Why is My Dishwasher Leaking? | Nashville Appliance Repair

Getting up in the morning to step in an ominous puddle on the floor is never a great to start the day.

Fortunately, most commonly seen causes of dishwasher faults are comparatively easy to diagnose and mend on your own. Meaning you may not be required to wash the dishes by hand for more than a day or two, spend a day at home waiting for an engineer or need to pay a high call-out charge.

So, if you’re feeling up to it grab the operating manual if you have it, find a towel to clean up the leak and so get a towel soak up any further spills and find out if you can’t diagnose the fault. If you can’t call us for local dishwasher repair.

Commonly Seen Sources of Dishwasher Faults and How to Resolve Them

Some of the more simple causes of dishwasher leaks are not actually due to a dishwasher fault at all. Before you start preparing yourself for an engineering task as well as looking at numerous youtube tutorials there are a few things you might want to troubleshoot first.

Test to find out if your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher is wonky water will easily pool and so spill out without there being anything that needs to be mended or replaced.
Test you have been using the correct soap. You may be aware of this problem with your washing machine. An excess of soap or using the wrong variety may result in to too many suds, the bubbles spill over and you get a leak.
Investigate your dishwasher door closes properly. If there’s a gap there may be an obstruction, or you might need to adjust the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Investigate the filter in the base of the machine for any obvious drainage issues as if your dishwasher isn’t draining properly this is likely to cause it to overfill and leak.

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

To make your life easier start with the door and test for any obvious issues in the interior of the machine prior to moving on to the underside. If you can find and so mend the leak without pulling out the dishwasher so much the better.

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 seemingly the most everyday place for leakage and also one of the quickest problems to resolve.

If the leak is occasional the fault could be as simple as a large plate or another object putting pressure against the door thus preventing the door from sealing properly.

Otherwise the door gasket may have come out of place or been cracked.

Inspect the door gasket and investigate for any cracks, mineral deposits or other deposits, or any areas in which the seal has separated from the door.

Extracting the gasket and also giving it a comprehensive wash could help in some instances or you could have to buy a new gasket and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The inlet valve can be a further everyday fault. This is generally situated under the machine so you will have to unscrew the toe board and could have to unscrew the door cover.

The inlet valve opens and closes to allow water into the dishwasher at varying parts of the cycle. The fill valve might be damaged, demonstrated by a slow drip, or it could be damaged and so not operating fully while the dishwasher is running.

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

In General these valves cannot be repaired unless it is just the rubber gasket that is broken, thus the entire valve would need to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

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

Two problems could develop where hoses are concerned.

The seals could break or the contact points can work loose meaning it’s a good idea to check all the connection points .
The other fault than can easily happen as you use the machine is that hoses may become broken or cracked.

Luckily faulty hoses are relatively easy to get hold of and change.

Pumps and Seals

You can visually test the gaskets around the pumps or motor to see whether there is a leak and replace them if there is.

The Float Switch

Either the float or the float switch could be broken resulting in the dishwasher overfilling.

When operating correctly the float will lift up as the water rises until the desired or highest water level is reached. The tag of the float would then activate the switch. A blockage or breakage could be your issues.

Checking the switch would need a multi-meter but it might be clearly broken in which case replacing it should resolve the problem.

Alternative Components that Might Result in a Leak

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

Broken or cracked tubes might likewise cause this issue as could a broken pump cover if your dishwasher has one.

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

Top Tips to Fix Your Machine

Spend less by changing the seal instead of the entire part. In most cases, you are able to purchase the gasket separately which saves time as well as money.
Investigate the simple resolutions first. There’s no point pulling the entire machine out if it’s the soap that’s causing the issue.
Take pictures as you go. This may help you put the thing back together, describe the component you need to a sales person, as well as identify the issue to an engineer if needed.
Stay safe. Water and electricity do not mix so unplug the machine first.
If in doubt call a professional.

The Next Steps You Should Take If Your Trouble Shooting Fails to Disclose or Resolve the Leakage

If the root of the leak can’t be discovered the thing you can do is to pull out the dishwasher to get a clearer view of the beneath it and add water to the tub to find out whether the leak becomes visible.

If this doesn’t shed any light your appliance may only show a leakage when it’s running. If this is the case, your best bet would be to get a qualified technician to pinpoint and resolve the issue as there are safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical parts uncovered.