Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Coming downstairs only to find a large puddle on the floor is never a great to start the day.

Fortunately, most common explanations of dishwasher leaks are comparably straightforward to diagnose and fix yourself. This means you might not need to wash the dishes by hand that much, call an engineer or have to pay the call-out charge.

So, if you’re feeling up to it get out the manual if you have it, clean up the puddle and get a towel clean up any further spills and see whether you can’t fix the problem. If you can’t call us for local dishwasher repair.

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

A lot of the more commonplace sources of dishwasher faults are not really a result of a dishwasher issue at all. Prior to starting getting the tools out as well as watching endless online tutorials there are a few things you might want to rule out first.

Test to find out whether your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher is wonky water will quickly pool and so spill out without there being anything that needs to be mended or changed.
Check you are using the right detergent. You could have seen this with your washing machine. Too much detergent or the incorrect variety may result in to too many soap suds, the soap suds deluge resulting in a spill.
Test your dishwasher door fully closes. If there’s a gap you could have something obstructing it such as a large plate, or you could have to adjust the door fixings.
Check the filter located in the base of the tub for any easy to see obstructions as if your dishwasher isn’t emptying effectively this will cause it to fill too much and leak.

If you have ruled out these potential problems it’s time to get ready and begin a thorough check.

The easiest place to start is the door and test for any obvious problems within of the machine prior to moving on to the underneath. If you can identify and fix the leak without pulling 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 commonplace area for leakage as well as one of the quickest issues to solve.

If the leakage is occasional the problem could be as straightforward as a large plate or something else pushing against the door thus stopping the door from closing properly.

On the other hand the door gasket might have come out of place or been cracked.

Inspect the door gasket and also investigate for any brittleness, mineral deposits or other gunk, or any parts where the gasket might have separated from the door.

Taking off the gasket and also giving it a thorough clean can help in some instances or you could be required to acquire a new gasket and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The fill valve can be another commonplace problem. The Valve is in most cases found underneath the machine therefore you will most likely need to take off the kick plate and might need to unscrew the door cover.

The water inlet valve opens and closes to let water into the tub at varying times in the cycle. The water inlet valve may be damaged, demonstrated by a slight drip, or it might be damaged and so not operating 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 leak.

Usually these valves are not able to be fixed unless it is only the rubber gasket that is faulty, thus the whole valve would need to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Your dishwasher uses hoses to fill, empty and also recirculate water within the programme.

Two complications could present themselves when it comes to hoses.

The seals might get damaged or the contact points can work loose meaning it’s worth examining all the connections first.
The alternative issue than can often happen as you use the machine is that hoses could be degraded or cracked.

Luckily faulty hoses are relativelyeasy to buy and replace, even for a novice.

Pumps and Seals

You can visually investigate the seals that are part of the water pumps or motor to ascertain if there is a leak and also replace them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

The float itself or the float switch might be damaged resulting in the dishwasher overfilling.

When operating correctly the float will rise as the water rises until it reaches the desired fill level. The end piece of the float would then turn on the switch. A blockage or breakage could be causing your issues.

Testing the switch will require electrical equipment but it could be noticeably damaged in which case getting a new one should stop the leak.

Alternative Parts that Could Result in a Leak

A broken wash arm or support may force water under the door resulting in a leak. This will also often result in your dishes not being cleaned as effectively as they should.

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

The motor shaft seal may have cracked resulting in leakage. This will generally show as a leak coming from the underside of the dishwasher.

Top Tips to Mend Your Machine

Spend less by replacing the gasket in place of the whole component. In many situations, you can buy the seal separately which saves time as well as money.
Test the simple resolutions before you get more complicated. You don’t need to pull the whole machine out if it’s the detergent that’s causing the leak.
Photograph your progress. This could help you reverse the process, show the part you need to a sales person, and also identify the fault to an engineer if needed.
Be careful. Water and electricity are not good friends so unplug the machine first.
If in doubt get in a repair person.

What To Do Next If Your Trouble Shooting Fails to Disclose or Mend the Leakage

If the root of the problem is still a mystery the thing you might do is to pull out the machine to get better access beneath it and fill it with water to see if the leak presents itself.

If you are still in the dark your dishwasher may only show a leakage if during a cycle. In this case, you may wish to employ a service engineer to pinpoint and fix the issue due to the safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical components uncovered.