Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Entering the kitchen to find a large puddle coming from the dishwasher is no-one’s favorite way to start the day.

Fortunately, most simple causes of dishwasher faults are relatively easy to determine and resolve on your own. Meaning you might not be required to hand wash the dishes that much, call an engineer or have to pay a high call-out fee.

So, grab the manual if you can, grab a towel to clean up the leak and get a towel clean up any additional leaks and so see if you can diagnose the issue. If you can’t call us for local dishwasher repair.

Commonly Seen Sources of Dishwasher Leaks as well as How to Fix Them

Some of the more simple sources of dishwasher leaks aren’t really because of a broken dishwasher . Before you start getting the tools out and looking at numerous online tutorials there are a few issues you can take a look at first.

Investigate to see whether your dishwasher is aligned. If your dishwasher is not level water can easily pool and so spill out without there being anything that needs to be mended or replaced.
Test you have been using the proper soap. You might have seen this with your washing machine. An excess of detergent or using the incorrect type could lead to too many suds, the soap suds spill over and you get a spill.
Investigate your dishwasher door fully closes. If it doesn’t you may have something blocking it, or you may need to fix the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Check the filter located at the bottom of the machine for any easy to see drainage issues because if your dishwasher isn’t emptying effectively this will result in fill too much and so spill.

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

To make your life easier start with the door and test for any visible issues inside of the machine before you move on to the underneath. If you are able to find and so fix the problem without pulling out the dishwasher so much the better.

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 seemingly the most simple area for leakage and also one of the simplest issues to solve.

If the leakage is occasional the fault may be as straightforward as a large plate or something else putting pressure into the door thus stopping it from closing fully.

On the other hand the door seal may have been dislodged or been damaged.

Inspect the door gasket and also check for any degradation, mineral deposits or other gunk, or any parts in which the seal has come away from the door.

Removing the seal and allowing it a good scrub might help in some instances or you may need to purchase a new gasket and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The water inlet valve can be a further commonplace issue. The inlet is generally situated on the underbelly of the machine therefore you will most likely have to unscrew the toe board and also could have to take off the door cover.

The fill valve opens and closes to let water into the machine at different times in the programme. The fill valve could be showing a leak, demonstrated by a slight drip, or it could be damaged thus not functioning fully throughout the programme.

When the fill valve fails to close properly this can mean that the dishwasher overfills, causing a leak.

Often fill valve cannot be fixed, thus the entire valve would need to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to supply, drain and also redistribute water along the programme.

Two issues might present themselves where hoses are involved.

The seals could get damaged or the contact points could work loose so it’s a good idea to check all the connections .
The other issue than might easily develop as time goes by is that hoses may get degraded or get a hole in.

Luckily faulty hoses are easy to buy and replace.

Pumps and Gaskets

You are able to visually test the gaskets that are part of the water pumps or motor to ascertain 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 may be broken resulting in the dishwasher overfilling.

When operating as it should the float will rise with the water level until the desired or highest water level is attained. The tail 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 could be noticeably broken in which case replacing it should resolve the leak.

Alternative Components that Might Lead to Leakage

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

Broken or faulty tubes might also result in this problem as may a loose pump cap.

The motor shaft seal may have degraded causing a leak. This generally presents as a leak coming from underneath the machine.

Top Tips to Sort Out Your Dishwasher

Spend less by changing the gasket instead of the whole part. In plenty situations, you can purchase the seal without the rest of the part which saves you having to replace the whole component.
Investigate the quick fixes first. There’s no point pulling the entire thing away from the wall if it’s the detergent that’s making the leak.
Take pictures as you go. This might help you reverse the process, explain the part you are looking for to a sales person, and also explain the fault to a repair person if required.
Stay safe. Water and electricity are not good friends so unplug the machine first.
If you’re struggling get in a repair person.

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

If the root of the issue is still a mystery the next step you can take is to pull the dishwasher away from the wall to get a clearer view of the underneath it and add water to the tub to see whether the leak becomes visible.

If this gives no further clues your dishwasher may only leak if it’s running. If this is the case, you may wish to get a service engineer to pinpoint and mend the problem as there are safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical components exposed.