Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Entering the kitchen only to discover an ominous puddle on the floor is never a great to start the day.

Fortunately, most simple explanations of dishwasher leaks are relatively straightforward to determine and resolve yourself. Meaning you may not have to wash the dishes by hand for too long, stay at home waiting for an repair person or have to pay the call-out fee.

So, get out the manual if you have it, clean up the puddle and so get something clean up any additional spills and so see whether you can’t diagnose the fault. If you can’t call us for local dishwasher repair.

Everyday Sources of Dishwasher Faults as well as How to Fix Them

Some of the most commonly seen causes of dishwasher leaks aren’t in fact a result of a broken dishwasher . Prior to starting preparing yourself for an engineering task and watching endless online videos there are a number of problems you should rule out first.

Check to find out if your dishwasher is level. If the dishwasher is not level water will quickly pool and spill out without there being anything that needs to be fixed or replaced.
Check you have been using the right soap. You may have seen this with your washing machine. Too much soap or the incorrect variety may result in to too many suds, the bubbles overflow resulting in a leak.
Test your dishwasher door fully closes. If it doesn’t there may be a blockage, or you may have to adjust the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Check the filter at the bottom of the machine for any easy to see drainage issues as if your dishwasher isn’t emptying correctly this is likely to cause it to overfill and leak.

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

To make your life easier start with the door and check for any obvious damage within of the machine before you move on to the underneath. If you are able to find as well as resolve the issue before you need to pull out the dishwasher so much the better.

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

Door Seal

The door is no doubt the most simple area for a dishwasher to leak and one of the easiest issues to solve.

If the leak is intermittent the problem could be as simple as a big pan or another object pushing against the door and preventing it from sealing fully.

Otherwise the door gasket could have been dislodged or become cracked.

Examine the door gasket and also investigate for any brittleness, mineral deposits or other deposits, or any tracts in which the seal has come away from the door.

Taking off the seal and allowing it a good clean might improve the situation in some instances or you might be required to purchase a new gasket and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The water inlet valve can be another commonplace problem. The Valve is usually found on the underbelly of the machine which means you will most likely have to remove the toe board and may have to remove the door cover.

The fill valve opens and closes to let water into the dishwasher at varying times in the cycle. The inlet valve could be leaking, evidenced with a slight drip, or it might be broken and so not functioning fully throughout the cycle.

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

Generally fill valve are not able to be repaired unless it is just the rubber seal that is damaged, thus the entire part would have to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Your dishwasher uses hoses to fill, empty and recirculate water along the cycle.

Two problems may develop where hoses are involved.

The seals might break or the contact points may come loose meaning it’s worth checking all the connections .
The other issue than can easily happen over time is that hoses might be degraded or get a hole in.

If you can determine that the leakage is coming from a hose this will be relatively simple to replace and spare hoses are readily available.

Pumps and Seals

You can visually check the rubber seals around the water pumps or motor to see if there is a leakage as well as change them if there is.

The Float Switch

Either the float or the float switch might be not working correctly resulting in the dishwasher overfilling.

When operating as it should the float will rise with the water level until the optimum or highest water level is reached. The tag of the float will then operate the switch. A blockage or breakage could be causing your problem.

Checking the switch will require electrical equipment although it might be noticeably broken in which case replacing it should solve the problem.

Alternative Components that Could Result in Leakage

A damaged wash arm or support could resulting in a leak. This will likewise often affect how well your dishes are being cleaned.

Broken or cracked lines can likewise cause this issue as can a broken pump cover.

The motor shaft gasket might have cracked causing a leak. This generally presents as leakage coming from the underside of the dishwasher.

Top Tips to Fix Your Machine

Spend less by changing the seal rather than the whole part. In most instances, you are able to buy the seal without the rest of the part which saves you having to replace the whole part.
Investigate the quick solutions before you get more complicated. You don’t need to pull the entire machine away from the wall if it’s the detergent that’s causing the problem.
Photograph your progress. This can help you reverse the process, show the part you need to a sales person, as well as explain the issue to a repair person if needed.
Be careful. Water and electricity do not mix so unplug the machine first.
If in doubt call a repair person.

What To Do Next If Your Trouble Shooting Fails to Identify or Mend the Leak

If the cause of the leak is still a mystery the next step you may take is to pull the machine away from the wall to get better access underneath it and also add water to the tub to see whether the leak becomes visible.

If this gives no further clues your machine might only show a leakage when the pump is running. If this is the case, you may wish to hire a appliance repair person to determine and fix the leak as there are safety risks of checking for faults with electrical elements uncovered.