Why is My Dishwasher Leaking? | QuickFix Appliance Repair

Entering the kitchen to find an ominous puddle coming from the dishwasher is no-one’s favorite way to start the day.

Luckily, most commonly seen explanations of dishwasher faults are relatively straightforward to pinpoint and resolve by yourself. Meaning you may not be required to wash the dishes by hand for too long, spend a day at home waiting for an engineer or have to pay the call-out charge.

So, if you’re feeling up to it get out the operating manual if you can, clean up the puddle and get something clean up any further spills and so find out if you can find a do it yourself solution. If you cannot call us for local dishwasher repair.

Common Sources of Dishwasher Faults and How to Mend Them

A lot of the more commonplace causes of dishwasher faults aren’t actually because of a dishwasher issue at all. Prior to starting getting the tools out and flicking through endless youtube tutorials there are a number of problems you should take a look at first.

Investigate to find out whether your dishwasher is level. If the dishwasher is not level water will easily pool and so spill out regardless of whether or not the dishwasher has a fault.
Check you have been using the right soap. You could have seen this with your washer. An excess of soap or the incorrect type can result in to too many suds, the soap suds bubble over and so you get a leak.
Check your dishwasher door closes properly. If it does not you could have an object obstructing it, or you might have to adjust the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Test the filter at the bottom of the machine for any obvious obstructions as if your dishwasher isn’t draining correctly this can cause it to overfill and spill.

If none of the above issues apply it’s time to roll up your sleeves and start a thorough check.

The easiest place to start is the door as well as test for any visible issues in the interior of the machine before you move on to the underside. If you can find and so mend the issue before you need 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 door is probably the most simple area for a dishwasher to leak and also one of the simplest problems to solve.

If the leak is occasional the fault might be as simple as an oversized dish or another object putting pressure against the door and preventing the door from shutting fully.

Otherwise the door seal could have come out of place or got split.

Examine the door seal and check for any degradation, a build-up of limescale or other debris, or any tracts where the seal has come away from the door.

Taking off the seal and also giving it a good clean can improve the situation in some instances or you may have to buy a new gasket and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The water inlet valve can also be a everyday issue. It is usually situated underneath the machine so you will need to remove the toe board and may need to unscrew the door cover.

The water inlet valve opens and also closes to let water into the machine at various parts of the programme. The water inlet valve might be leaking, evidenced by a slight drip, or it may be damaged and not opening or closing correctly throughout the programme.

If the water inlet valve doesn’t close properly this can mean that the dishwasher overfills, causing a leak.

Often these valves can’t be refurbished unless it is only the rubber seal that is broken, which means the entire valve would need to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Your dishwasher uses hoses to fill, empty and also recirculate water during the programme.

Two issues may arise when it comes to hoses.

The seals may go or the connections can work loose thus it’s a good idea to have a look at all the connection points .
The alternative problem than might easily develop as time goes by is that hoses might get damaged or cracked.

Luckily faulty hoses are relativelyeasy to get hold of and also replace, even for a novice.

Pumps and Seals

You are able to visually check the rubber gaskets surrounding the pumps or motor to determine if there is a leak as well as change them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

Either the float or the float switch could be damaged resulting in the dishwasher overfilling.

A working float will rise with the water level until it reaches the optimum fill level. The tag of the float should then turn on the switch. If something is blocking this or the float is broken this could be your issues.

Checking the switch will require electrical equipment but it could be noticeably damaged in which case getting a new one should stop the leak.

Other Components that Could Result in a Leak

A damaged wash arm or support might build up pressure resulting in leakage. This will likewise often affect how well your dishes are being cleaned.

Broken or cracked lines can also result in this fault as might a damaged pump cover.

The motor shaft gasket might have degraded causing a leak. This generally presents as a puddle coming from underneath the machine.

Top Tips to Sort Out Your Dishwasher

Spend less by replacing the seal instead of the entire component. In most situations, you are able to acquire the seal without the rest of the part which saves time as well as money.
Investigate the simple resolutions before you get more complicated. You don’t need to pull the whole thing out if the problem is the detergent.
Take photos as you go along. This could help you put the thing back together, show the part you are looking for in a shop, and identify 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 get in a repair person.

What To Do Next If Your Initial Investigation Fails to Identify or Mend the Leakage

If the cause of the issue can’t be discovered the thing you might do is to pull the machine away from the wall to get a clearer view of the underneath it and also add water to the tub to find out whether the leak presents itself.

If this gives no further clues your appliance might only leak if during a cycle. In this instance, your best bet would be to employ a appliance repair person to diagnose and also fix the problem as there are safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical elements exposed.