunately, most everyday sources of dishwasher faults are relatively easy to diagnose and fix yourself. Meaning you may not be required to hand wash the dishes for too long, wait for the repair man or have to pay the call-out fee.

So, if you’re feeling up to it find the manual if you can, grab an old towel to clean up the leak and get a towel clean up any additional leaks and so see whether you can’t find a DIY solution. If you cannot call us for local dishwasher repair.

Commonplace Explanations of Dishwasher Faults and How to Mend Them

Some of the more common explanations of dishwasher leaks are not really because of a dishwasher fault . Before you start getting the tools out as well as looking at endless youtube videos there are a number of issues you can take a look at first.

Check to see if your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher isn’t aligned water can easily pool and spill out regardless of whether or not the dishwasher has a fault.
Check you are using the right detergent. You could have seen this with your washer. An excess of detergent or the incorrect type could lead to too many suds, the soap suds spill over resulting in a spill.
Investigate your dishwasher door closes correctly. If it does not there may be a blockage, or you may have to replace the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Check the filter located at the base of the machine for any visible obstructions because if your dishwasher isn’t draining effectively this can cause it to fill too much and spill.

If you have ruled out these issues it’s time to roll up your sleeves and really begin a thorough check.

The easiest place to start is the door and investigate for any visible damage in the interior of the machine before you move on to the underside. If you are able to identify and fix the leak before you have to pull out the dishwasher you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle.

Before you do anything else make sure you disconnect the appliance.

Door Seal

The most usual place for a dishwasher to leak is on the door, luckily it is likewise one of the easiest problems to solve.

If the leakage is occasional the problem might be as simple as a large plate or another object putting pressure into the door and preventing it from closing properly.

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

Examine the door gasket and also check for any brittleness, mineral deposits or other gunk, or any areas in which the seal has separated from the door.

Extracting the gasket and allowing it a good clean might improve the situation in some cases or you might be required to buy a new gasket and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The inlet valve can be a further everyday issue. The inlet is usually found on the underbelly of the machine which means you will most likely need to take off the toe board and might have to unscrew the door cover.

The inlet valve opens and closes to allow water into the dishwasher at different times during the cycle. The fill valve might be damaged, shown by a slow drip, or it could be damaged thus not functioning fully while the dishwasher is running.

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

In General water inlet valve cannot be refurbished unless it is just the rubber gasket that is faulty, thus the entire valve would have to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Your dishwasher uses hoses to fill, drain and redistribute water during the cycle.

Two issues can arise with hoses.

The gaskets might get damaged or the contact points might come loose thus it’s worth having a look at all the connections first.
The other fault than could often happen as you use the machine is that hoses could be broken or cracked.

If you can identify that the leakage is a result of a faulty hose this should be simple to change and spare hoses are readily available.

Pumps and Seals

You can visually investigate the rubber gaskets surrounding the water pumps or motor to determine if there is a leak and replace them if there is.

The Float Switch

The float itself or the float switch might be broken causing the dishwasher to overfill.

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

Checking the switch will require electrical equipment although it may be noticeably broken in which case getting a new one should stop the leak.

Alternative Components that May Lead to Leakage

A damaged wash arm or support might force water under the door resulting in leakage. This will also often affect how well your dishes are being cleaned.

Broken or damaged lines might likewise cause this issue as may a loose pump cap.

The motor shaft gasket might have degraded causing leakage. This will generally show as leakage coming from underneath the appliance.

Top Tips to Mend Your Dishwasher

Save money by changing the seal in place of the entire component. In most situations, you are able to acquire the gasket without the rest of the part which saves you having to change the entire component.
Check the simple fixes first. There’s no point pulling the entire machine out if the problem is the detergent.
Take pictures at each step. This may help you put the thing back together, explain the part you need in a store, and identify the issue to a repair person 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 Trouble Shooting Fails to Disclose or Fix the Leak

If the cause of the issue is still a mystery the thing you may do is to pull the machine away from the wall to get better access beneath it and also add water to the tub to see if the leak becomes visible.

If this gives no further clues your machine may only leak when the pump is running. In this instance, you may wish to employ a service engineer to diagnose as well as resolve the leak due to the safety risks of checking for faults with electrical elements uncovered.