Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Getting up in the morning to discover an ominous puddle on the floor is never the best to start the day.

Fortuitously, most commonly seen causes of dishwasher leaks are comparatively straightforward to determine and fix on your own. This means you could not need to hand wash the dishes that much, call an engineer or have to pay a high call-out charge.

So, if you’re feeling up to it get out the instruction manual if you have it, clean up the puddle and so get a towel soak up any additional leaks and see whether you can’t diagnose 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 most commonly seen sources of dishwasher leaks are not in fact due to a dishwasher issue at all. Before you start getting the tools out as well as watching numerous online tutorials there are a few problems you can take a look at first.

Test to see whether your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher is wonky water can quickly pool and so spill out regardless of whether or not the dishwasher has a fault.
Check you have been using the right detergent. You might be familiar with this fault with your washer. Too much soap or the incorrect type can result in an excess of soap suds, the soap suds spill over and you get a spill.
Investigate your dishwasher door fully closes. If it does not you may have an object obstructing it such as a large plate, or you may need to adjust the door fixings.
Check the filter located at the bottom of the tub for any visible drainage issues as if your dishwasher isn’t emptying effectively this is likely to result in overfill and spill.

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

The easiest place to start is the door and investigate for any obvious problems in the interior of the machine prior to moving on to the underside. If you are able to identify and mend the leak before you have to pull out the dishwasher so much the better.

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

Door Gasket

The most everyday place for leakage is around the door, thankfully it is also one of the simplest problems to fix.

If the leak is periodic the fault may be as straightforward as a large plate or something else pushing against the door and preventing the door from sealing correctly.

On the other hand the door seal may have come out of place or become cracked.

Inspect the door seal and also investigate for any cracks, a build-up of limescale or other debris, or any tracts where the gasket has come away from the door.

Extracting the seal and also allowing it a thorough clean might improve the situation in some instances or you may be required to purchase a new seal and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The water inlet valve can be a further everyday fault. The Valve is generally located on the underbelly of the machine and so you will most likely have to remove the toe board and may need to take off the door cover.

The inlet valve opens and also closes to allow water into the tub at varying times in the cycle. The water inlet valve may be leaking, evidenced with a slight drip, or it might be damaged thus not operating correctly throughout the programme.

In the case that the water inlet valve fails to shut correctly this can mean that the dishwasher overfills, causing a leak.

Usually inlet valve can’t be refurbished unless it is just the rubber gasket that is broken, and so the whole part would need to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to fill, drain and also recirculate water within the programme.

Two problems might present themselves when it comes to hoses.

The seals might get damaged or the connections could work loose thus it’s worth checking all the connections .
The alternative issue than can easily develop as you use the machine is that hoses could get damaged or get a hole in.

If you can determine that the leak is a result of a faulty hose this should be simple to change and replacement hoses are easy to procure.

Pumps and Seals

You are able to visually investigate the gaskets that are part of the water pumps or motor to determine whether there is a leak as well as change them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

The float itself or the float switch might be not working correctly causing the dishwasher to overfill.

When working correctly the float will rise with the water level until the desired or highest water level is reached. The tag of the float should then operate the switch. A blockage or breakage could be causing your issues.

Testing the switch will require electrical equipment but it might be clearly damaged in which case replacing it should stop the leak.

Other Components that May Cause Leakage

A damaged wash arm or support can build up pressure causing leakage. This will also often result in your dishes not being cleaned as effectively as they should.

Broken or cracked lines may also result in this issue as may a cracked pump cover.

The motor shaft gasket may have degraded resulting in leakage. This will generally show as a puddle coming from the underside of the appliance.

Top Tips to Sort Out Your Machine

Save money by changing the gasket instead of the whole part. In many instances, you are able to acquire the gasket without the rest of the part which saves time as well as money.
Test the easy solutions before you get more complicated. There’s no point pulling the whole thing away from the wall if the problem is the detergent.
Photograph your progress. This can assist you to put the thing back together, explain the component you are looking for to a sales person, and explain the fault to an engineer if needed.
Stay safe. Water and electricity do not mix so turn off the power first.
If in doubt call a professional.

The Next Steps You Should Take If Your Trouble Shooting Doesn’t Identify or Fix the Leak

If the root of the leak can’t be discovered the thing you could do is to pull out the machine to get better access underneath it and add water to the tub to find out whether the leak can be seen that way.

If you don’t discover any leakages with this method your machine could only show a leakage when it’s running. In this case, your best bet would be to employ a qualified technician to pinpoint as well as mend the problem as there are safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical components exposed.