Why is My Dishwasher Leaking? | Waukegan Appliance Repair

Coming downstairs to step in an ominous puddle on the floor is never the best to start the day.

Thankfully, most simple explanations of dishwasher faults are comparatively simple to pinpoint and resolve on your own. Meaning you could not need to hand wash the dishes for more than a day or two, take a day off waiting for an repair person or have to pay a high call-out charge.

So, get out the manual if you can, clean up the mess and get something clean up any additional spills and so find out whether you can find a DIY solution. If you aren’t able to call us for local dishwasher repair.

Everyday Explanations of Dishwasher Faults and How to Fix Them

Many of the more everyday causes of dishwasher leaks aren’t in fact because of a dishwasher fault at all. Before you start preparing yourself for an engineering task and looking at numerous youtube tutorials there are a number of issues you should rule out first.

Investigate to find out whether your dishwasher is aligned. If the dishwasher isn’t aligned water will quickly puddle as well as spill out regardless of whether or not the dishwasher has a fault.
Test you have been using the proper detergent. You might have seen this with your washing machine. An excess of soap or the wrong type could lead an excess of bubbles, the bubbles bubble over and so you get a leak.
Investigate your dishwasher door closes fully. If there’s a gap there may be an obstruction, or you may have to fix the door fixings.
Investigate the filter located at the base of the machine for any easy to see obstructions as if your dishwasher isn’t emptying effectively this is likely to 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 begin the investigation.

The easiest place to start is the door and investigate for any obvious problems within of the machine prior to moving on to the underneath. If you can find and so fix the leak without pulling 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 most common place for a dishwasher to leak is around the door, fortunately it is also one of the easiest issues to resolve.

If the leakage is periodic the problem may be as simple as a large plate or something else pushing against the door thus preventing the door from sealing correctly.

Otherwise the door gasket may have come loose or been split.

Examine the door gasket and also test for any cracks, a build-up of limescale or other debris, or any areas in which the gasket might have come away from the door.

Extracting the seal and giving it a thorough wash can help in some instances or you might be required to buy a new gasket and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The water inlet valve can be a further simple problem. This is in most cases situated under the machine therefore you may have to take off the toe board and might need to take off the door cover.

The water inlet valve opens and also closes to let water into the machine at varying parts of the programme. The inlet valve might be leaking, shown by a slight drip, or it may be broken thus not operating correctly while the dishwasher is running.

In the case that the water inlet valve doesn’t shut fully this can lead to the dishwasher leaking.

Often these valves can’t be fixed unless it is only the rubber seal that is broken, and so the whole part would need to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Your dishwasher uses hoses to fill, drain and redistribute water within the programme.

Two issues can develop where hoses are involved.

The seals could go or the connections could come loose meaning it’s worth checking all the connection points first.
The other problem than may often develop over time is that hoses can be degraded or get a hole in.

Luckily broken hoses are relativelyeasy to procure as well as change.

Pumps and Seals

You are able to visually test the seals around the pumps or motor to ascertain whether there is a leak and change them if there is.

The Float Switch

The float itself or the float switch might be broken resulting in the dishwasher overfilling.

A working float will go up as the water rises until the desired or maximum water level is reached. The end piece of the float will then turn on the switch. A blockage or breakage could be your problem.

Checking the switch would need electrical equipment but it could be noticeably damaged in which case getting a new one should stop the leak.

Other Components that Could Cause a Leak

A cracked wash arm or support could build up pressure causing leakage. This can likewise often result in your dishes not being cleaned as effectively as they should.

Broken or cracked tubes could likewise cause this problem as can a loose pump cap if your dishwasher has one.

The motor shaft seal might have come loose causing a leak. This generally presents as a leak coming from the underside of the appliance.

Top Tips to Sort Out Your Dishwasher

Spend less by changing the seal rather than the entire part. In most cases, you can buy the seal separately which saves time as well as money.
Check the quick fixes before you get more complicated. You don’t need to pull the whole machine out if the problem is the soap.
Photograph your progress. This may help you put the machine back together, explain the component you need in a store, and explain the problem to an engineer if needed.
Stay safe. Water and electricity do not mix so turn off the power first.
If you’re not sure get in the professionals.

What To Do Next If Your Trouble Shooting Fails to Identify or Resolve the Leak

If the root of the leakage remains a mystery the thing you can do is to pull the machine away from the wall to get a clearer view of the beneath it and also fill it with water to find out if the leakage presents itself.

If this gives no further clues your machine could only show a leakage if it’s running. If this is the case, you should hire a qualified technician to determine as well as fix the issue as there are safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical parts exposed.