Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Coming downstairs to find an ominous puddle coming from the dishwasher is never the best to start the day.

Fortunately, most commonly seen explanations of dishwasher leaks are relatively simple to diagnose and fix by yourself. Meaning you might not need to hand wash the dishes that much, take a day off waiting for an repair person or need to pay the call-out charge.

So, grab the manual if you have it, get a towel to clean up the puddle and so get a towel clean up any additional leaks and so see if you can’t fix the problem. If you aren’t able to call us for local dishwasher repair.

Simple Causes of Dishwasher Leaks and How to Resolve Them

Many of the more everyday sources of dishwasher faults aren’t in fact a result of a broken dishwasher . Before you start preparing yourself for an engineering task and watching numerous youtube videos there are a number of problems you can rule out first.

Test to see if your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher isn’t aligned water can easily puddle and so spill out even if the dishwasher is working perfectly.
Check you have been using the correct soap. You may have seen this with your washer. Too much detergent or the wrong variety could lead to too many bubbles, the soap suds overflow resulting in a spill.
Check your dishwasher door closes correctly. If there’s a gap there may be an obstruction, or you may need to fix the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Check the filter located at the bottom of the machine for any obvious drainage issues as if your dishwasher isn’t draining properly this will result in overfill and spill.

If none of the above issues apply it’s time to get ready and start the inspection.

The easiest place to start is the door as well as check for any visible issues inside of the machine prior to moving on to the underneath. If you can find and so mend the issue without pulling out the dishwasher you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle.

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

Door Gasket

The most common place for leakage is around the door, thankfully it is likewise one of the easiest issues to fix.

If the leakage is intermittent the fault may be as straightforward as a big pan or another object pushing against the door thus stopping it from shutting properly.

On the other hand the door gasket might have come out of place or got damaged.

Examine the door gasket and also test for any brittleness, a build-up of limescale or other gunk, or any areas in which the gasket might have separated from the door.

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

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The water inlet valve can also be a simple fault. The inlet is generally found underneath the machine therefore you may need to take off the kick plate and also might have to unscrew the door cover.

The fill valve opens and also closes to let water into the machine at various parts of the cycle. The fill valve may be damaged, shown by a slow drip, or it might be damaged and not functioning fully while the dishwasher is running.

If the water inlet valve doesn’t close properly this can lead to the dishwasher overflowing.

Often these valves cannot be fixed unless it is only the rubber gasket that is faulty, and so the entire part would have to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Your dishwasher uses hoses to supply, empty as well as redistribute water within the cycle.

Two problems could arise where hoses are concerned.

The seals can get damaged or the contact points can come loose meaning it’s a good idea to have a look at all the connections .
The other issue than can easily happen over time is that hoses might become degraded or get a hole in.

Luckily damaged hoses are simple to procure as well as change, even for a novice.

Pumps and Gaskets

You are able to visually check the rubber gaskets surrounding the water pumps or motor to ascertain if there is a leak as well as replace them if there is.

The Float Switch

The float itself or the float switch could be faulty resulting in the dishwasher overfilling.

When working as it should the float will lift up with the water level until the optimum or highest water level is reached. The end piece of the float should then turn on the switch. A blockage or breakage could be causing your issues.

Testing the switch would need electrical equipment but it may be noticeably broken in which case getting a new one should stop the leak.

Alternative Parts that May Lead to a Leak

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

Broken or damaged tubes might likewise cause this problem as may a cracked pump cover if your machine has one.

The motor shaft gasket may have cracked resulting in a leak. This will generally show as a puddle coming from underneath the dishwasher.

Top Tips to Sort Out Your Machine

Save money by checking the seal instead of the entire part. In most situations, you are able to acquire the gasket without the rest of the part which saves you having to change the whole part.
Check the easy solutions first. You don’t need to pull the entire dishwasher away from the wall if it’s the soap that’s making the issue.
Take pictures at each step. This may make your life easier when you come to put the machine back together, show the component you need in a shop, as well as explain the problem to a repair person if needed.
Be careful. Water and electricity are not good friends so unplug the machine first.
If you’re struggling get in the professionals.

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

If the root of the leakage is still a mystery the next step you could take is to pull the dishwasher away from the wall to get a clearer view of the beneath it and also fill it with water to see if the leakage can be seen that way.

If this gives no further clues your machine might only show a leakage when the pump is running. In this case, you may wish to get a qualified technician to pinpoint as well as mend the issue as there are safety risks of checking for faults with electrical parts uncovered.