Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Entering the kitchen to discover a large puddle coming from the dishwasher is never the best to start the day.

Fortuitously, most everyday causes of dishwasher faults are comparatively easy to determine and resolve by yourself. This means you could not need to wash the dishes by hand for too long, stay at home waiting for an engineer or have to pay the call-out fee.

So, if you’re feeling up to it grab the instruction manual if you know where it is, clean up the mess and so get something soak up any additional spills and see if you can’t fix the problem. If you cannot call us for local dishwasher repair.

Simple Sources of Dishwasher Leaks as well as How to Fix Them

Many of the most common explanations of dishwasher leaks are not actually because of a dishwasher fault at all. Before you start preparing yourself for an engineering task and flicking through numerous youtube tutorials there are a number of issues you should troubleshoot first.

Test to find out if your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher is not aligned water will quickly puddle and spill out regardless of whether or not the dishwasher has a fault.
Test you are using the correct soap. You may be aware of this problem with your washing machine. An excess of soap or using the wrong variety can lead an excess of bubbles, the bubbles bubble over and you get a leak.
Check your dishwasher door closes correctly. If it doesn’t you may have something blocking it, or you might have to replace the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Test the filter in the bottom of the tub for any visible obstructions because if your dishwasher isn’t draining correctly this will cause it to fill too much and leak.

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 as well as investigate for any visible damage inside 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 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 commonly seen place for a dishwasher to leak as well as one of the simplest issues to resolve.

If the leak is occasional the problem may be as easy as an oversized dish or something else pushing into the door thus stopping it from closing fully.

Otherwise the door seal could have come out of place or become damaged.

Inspect the door seal and also investigate for any brittleness, mineral deposits or other debris, or any areas where the seal has separated from the door.

Removing the gasket and allowing it a good scrub has been known to help in some instances or you might be required to purchase a new gasket and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The inlet valve can also be a common issue. It is in most cases found on the underbelly of the machine which means you may need to unscrew the kick plate and also could have to unscrew the door cover.

The inlet valve opens and also closes to let water into the dishwasher at different parts of the cycle. The fill valve may be damaged, shown with a slow drip, or it may be damaged and not opening or closing correctly throughout the cycle.

When the water inlet valve fails to close properly this can mean that the dishwasher overfills, causing a leak.

Usually fill valve can’t be refurbished, thus the entire component would need to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Your dishwasher uses hoses to supply, empty and recirculate water along the cycle.

Two issues can arise when it comes to hoses.

The seals may break or the contact points can work loose meaning it’s worth checking all the connection points first.
The other issue than can easily happen as you use the machine is that hoses may become damaged or get a hole in.

If you can determine that the leakage is coming from a hose this will be easy to replace and new hoses are easy to come by.

Pumps and Gaskets

You are able to visually check the rubber gaskets around the pumps or motor to see if there is a leak as well as replace them if there is.

The Float Switch

Either the float or the float switch might be damaged resulting in the dishwasher overfilling.

A working float will rise with the water level until the optimum or highest water level is attained. The end piece of the float will then turn on the switch. A blockage or breakage could be causing your issues.

Testing the switch would need a multi-meter although it could be obviously damaged in which case replacing it should stop the leak.

Other Components that May Result in Leakage

A cracked wash arm or support may resulting in a leak. This will likewise often result in your dishes not being cleaned as effectively as they should.

Broken or faulty lines might also cause this fault as could a cracked pump cap.

The motor shaft gasket may have degraded causing leakage. This generally presents as a leak coming from underneath the machine.

Top Tips to Fix Your Dishwasher

Save money by replacing the gasket instead of the whole part. In plenty cases, you can buy the seal separately which saves time as well as money.
Investigate the quick fixes first. You don’t need to pull the whole thing out if the problem is the soap.
Photograph your progress. This could assist you to reverse the process, explain the part you need to a sales person, and also identify the problem to an engineer if needed.
Be careful. Water and electricity are not good friends so unplug the machine first.
If you’re not sure get in the professionals.

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

If the cause of the leakage can’t be discovered the next step you can take is to pull the dishwasher away from the wall to get better access beneath it as well as add water to the tub to see if the leak presents itself.

If this doesn’t shed any light your appliance could only leak when it’s running. In this instance, you may wish to get a appliance repair person to diagnose and mend the leak due to the safety risks of checking for faults with electrical elements exposed.