Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

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

Thankfully, most common sources of dishwasher leaks are comparably easy to pinpoint and resolve yourself. This means you may not have to hand wash the dishes that much, spend a day at home waiting for an engineer or need to pay a high call-out fee.

So, if you’re feeling up to it grab the instruction manual if you know where it is, find an old towel to clean up the puddle and so get something clean up any further spills and so see if you can’t diagnose the fault. If you can’t call us for local dishwasher repair.

Everyday Sources of Dishwasher Leaks as well as How to Mend Them

Some of the more commonly seen sources of dishwasher faults are not really because of a broken dishwasher . Before you start getting the tools out and also looking at numerous online tutorials there are a couple of problems you can troubleshoot first.

Test to find out whether your dishwasher is level. If the dishwasher is not aligned water will quickly pool and leak even if the dishwasher is working perfectly.
Test you are using the proper soap. You may be familiar with this issue with your washing machine. An excess of soap or using the wrong type may lead to too many bubbles, the soap suds spill over and so you get a leak.
Check your dishwasher door fully closes. If there’s a gap there may be an obstruction, or you might have to fix the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Test the filter at the base of the tub for any obvious drainage issues as if your dishwasher isn’t emptying properly this will cause it to overfill and so spill.

If none of the above issues apply it’s time to get ready and begin a thorough check.

The easiest place to start is the door and test for any visible damage in the interior of the machine before you move on to the underneath. If you can identify and so resolve the problem before you need to pull out the dishwasher you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle.

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

Door Gasket

The door is seemingly the most commonplace place for a dishwasher to leak and one of the quickest problems to solve.

If the leakage is intermittent the issue might be as simple as a large plate or something else putting pressure into the door and preventing it from sealing properly.

Otherwise the door gasket may have come loose or become cracked.

Inspect the door gasket and test for any brittleness, mineral deposits or other gunk, or any parts in which the gasket might have come away from the door.

Removing the gasket and allowing it a comprehensive clean has been known to help in some cases or you could need to purchase a new gasket and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The fill valve can be another everyday issue. The inlet is in most cases found under the machine therefore you may need to unscrew the kick plate and also may have to take off the door cover.

The fill valve opens and closes to allow water into the machine at different parts of the program. The water inlet valve might be showing a leak, demonstrated by a slight drip, or it could be broken and so not functioning fully throughout the program.

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

Generally these valves are not able to be fixed unless it is just the rubber seal that is faulty, which means the whole part would need to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to fill, empty and also recirculate water during the cycle.

Two problems might arise where hoses are the cause.

The seals may go or the connections can work loose thus it’s a good idea to have a look at all the connections .
The alternative issue than can easily happen over time is that hoses might become damaged or cracked.

If you are able to see that the leakage is a result of a faulty hose this will be easy to change and spare hoses are easy to come by.

Pumps and Gaskets

You are able to visually check the gaskets surrounding the water pumps or motor to determine if there is a leakage and also change them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

Either the float 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 maximum fill level. The tag of the float will then operate the switch. If something is blocking this or the float is broken this could be causing your problem.

Testing the switch would need a multi-meter but it may be obviously damaged in which case replacing it should stop the leak.

Other Parts that May Cause a Leak

A broken wash arm or support could build up pressure causing leakage. This will likewise often affect how well your dishes are being cleaned.

Broken or damaged tubes might also result in this problem as could a cracked pump cover.

The motor shaft seal may have come loose resulting in leakage. This generally presents as leakage coming from underneath the dishwasher.

Top Tips to Sort Out Your Machine

Save money by checking the seal in place of the whole part. In most cases, you can purchase the gasket without the rest of the part which saves you having to replace the entire part.
Test the easy solutions before you get more complicated. There’s no point pulling the whole dishwasher away from the wall if it’s the soap that’s making the issue.
Take pictures as you go. This can make your life easier when you come to reverse the process, describe the component you are looking for in a shop, and also identify the problem to a repair person if required.
Be careful. Water and electricity do not mix so unplug the machine first.
If in doubt call a professional.

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

If the root of the problem can’t be uncovered the next step you may take is to pull the machine away from the wall to get better access beneath it and also fill it with water to see whether the leak presents itself.

If this doesn’t shed any light your machine could only show a leakage when during a cycle. In this instance, you may wish to hire a service engineer to pinpoint and also resolve the issue as there are safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical elements uncovered.