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 simple causes of dishwasher faults are relatively easy to diagnose and mend on your own. This means you could not be required to wash the dishes by hand for too long, call an engineer or need to pay a high call-out fee.

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

Simple Sources of Dishwasher Leaks and How to Mend Them

Some of the more common causes of dishwasher leaks aren’t actually because of a dishwasher issue at all. Before you start getting the tools out and flicking through endless online videos there are a number of things you can troubleshoot first.

Investigate to find out whether your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher is wonky water will quickly puddle as well as leak regardless of whether or not the dishwasher has a fault.
Test you are using the proper soap. You might be aware of this problem with your washing machine. Too much soap or the incorrect variety could result in an excess of bubbles, the suds overflow and you get a spill.
Check your dishwasher door closes fully. If there’s a gap you may have an object obstructing it such as a large plate, or you could need to fix the door fixings.
Check the filter in the base of the machine for any obvious obstructions because if your dishwasher isn’t emptying properly this will cause it to fill too much and leak.

Once you have looked at these potential problems it’s time to get ready and begin a thorough check.

To make your life easier start with the door and check for any obvious problems within of the machine before you move on to the underside. If you are able to find and 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 door is seemingly the most simple place for a dishwasher to leak and one of the quickest issues to solve.

If the leakage is periodic the problem could be as easy as a large plate or something else putting pressure against the door thus stopping the door from sealing fully.

Otherwise the door gasket could have come out of place or got damaged.

Examine the door gasket and also check for any degradation, a build-up of limescale or other debris, or any tracts in which the gasket has separated from the door.

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

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The fill valve can be another common problem. The inlet is in most cases situated on the underbelly of the machine so you may have to remove the toe board and might have to take off the door cover.

The water inlet valve opens and also closes to allow water into the machine at various times during the programme. The fill valve might be showing a leak, shown with a slight drip, or it could be damaged thus not operating fully while the dishwasher is running.

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

In General these valves cannot be fixed, thus the whole part would need to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Your dishwasher uses hoses to fill, drain and also redistribute water within the cycle.

Two issues can present themselves where hoses are the cause.

The gaskets might go or the contact points might come loose thus it’s a good idea to have a look at all the connections .
The alternative problem than might often happen as you use the machine is that hoses could be degraded or get a hole in.

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

Pumps and Seals

You can visually investigate the seals surrounding the water pumps or motor to determine if there is a leakage and change them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

The float itself or the float switch could be faulty causing the dishwasher to overfill.

When working correctly the float will go up as the water rises until the optimum or highest water level is attained. The tag of the float will then operate the switch. A blockage or breakage could be causing your issues.

Testing the switch would need a multi-meter but it could be clearly broken in which case getting a new one should solve the leak.

Other Parts that Might Cause a Leak

A broken wash arm or support might build up pressure causing a leak. This could likewise often result in your dishes not being cleaned as effectively as they should.

Broken or cracked tubes might also cause this issue as can a broken pump cover.

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

Top Tips to Fix Your Machine

Save money by changing the seal in place of the whole part. In most cases, you are able to acquire the seal without the rest of the part which saves you having to change the whole part.
Investigate the quick resolutions before you get more complicated. There’s no point pulling the entire dishwasher away from the wall if the problem is the soap.
Photograph your progress. This might make your life easier when you come to put the thing back together, show the part you need in a store, and explain the problem to a repair person if needed.
Stay safe. Water and electricity do not mix 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 Fix the Leakage

If the cause of the leak can’t be discovered the next step you could take is to pull the dishwasher away from the wall to get better access beneath it and also fill it with water to see if the leakage can be seen that way.

If you are still in the dark your dishwasher might only show a leakage when the pump is running. In this instance, you may wish to hire a qualified technician to determine and resolve the leak as there are safety risks of checking for faults with electrical components uncovered.