Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Coming downstairs to step in an ominous puddle coming from the dishwasher is never a great to start the day.

Fortuitously, most common causes of dishwasher faults are comparably straightforward to determine and resolve on your own. This means you could not have to hand wash the dishes for too long, spend a day at home waiting for an engineer or need to pay the call-out fee.

So, find the instruction manual if you know where it is, grab an old towel to clean up the puddle and so get something soak up any further spills and see if you can’t fix the problem. If you can’t call us for local dishwasher repair.

Commonly Seen Causes of Dishwasher Leaks as well as How to Mend Them

A lot of the more commonly seen causes of dishwasher leaks aren’t actually due to a dishwasher issue at all. Before you start preparing yourself for an engineering task and looking at numerous YouTube videos there are a few things you should rule out first.

Check to see whether your dishwasher is aligned. If your dishwasher is misaligned water can easily pool as well as leak without there being anything that needs to be fixed or replaced.
Investigate you are using the proper detergent. You might have seen this with your washer. Too much soap or the incorrect variety could result in an excess of bubbles, the suds deluge and so you get a leak.
Investigate your dishwasher door fully closes. If there’s a gap you might have an object blocking it, or you may need to adjust the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Investigate the filter at the base of the machine for any obvious obstructions because if your dishwasher isn’t draining correctly this can result in fill too much and leak.

If you have looked at these issues it’s time to roll up your sleeves and begin the inspection.

The easiest place to start is the door and investigate for any visible damage inside of the machine before you move on to the underside. If you can find and mend the problem without pulling out the dishwasher so much the better.

And make sure you disconnect the appliance first by either unplugging it or turning off the circuit breaker for the dishwasher.

Door Seal

The most common place for a dishwasher to leak is on the door, luckily it is also one of the quickest problems to solve.

If the leakage is occasional the issue could be as straightforward as an oversize dish or another object putting pressure into the door thus stopping the door from sealing properly.

On the other hand the door seal might have been dislodged or been cracked.

Check the door seal and investigate for any degradation, mineral deposits or other gunk, or any tracts where the gasket might have come away from the door.

Removing the gasket and giving it a good wash could improve the situation in some instances or you could have to purchase a new seal and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The water inlet valve can also be a common problem. This is usually located under the machine therefore you will most likely need to remove the toe board and could need to remove the door cover.

The inlet valve opens and closes to let water into the machine at various parts of the program. The water inlet valve could be showing a leak, shown with a slow drip, or it could be broken and not opening or closing fully throughout the program.

If the water inlet valve fails to shut correctly this can mean that the dishwasher overfills, causing a leak.

Usually these valves cannot be refurbished unless it is just the rubber seal that is damaged, which means the whole part would need to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to fill, empty as well as recirculate water within the program.

Two issues could present themselves when it comes to hoses.

The seals might break or the contact points might come loose thus it’s worth examining all the connections first.
The other problem than may often happen over time is that hoses might be damaged or get a hole in.

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

Pumps and Gaskets

You are able to visually test the rubber gaskets that are part of the water pumps or motor to see whether there is a leak and also replace them if that’s the case.

The Float Switch

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

When operating as it should the float will go up as the water level goes up until it reaches the desired fill level. The tag of the float would then turn on the switch. If something is blocking this or the float is broken this could be causing your issues.

Checking the switch will require a multi-meter but it could be noticeably broken in which case getting a new one should stop the leak.

Other Parts that May Result in Leakage

A broken wash arm or support can force water under the door resulting in a leak. This could also often affect how well your dishes are being cleaned.

Broken or cracked lines could also result in this fault as can a cracked pump cover.

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

Top Tips to Mend Your Machine

Save money by checking the seal rather than the whole part. In many situations, you are able to buy the gasket separately which saves time as well as money.
Test the easy solutions first. There’s no point pulling the entire thing away from the wall if it’s the detergent that’s making the issue.
Take photos at each step. This can assist you to put the thing back together, show the part you are looking for in a store, and also explain the problem to a repair person if needed.
Stay safe. Water and electricity do not mix so turn off the power first.
If in doubt call a repair person.

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

If the root of the leakage can’t be discovered the next step you can take is to pull the dishwasher away from the wall to get a clearer view of the beneath it and fill it with water to find out if the leakage can be seen that way.

If you are still in the dark your appliance may only leak if the pump is running. If this is the case, you may wish to find a appliance repair person to diagnose and also fix the leak as there are safety risks of running the dishwasher with electrical elements exposed.