Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Getting up in the morning only to discover an ominous puddle on the floor is no-one’s chosen way to start the day.

Thankfully, most common sources of dishwasher leaks are relatively easy to determine and mend yourself. This means you may not be required to wash the dishes by hand for more than a day or two, call an engineer or need to pay a high call-out fee.

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

Commonplace Causes of Dishwasher Leaks and How to Resolve Them

Some of the more common sources of dishwasher leaks aren’t really because of a dishwasher issue . Prior to starting preparing yourself for an engineering task and watching endless online tutorials there are a few problems you can troubleshoot first.

Check to see whether your dishwasher is aligned. If the dishwasher is not aligned water will easily puddle as well as spill out regardless of whether or not the dishwasher has a fault.
Check you have been using the correct detergent. You may have seen this with your washer. An excess of soap or the incorrect variety can result in to too many soap suds, the soap suds overflow and so you get a spill.
Test your dishwasher door closes fully. If there’s a gap there may be an obstruction, or you could have to replace the door fixings.
Check the filter in the base of the machine for any obvious obstructions as if your dishwasher isn’t emptying properly this can result in fill too much and leak.

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

The easiest place to start is the door as well as check for any visible problems within of the machine prior to moving on to the underside. If you can identify and 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 Seal

The door is probably the most commonplace area for leakage and one of the quickest problems to resolve.

If the leak is intermittent the problem might be as straightforward as an oversized dish or another object putting pressure into the door and preventing it from sealing correctly.

Else-ways the door gasket may have been dislodged or got damaged.

Examine the door seal and check for any brittleness, mineral deposits or other debris, or any parts where the gasket might have separated from the door.

Removing the gasket and also allowing it a good clean might help in some cases or you could be required to buy a new seal and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The water inlet valve can also be a everyday fault. It is generally situated underneath the machine and so you will most likely need to take off the toe board and may need to take off the door cover.

The water inlet valve opens and also closes to let water into the dishwasher at various times during the programme. The inlet valve could be showing a leak, shown with a slow drip, or it might be damaged and not opening or closing fully while the dishwasher is running.

In the case that the fill valve doesn’t close fully this can mean that the dishwasher overfills, causing a leak.

In General fill valve are not able to be fixed, and so the whole valve would need to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to fill, empty and recirculate water within the programme.

Two issues could arise where hoses are involved.

The gaskets might get damaged or the contact points can come loose meaning it’s worth checking all the connection points .
The alternative issue than may often develop as you use the machine is that hoses could be damaged or cracked.

If you are able to see that the leakage is a result of a faulty hose this will be relatively simple to change and new hoses are easy to procure.

Pumps and Gaskets

You can visually check the rubber seals surrounding the 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 might be damaged resulting in the dishwasher overfilling.

When operating correctly the float will go up as the water level goes up until it reaches the highest fill level. The tag of the float will then operate the switch. If something is blocking this or the float is broken this could be your issues.

Testing the switch would need a multi-meter although it may be clearly damaged in which case replacing it should resolve the issue.

Other Parts that Could Result in Leakage

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

Broken or cracked tubes might also result in this problem as might a cracked pump cover if your dishwasher has one.

The motor shaft gasket might have cracked causing a leak. This generally presents as a leak coming from underneath the machine.

Top Tips to Fix Your Machine

Save money by changing the seal in place of the whole component. In many cases, you can acquire the gasket without the rest of the part which saves time as well as money.
Check the quick resolutions before you get more complicated. You don’t need to pull the entire thing away from the wall if the problem is the soap.
Take photos at each step. This may make your life easier when you come to put the thing back together, explain the part you need to a sales person, and identify the problem to a repair person if required.
Be careful. Water and electricity do not mix so unplug the machine first.
If in doubt get in the professionals.

The Next Steps You Should Take If Your Initial Investigation Fails to Disclose or Resolve the Leak

If the cause of the problem can’t be uncovered the thing you might do is to pull out the machine to get a clearer view of the underneath it and add water to the tub to see whether the leak can be seen that way.

If this doesn’t shed any light your machine could only leak when during a cycle. In this case, your best bet would be to find a qualified technician to diagnose as well as resolve the fault due to the safety risks of checking for faults with electrical elements uncovered.