Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Entering the kitchen only to discover an ominous puddle on the floor is no-one’s chosen way to start the day.

Thankfully, most simple sources of dishwasher leaks are relatively easy to determine and mend on your own. Meaning you may not need to wash the dishes by hand that much, wait for the repair man or need to pay a high call-out fee.

So, if you’re feeling up to it get out the instruction manual if you can, clean up the puddle and so get something soak up any further spills and see whether you can find a DIY solution. If you can’t call us for local dishwasher repair.

Commonly Seen Sources of Dishwasher Faults and How to Resolve Them

Many of the more commonplace causes of dishwasher leaks are not actually because of a dishwasher issue at all. Prior to starting getting the tools out and looking at numerous youtube videos there are a couple of problems you can rule out first.

Test to see if your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher is wonky water will quickly pool and so leak even if the dishwasher is working perfectly.
Check you are using the right detergent. You might have seen this with your washer. Too much detergent or using the incorrect variety can result in to too many bubbles, the suds spill over resulting in a spill.
Test your dishwasher door fully closes. If it does not there may be an obstruction, or you may need to fix the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Test the filter located at the base of the machine for any obvious drainage issues because if your dishwasher isn’t emptying effectively this can cause it to fill too much and so leak.

If none of the above issues apply it’s time to roll up your sleeves and really begin the inspection.

To make your life easier start with the door as well as check for any obvious damage inside of the machine before you move on to the underneath. If you are able to find as well as fix the problem before you have to pull out the dishwasher you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle.

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

Door Seal

The most usual place for a dishwasher to leak is around the door, luckily it is likewise one of the simplest issues to resolve.

If the leak is intermittent the fault might be as easy as a big pan or another object pushing into the door and stopping it from sealing fully.

Else-ways the door gasket might have been dislodged or got cracked.

Check the door seal and check for any cracks, mineral deposits or other debris, or any parts where the seal has separated from the door.

Removing the seal and also giving it a comprehensive wash could help in some cases or you might be required to purchase a new seal and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The inlet valve can be a further commonplace fault. The Valve is generally located under the machine therefore you will most likely have to take off the kick plate and may need to unscrew the door cover.

The water inlet valve opens and also closes to allow water into the dishwasher at varying times in the cycle. The water inlet valve could be leaking, demonstrated with a slight drip, or it may be damaged and so not opening or closing correctly while the dishwasher is running.

When the inlet valve fails to shut correctly this can result in the dishwasher overfilling and result in a leakage.

Generally fill valve cannot be fixed unless it is just the rubber gasket that is broken, which means the entire part would need to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to fill, drain as well as redistribute water within the programme.

Two issues could present themselves where hoses are the cause.

The seals can go or the contact points may work loose thus it’s worth checking all the connections first.
The other fault than could often develop over time is that hoses might get broken or cracked.

If you are able to see that the leak is coming from a hose this should be easy to change and new hoses are readily available.

Pumps and Gaskets

You can visually test the rubber gaskets around the water pumps or motor to see if there is a leak and also change them if there is.

The Float Switch

The float itself or the float switch may be not working correctly resulting in the dishwasher overfilling.

When operating correctly the float will go up as the water rises until it reaches the optimum fill level. The tag of the float would then turn on the switch. A blockage or breakage could be your problem.

Testing the switch will require a multi-meter but it could be obviously broken in which case getting a new one should stop the leak.

Alternative Parts that May Result in a Leak

A damaged wash arm or support might puch water under the door resulting in a leak. This will likewise often affect how well your dishes are being cleaned.

Broken or damaged lines might likewise result in this fault as might a damaged pump cover if your machine has one.

The motor shaft seal may have come loose causing a leak. This will generally show as a leak coming from underneath the appliance.

Top Tips to Fix Your Machine

Save money by checking the seal instead of the whole part. In many situations, you can buy the gasket without the rest of the part which saves time as well as money.
Check the easy resolutions first. There’s no point pulling the whole thing away from the wall if the problem is the soap.
Photograph your progress. This may help you reverse the process, explain the part you need to a sales person, as well as identify the problem to a repair person if needed.
Stay safe. Water and electricity are not good friends so unplug the machine first.
If in doubt get in a repair person.

The Next Steps You Should Take If Your Initial Investigation Fails to Identify or Mend the Leak

If the root of the leak remains a mystery the next step you can take is to pull the dishwasher away from the wall to get better access underneath it and add water to the tub to find out if the leak becomes visible.

If you are still in the dark your machine may only show a leakage when during a cycle. In this case, you should hire a service engineer to diagnose as well as resolve the problem due to the safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical components uncovered.