Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Getting up in the morning to find an ominous puddle coming from the dishwasher is no-one’s chosen manner to start the day.

Luckily, most everyday causes of dishwasher faults are comparatively easy to diagnose and mend on your own. This means you may not have to wash the dishes by hand that much, call an engineer or have to pay a high call-out fee.

So, find the instruction manual if you know where it is, clean up the mess and get a towel soak up any further leaks and so see if you can’t find a DIY solution. If you cannot call us for local dishwasher repair.

Common Sources of Dishwasher Leaks as well as How to Resolve Them

A lot of the more everyday causes of dishwasher leaks are not really a result of a broken dishwasher . Prior to starting getting the tools out and also looking at endless youtube tutorials there are a couple of issues you should rule out first.

Investigate to find out if your dishwasher is aligned. If your dishwasher is wonky water will easily puddle and spill out without there being anything that needs to be mended or changed.
Check you have been using the proper detergent. You may be aware of this fault with your washing machine. Too much soap or the wrong type can lead to too many soap suds, the suds bubble over resulting in a spill.
Test your dishwasher door fully closes. If it does not you might have an object blocking it such as a large plate, or you could need to replace the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Check the filter at the bottom of the machine for any easy to see obstructions because if your dishwasher isn’t draining correctly this is likely to result in overfill and so spill.

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

To make your life easier start with the door and test for any obvious damage within of the machine before you move on to the underneath. If you are able to find and resolve the issue before you need to pull out the dishwasher so much the better.

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

Door Gasket

The door is probably the most common place for leakage as well as one of the simplest problems to fix.

If the leak is intermittent the problem may be as simple as an oversized dish or something else pushing into the door thus preventing the door from shutting fully.

Otherwise the door seal may have been dislodged or become damaged.

Check the door seal and check for any brittleness, a build-up of limescale or other debris, or any parts in which the gasket might have come away from the door.

Removing the gasket and giving it a comprehensive scrub can improve the situation in some instances or you may have to purchase a new gasket and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The water inlet valve can also be a common issue. It is generally situated on the underbelly of the machine and so you will most likely need to take off the toe board and also could need to take off the door cover.

The inlet valve opens and closes to allow water into the dishwasher at different times during the programme. The inlet valve may be leaking, shown by a slight drip, or it could be broken and so not functioning properly while the dishwasher is running.

In the case that the fill valve doesn’t close correctly this can lead to the dishwasher overfilling and result in a leak.

Usually these valves cannot be refurbished unless it is just the rubber seal that is faulty, thus the whole valve would have to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Your dishwasher uses hoses to fill, empty as well as redistribute water during the programme.

Two complications might present themselves with hoses.

The seals may break or the contact points might come loose so it’s a good idea to check all the connection points .
The alternative problem than might easily happen as time goes by is that hoses might get damaged or get a hole in.

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

Pumps and Gaskets

You are able to visually check the gaskets that are part of the water pumps or motor to see whether there is a leak and change them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

Either the float or the float switch could be not working correctly resulting in the dishwasher overfilling.

When working correctly the float will rise with the water level until it reaches the maximum fill level. The tag of the float would then operate the switch. A blockage or breakage could be causing your issues.

Testing the switch would need a multi-meter although it might be obviously damaged in which case replacing it should fix the issue.

Other Components that May Cause Leakage

A broken wash arm or support may causing a leak. This will also often affect how well your dishes are being cleaned.

Broken or cracked lines could also result in this issue as could a cracked pump cap.

The motor shaft seal may have come loose causing leakage. This generally presents as a puddle coming from the underside of the dishwasher.

Top Tips to Sort Out Your Dishwasher

Spend less by changing the seal instead of the whole component. In plenty situations, you can buy the seal without the rest of the part which saves time as well as money.
Check the easy solutions before you get more complicated. There’s no point pulling the entire machine out if the problem is the detergent.
Photograph your progress. This might make your life easier when you come to put the thing back together, show the component you need to a sales person, and explain the problem to an engineer if needed.
Be careful. Water and electricity are not good friends so turn off the power first.
If in doubt get in a professional.

The Next Steps You Should Take If Your Trouble Shooting Fails to Identify or Resolve the Leak

If the root of the leak is still a mystery the next step you can take is to pull out the dishwasher to get a better look underneath it as well as add water to the tub to find out if the leak becomes visible.

If this doesn’t shed any light your machine might only show a leakage when during a cycle. In this instance, you should employ a service engineer to pinpoint and resolve the problem due to the safety risks of checking for faults with electrical parts exposed.