Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Coming downstairs to find an ominous puddle on the floor is no-one’s favorite manner to start the day.

Luckily, most common sources of dishwasher faults are relatively straightforward to determine and mend yourself. This means you could not need to hand wash the dishes for too long, call an engineer or need to pay a high call-out charge.

So, grab the manual if you have it, clean up the mess and so get something soak up any further leaks and see if you can find a DIY solution. If you can’t call us for local dishwasher repair.

Common Causes of Dishwasher Leaks as well as How to Fix Them

A lot of the more commonly seen causes of dishwasher leaks are not in fact a result of a dishwasher issue at all. Prior to starting preparing yourself for an engineering task and flicking through numerous online videos there are a number of things you should take a look at first.

Investigate to find out whether your dishwasher is aligned. If the dishwasher isn’t aligned water will quickly puddle and so leak even if the dishwasher is working perfectly.
Check you are using the proper soap. You may be aware of this fault with your washing machine. Too much detergent or using the wrong variety could lead an excess of bubbles, the soap suds overflow and you get a spill.
Investigate your dishwasher door fully closes. If there’s a gap there may be a blockage, or you may have to fix the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Investigate the filter located at the base of the machine for any easy to see drainage issues because if your dishwasher isn’t draining properly this can cause it to fill too much and so spill.

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

To make your life easier start with the door and investigate for any obvious issues inside of the machine before you move on to the underneath. If you can identify and so fix the problem before you need 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 Gasket

The door is probably the most commonplace place for leakage and one of the simplest problems to fix.

If the leakage is intermittent the problem might be as straightforward as an oversized dish or something else pushing against the door and stopping it from closing properly.

Otherwise the door seal might have been dislodged or been split.

Check the door seal and test for any degradation, mineral deposits or other gunk, or any parts where the seal might have come away from the door.

Extracting the gasket and giving it a comprehensive clean might improve the situation in some cases or you could need to acquire a new gasket and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The fill valve can be a further commonly seen fault. This is in most cases found under the machine and so you will most likely need to remove the kick plate and might need to remove the door cover.

The water inlet valve opens and also closes to let water into the dishwasher at different parts of the cycle. The water inlet valve might be leaking, shown with a slow drip, or it might be damaged thus not opening or closing correctly while the dishwasher is running.

If the fill valve doesn’t shut correctly this can result in the dishwasher leaking.

Generally these valves cannot be fixed, which means the entire part would have to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Your dishwasher uses hoses to fill, drain as well as recirculate water within the cycle.

Two issues might develop where hoses are involved.

The gaskets might go or the contact points may come loose thus it’s a good idea to have a look at all the connection points first.
The alternative issue than may easily happen as you use the machine is that hoses might get damaged or cracked.

Luckily broken hoses are relativelysimple to buy as well as replace.

Pumps and Gaskets

You are able to visually test the rubber gaskets around the water pumps or motor to determine if there is a leak as well as replace them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

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

A working float will rise as the water level goes up until the optimum or highest water level is reached. The tag of the float would then operate the switch. If something is blocking this or the float is broken this could be your problem.

Checking the switch would need electrical equipment but it may be clearly damaged in which case getting a new one should resolve the problem.

Other Parts that Might Cause a Leak

A broken wash arm or support could build up pressure causing leakage. This can also often affect how well your dishes are being cleaned.

Broken or cracked lines can likewise cause this fault as might a damaged pump cover if your machine has one.

The motor shaft gasket could have cracked causing a leak. This will generally show as leakage coming from the underside of the appliance.

Top Tips to Sort Out Your Dishwasher

Spend less by checking the gasket rather than the entire component. In plenty situations, you are able to purchase the seal without the rest of the part which saves time as well as money.
Check the easy solutions before you get more complicated. You don’t need to pull the entire machine out if the problem is the soap.
Photograph your progress. This could make your life easier when you come to reverse the process, explain the part you need to a sales person, and explain the problem to an engineer if required.
Be careful. 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 Leak

If the cause of the leakage can’t be discovered the thing you can do is to pull the dishwasher away from the wall to get better access beneath it and also fill it with water to find out whether the leak can be seen that way.

If this doesn’t shed any light your appliance could only leak if the pump is running. In this case, you should find a service engineer to diagnose and also mend the leak due to the safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical components exposed.