Why is My Dishwasher Leaking? | Santa Barbara Appliance Repair

Entering the kitchen to discover a large puddle on the floor is never the best to start the day.

Thankfully, most commonplace sources of dishwasher faults are relatively easy to diagnose and fix on your own. This means you may not be required to wash the dishes by hand for too long, call an engineer or need to pay a high call-out fee.

So, grab the instruction manual if you have it, clean up the mess and so get a towel clean up any additional leaks and so see whether you can’t fix the problem. If you aren’t able to call us for local dishwasher repair.

Simple Causes of Dishwasher Faults as well as How to Resolve Them

Many of the more common explanations of dishwasher faults aren’t in fact because of a broken dishwasher . Prior to starting getting the tools out as well as flicking through numerous youtube videos there are a number of issues you should rule out first.

Check to find out whether your dishwasher is aligned. If the dishwasher is not level water will quickly pool and spill out without there being anything that needs to be fixed or changed.
Investigate you are using the proper detergent. You may be familiar with this issue with your washer. An excess of soap or using the incorrect type may result in an excess of suds, the bubbles bubble over and so you get a spill.
Investigate your dishwasher door fully closes. If it does not you might have an object obstructing it such as a large plate, or you may need to adjust the door fixings.
Test the filter at the base of the tub for any easy to see obstructions because if your dishwasher isn’t draining properly this is likely to 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 begin a thorough check.

To make your life easier start with the door and test for any visible damage in the interior of the machine prior to moving on to the underside. If you are able to find and mend the problem without pulling out the dishwasher so much the better.

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

Door Gasket

The door is no doubt the most everyday area for leakage as well as one of the easiest issues to resolve.

If the leak is intermittent the issue may be as easy as an oversized dish or another object pushing into the door thus preventing the door from sealing fully.

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

Examine the door seal and also test for any brittleness, mineral deposits or other deposits, or any tracts in which the seal might have come away from the door.

Taking off the gasket and giving it a comprehensive scrub might help in some instances or you may be required to acquire a new gasket and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The water inlet valve can also be a common fault. This is in most cases found on the underbelly of the machine so you may need to remove the toe board and also might have to take off the door cover.

The water inlet valve opens and closes to allow water into the machine at varying times in the cycle. The inlet valve might be damaged, evidenced by a slight drip, or it may be broken and so not operating correctly while the dishwasher is running.

When the inlet valve fails to close properly this can result in the dishwasher overfilling and result in a leakage.

In General these valves can’t be repaired unless it is only the rubber seal that is damaged, thus the entire valve would need to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to fill, drain as well as redistribute water along the programme.

Two issues could arise when it comes to hoses.

The seals might get damaged or the contact points may come loose thus it’s a good idea to have a look at all the connections first.
The other issue than may often happen as you use the machine is that hoses can become broken or get a hole in.

Luckily damaged hoses are simple to procure and replace, even for a novice.

Pumps and Gaskets

You are able to visually test the rubber seals around the pumps or motor to see whether there is a leakage and also replace them if there is.

The Float Switch

Either the float or the float switch may be faulty causing the dishwasher to overfill.

When working correctly the float will rise with the water level until it reaches the optimum fill level. The end piece of the float should then turn on the switch. If something is blocking this or the float is broken this could be your problem.

Testing the switch would need electrical equipment but it might be obviously broken in which case replacing it should stop the leak.

Other Parts that Could Lead to Leakage

A broken wash arm or support might force water under the door causing leakage. This could also often affect how well your dishes are being cleaned.

Broken or cracked tubes may likewise cause this issue as could a cracked pump cover.

The motor shaft gasket could have degraded causing a leak. This will generally show as a leak coming from underneath the dishwasher.

Top Tips to Fix Your Dishwasher

Spend less by replacing the gasket instead of the entire part. In most instances, you are able to acquire the seal separately which saves time as well as money.
Check the quick solutions first. You don’t need to pull the entire dishwasher away from the wall if it’s the soap that’s making the problem.
Take photos as you go. This might make your life easier when you come to reverse the process, explain the component you are looking for in a shop, and also explain the fault to an engineer if needed.
Be careful. Water and electricity are not good friends so unplug the machine first.
If in doubt get in the professionals.

The Next Steps You Should Take If Your Trouble Shooting Fails to Disclose or Resolve the Leak

If the cause of the leakage remains a mystery the next step you might take is to pull the machine away from the wall to get better access beneath it as well as add water to the tub to find out if the leak can be seen that way.

If this doesn’t shed any light your appliance may only show a leakage if during a cycle. If this is the case, you should find a service engineer to determine and also resolve the fault due to the safety risks of checking for faults with electrical parts uncovered.