Why is My Dishwasher Leaking? | Davie Appliance Repair

Getting up in the morning only to find a large puddle on the floor is no-one’s chosen way to start the day.

Thankfully, most common explanations of dishwasher faults are comparatively easy to pinpoint and resolve by yourself. Meaning you may not have to wash the dishes by hand for too long, wait for the repair man or need to pay a high call-out charge.

So, get out the manual if you know where it is, clean up the mess and so get something clean up any additional leaks and so see if you can’t diagnose the issue. If you aren’t able to call us for local dishwasher repair.

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

Some of the most everyday sources of dishwasher faults are not actually due to a dishwasher issue . Prior to starting preparing yourself for an engineering task as well as looking at endless online videos there are a few problems you can rule out first.

Investigate to see whether your dishwasher is aligned. If your dishwasher isn’t level water can easily puddle and so leak regardless of whether or not the dishwasher has a fault.
Investigate you are using the proper soap. You may have seen this with your washer. Too much detergent or using the incorrect type could result in to too many soap suds, the suds bubble over resulting in a spill.
Check your dishwasher door closes correctly. If there’s a gap you may have something blocking it such as a large plate, or you could have to replace the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Check the filter located at the base of the tub for any visible drainage issues as if your dishwasher isn’t draining properly this will cause it to overfill and so leak.

If you have ruled out these issues it’s time to get ready and really begin the investigation.

To make your life easier start with the door and test for any obvious damage inside of the machine prior to moving on to the underside. If you can identify and so resolve the problem before you need to pull out the dishwasher you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle.

Before you do anything else make sure you unplug the appliance.

Door Seal

The door is seemingly the most everyday area for a dishwasher to leak and also one of the easiest issues to fix.

If the leakage is periodic the issue may be as easy as a big pan or another object pushing against the door and preventing the door from closing fully.

On the other hand the door seal might have come out of place or been damaged.

Examine the door seal and investigate for any cracks, a build-up of limescale or other deposits, or any areas in which the gasket has come away from the door.

Taking off the gasket and also allowing it a good clean has been known to improve the situation in some cases or you may be required to buy a new seal and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The water inlet valve can also be a simple fault. The Valve is usually situated underneath the machine therefore you will most likely need to remove the toe board and may have to take off the door cover.

The inlet valve opens and closes to let water into the dishwasher at different times during the cycle. The inlet valve might be showing a leak, shown with a slow drip, or it may be broken thus not operating fully while the dishwasher is running.

When the water inlet valve doesn’t close properly this can mean that the dishwasher overfills, causing a leak.

Generally these valves cannot be refurbished unless it is just the rubber gasket that is damaged, and so the whole valve would need to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Your dishwasher uses hoses to supply, drain as well as redistribute water during the cycle.

Two problems may develop where hoses are concerned.

The gaskets could get damaged or the contact points could come loose meaning it’s worth checking all the connections first.
The alternative issue than could often happen as you use the machine is that hoses might get degraded or get a hole in.

Luckily broken hoses are relativelyeasy to buy and also change, even for a novice.

Pumps and Seals

You can visually test the rubber gaskets around the water pumps or motor to ascertain if there is a leak and change them if there is.

The Float Switch

The float itself or the float switch may be not working correctly resulting in the dishwasher overfilling.

When operating as it should the float will lift up as the water rises until it reaches the optimum fill level. The end piece of the float will then activate the switch. If something is blocking this or the float is broken this could be your problem.

Testing the switch will require electrical equipment but it could be obviously damaged in which case getting a new one should resolve the leak.

Alternative Parts that May Lead to Leakage

A damaged wash arm or support can 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 might likewise cause this fault as could a loose pump cover.

The motor shaft seal could have cracked resulting in leakage. This will generally show as leakage coming from the underside of the appliance.

Top Tips to Fix Your Machine

Spend less by replacing the seal in place of the whole component. In many instances, you can buy the gasket without the rest of the part which saves you having to replace the whole part.
Test the quick fixes before you get more complicated. You don’t need to pull the entire thing out if it’s the detergent that’s making the problem.
Take pictures at each step. This might help you put the machine back together, explain the component you need to a sales person, and also explain the problem to a repair person if needed.
Stay safe. Water and electricity are not good friends so turn off the power first.
If you’re struggling get in a repair person.

The Next Steps You Should Take If Your Trouble Shooting Fails to Identify or Mend the Leak

If the root of the leakage can’t be uncovered the next step you might take is to pull out the machine to get a better look underneath it and fill it with water to find out if the leak can be seen that way.

If you are still in the dark your dishwasher might only show a leakage when during a cycle. In this instance, your best bet would be to find a qualified technician to diagnose and also fix the leak due to the safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical components uncovered.