Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Entering the kitchen to step in a large puddle coming from the dishwasher is never the best to start the day.

Thankfully, most commonplace causes of dishwasher leaks are comparably simple to determine and fix by yourself. Meaning you could not have to hand wash the dishes for more than a day or two, take a day off waiting for an engineer or have to pay a high call-out charge.

So, if you’re feeling up to it find the manual if you can, get a towel to clean up the puddle and so get something soak up any additional spills and so see if you can’t fix the problem. If you aren’t able to call us for local dishwasher repair.

Everyday Explanations of Dishwasher Leaks and How to Fix Them

A lot of the more simple causes of dishwasher faults aren’t really a result of a dishwasher issue at all. Before you start preparing yourself for an engineering task and flicking through endless youtube tutorials there are a number of issues you can take a look at first.

Test to see if your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher is not level water will quickly pool and so spill out regardless of whether or not the dishwasher has a fault.
Test you are using the right detergent. You could be familiar with this problem with your washing machine. Too much detergent or the incorrect type can lead to too many bubbles, the suds deluge and you get a leak.
Test your dishwasher door closes correctly. If it doesn’t there may be an obstruction, or you could need to replace the door fixings.
Check the filter located at the bottom of the tub for any easy to see obstructions because if your dishwasher isn’t draining correctly this will result in fill too much and so leak.

When you have eliminated these issues it’s time to get ready and start the investigation.

The easiest place to start is the door and check for any obvious damage inside of the machine before you move on to the underneath. If you can identify and resolve the leak without pulling out the dishwasher you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle.

And make sure you disconnect the appliance first by either unplugging it or turning off the circuit breaker for the dishwasher.

Door Gasket

The door is probably the most commonly seen area for a dishwasher to leak as well as one of the simplest issues to fix.

If the leakage is periodic the fault could be as easy as a big pan or another object pushing into the door and preventing the door from shutting fully.

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

Examine the door seal and also check for any cracks, mineral deposits or other gunk, or any parts in which the seal might have separated from the door.

Taking off the gasket and allowing it a good wash might help in some cases or you might need to buy a new seal and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The inlet valve can be another simple fault. The inlet is generally situated underneath the machine so you may need to unscrew the kick plate and also might need to unscrew the door cover.

The fill valve opens and closes to allow water into the dishwasher at various parts of the cycle. The fill valve may be leaking, demonstrated by a slow drip, or it may be damaged and so not opening or closing correctly during the cycle.

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

Generally these valves are not able to be refurbished, thus the whole component would need to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Your dishwasher uses hoses to fill, drain as well as recirculate water within the cycle.

Two issues can develop where hoses are concerned.

The gaskets may go or the contact points could come loose meaning it’s worth having a look at all the connections first.
The alternative issue than might often happen as you use the machine is that hoses may get broken or get a hole in.

If you can determine that the leakage is a result of a faulty hose this should be simple to replace and new hoses are readily available.

Pumps and Seals

You are able to visually check the rubber seals that are part of the water pumps or motor to determine whether there is a leak as well as replace them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

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

When working as it should the float will rise as the water level goes up until the desired or highest water level is attained. The end piece of the float would then turn on the switch. A blockage or breakage could be your problem.

Checking the switch would need electrical equipment but it may be clearly broken in which case replacing it should stop the leak.

Alternative Components that Might Result in Leakage

A damaged wash arm or support might build up pressure causing a leak. This could likewise often affect how well your dishes are being cleaned.

Broken or cracked lines could likewise cause this problem as can a loose pump cover if your machine has one.

The motor shaft gasket might have degraded causing leakage. This generally presents as a puddle coming from the underside of the appliance.

Top Tips to Fix Your Machine

Save money by changing the seal in place of the entire part. In most cases, you can purchase the seal without the rest of the part which saves time as well as money.
Check the quick fixes first. There’s no point pulling the whole dishwasher out if it’s the soap that’s causing the issue.
Photograph your progress. This might make your life easier when you come to put the thing back together, explain the component you are looking for to a sales person, as well as identify the issue to a repair person if required.
Be careful. Water and electricity are not good friends so unplug the machine first.
If in doubt call a repair person.

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

If the root of the leakage remains a mystery the next step you might take 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 see whether the leak presents itself.

If you don’t discover any leaks with this method your machine may only show a leakage when it’s running. In this case, you may wish to hire a service engineer to diagnose and also mend the fault due to the safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical parts uncovered.