Why is My Dishwasher Leaking? | Federal Way Appliance Repair

Entering the kitchen to step in an ominous puddle on the floor is never the best to start the day.

Fortuitously, most commonly seen explanations of dishwasher faults are relatively straightforward to pinpoint and fix yourself. This means you could not be required to wash the dishes by hand that much, stay at home waiting for an engineer or have to pay the call-out fee.

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

Everyday Sources of Dishwasher Leaks and How to Mend Them

Some of the more common sources of dishwasher leaks are not in fact a result of a dishwasher issue at all. Before you start preparing yourself for an engineering task as well as flicking through numerous online tutorials there are a few problems you might want to take a look at first.

Check to find out if your dishwasher is aligned. If your dishwasher isn’t aligned water can easily puddle and so spill out even if the dishwasher is working perfectly.
Investigate you have been using the right detergent. You may be familiar with this problem with your washer. An excess of soap or the incorrect type may lead an excess of suds, the bubbles spill over and so you get a spill.
Test your dishwasher door fully closes. If there’s a gap there may be a blockage, or you could have to adjust the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Test the filter located in the bottom of the tub for any visible obstructions because if your dishwasher isn’t emptying effectively this will cause it to fill too much and so leak.

Once you have looked at these issues it’s time to get ready and really start a thorough check.

To make your life easier start with the door and check for any visible damage within of the machine before you move on to the underneath. If you are able to identify as well as mend the issue before you have to pull 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 common place for leakage and also one of the simplest issues to resolve.

If the leakage is periodic the problem may be as easy as a big pan or something else putting pressure into the door and preventing the door from shutting correctly.

Otherwise the door seal might have come out of place or been damaged.

Check the door gasket and also check for any brittleness, a build-up of limescale or other gunk, or any areas in which the seal might have separated from the door.

Removing the seal and giving it a good scrub could help in some cases or you could be required to acquire a new gasket and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The water inlet valve can also be a commonplace fault. It is usually situated on the underbelly of the machine so you will most likely need to remove the kick plate and also may have to remove the door cover.

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

If the fill valve fails to shut correctly this can mean that the dishwasher overfills, causing a leak.

Often inlet valve cannot be refurbished, thus the entire valve would need to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to supply, empty and also redistribute water within the programme.

Two complications may develop where hoses are the cause.

The seals could go or the contact points might come loose so it’s worth having a look at all the connection points .
The alternative problem than may often happen over time is that hoses may become damaged or get a hole in.

Luckily damaged hoses are relatively easy to procure and also change, even for a novice.

Pumps and Gaskets

You can visually investigate the gaskets around the water pumps or motor to determine if there is a leakage and change them if there is.

The Float Switch

Either the float or the float switch could be not working correctly causing the dishwasher to overfill.

A working float will rise as the water rises until it reaches the maximum fill level. The tail of the float will then turn on the switch. A blockage or breakage could be your issues.

Checking the switch would need a multi-meter but it may be noticeably damaged in which case getting a new one should resolve the leak.

Other Parts that May Lead to a Leak

A cracked wash arm or support might build up pressure resulting in a leak. This will also often result in your dishes not being cleaned as effectively as they should.

Broken or faulty tubes could likewise result in this issue as might a broken pump cap.

The motor shaft seal might have degraded resulting in leakage. This generally presents as a leak coming from the underside of the dishwasher.

Top Tips to Mend Your Machine

Save money by changing the gasket in place of the whole component. In most instances, you are able to acquire the gasket without the rest of the part which saves time as well as money.
Test the easy resolutions first. You don’t need to pull the entire thing away from the wall if it’s the soap that’s causing the problem.
Take photos as you go along. This could make your life easier when you come to reverse the process, describe the part you are looking for to a sales person, as well as identify the issue to an engineer if required.
Be careful. Water and electricity are not good friends so unplug the machine first.
If you’re struggling call the professionals.

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

If the cause of the issue remains a mystery the next step you could take is to pull the machine away from the wall to get a better look beneath it as well as fill it with water to find out if the leakage becomes visible.

If this gives no further clues your machine may only show a leakage if it’s running. In this instance, you should get a qualified technician to determine and also fix the leak due to the safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical elements uncovered.