Walking into the kitchen and finding a big puddle of water coming out of the dishwasher is never the best way to start the day.
Fortunately, the most common sources of faults in dishwashers are relatively easy to diagnose and to fix all by yourself. That means you won’t have to spend more than a day or two washing dishes by hand, waiting for the handyman, or paying the call-out charge.
So if you feel like it, find the instruction manual if you can, clean up the puddle and get a towel to soak up any extra spills, and see if you can find a DIY solution.
If you aren’t able to call us for local dishwasher repair.
Simple Explanations of Dishwasher Faults as well as How to Mend Them
Many of the easier explanations of dishwasher faults aren’t in reality due to a dishwasher fault . Before you begin getting the repair equipment out and looking up on numerous online videos, there are more than a few of factors you must troubleshoot first.
- Do some investigation to see if your dishwasher is whether aligned or not. If your dishwasher is not leveled, the water can easily puddle and leak, whether the dishwasher is defective or not.
- Check that you have used the correct detergent. Perhaps you have already seen this with your washer. Too much detergent or the wrong brand can cause too much soapy water, overflowing bubbles and spills.
- Check if your dishwasher door closes all the way. If there is a gap, there may be a jam or the hinge or locking mechanism may need to be replaced.
- Check the filter in the base of the machine for any obvious drainage issues. If you’re not emptying your dishwasher the right way, it will cause it to overfill and spill.
If none of the above issues apply it’s time to roll up your sleeves and really start a thorough check.
To make your life easier start with the door and test for any visible issues in the interior of the machine before you move on to the underneath. If you can identify and fix the problem without pulling out the dishwasher you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle.
Before you do anything else make sure you disconnect the appliance.
Door Gasket
The door is seemingly the most everyday area for leakage and also one of the quickest problems to solve.
If the leakage is periodic the problem could be as easy as a big pan or something else pushing against the door thus stopping the door from shutting correctly.
On the other hand the door gasket could have come loose or got split.
Examine the door seal and test for any degradation, mineral deposits or other debris, or any tracts where the seal might have come away from the door.
Extracting the seal and also allowing it a good wash could improve the situation in some cases or you could have to acquire a new seal and replace it.
Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)
The water inlet valve can also be a everyday problem. It is usually found under the machine which means you will have to take off the kick plate and might need to unscrew the door cover.
The water inlet valve opens and closes to allow water into the tub at different parts of the cycle. The fill valve could be showing a leak, evidenced with a slow drip, or it could be broken and not functioning correctly throughout the programme.
In the case that the water inlet valve fails to close correctly this can lead to the dishwasher overfilling and result in a leak.
Usually inlet valve can’t be fixed unless it is only the rubber seal that is damaged, thus the whole valve would need to be changed.
Leaking Hoses
Your dishwasher uses hoses to supply, empty as well as redistribute water along the programme.
Two issues might present themselves when it comes to hoses.
- The seals may go or the connections might work loose meaning it’s a good idea to have a look at all the connections first.
- The alternative issue than might easily develop as you use the machine is that hoses can get damaged or get a hole in.
If you are able to see that the leakage is a result of a faulty hose this should be relatively easy to replace and spare hoses are readily available.
Pumps and Seals
You can visually test the rubber seals that are part of the water pumps or motor to determine whether there is a leak as well as replace them if that’s the case.
The Float Switch
Either the float or float switch may not be working properly which results in the dishwasher to overfill.
A working float rises with the water level until the optimal or higher water level is reached. The tail of the float should then activate the switch. If something is blocking this or the float is broken, this could be causing your problems.
Testing the switch would require electrical equipment, but it could obviously be damaged, in which case obtaining a new one should solve the problem.
Other Components that May Lead to Leakage
A damaged wash arm or bracket could cause a leak. This also often results in your dishes not being cleaned as effectively as they should be.
Broken or cracked tubes can also cause this error, as can a damaged pump cover.
The motor shaft gasket may have come loose, resulting in leakage. This usually shows up as a leak coming from the bottom of the appliance.
Top Tips to Mend Your Machine
- Spend less by changing the seal rather than the entire component. In plenty situations, you can buy the seal without the rest of the part which saves you having to replace the whole component.
- Check the easy fixes first. You don’t need to pull the whole thing away from the wall if it’s the detergent that’s causing the issue.
- Take pictures as you go along. This can make your life easier when you come to put the machine back together, describe the component you need in a store, as well as explain the problem to an engineer if needed.
- Be careful. Water and electricity do not mix so turn off the power first.
- If you’re not sure get in the professionals.
The Next Steps You Should Take If Your Initial Investigation Fails to Identify or Mend the Leakage
If you can’t find the source of the leakage, you can take out the dishwasher to have a better look underneath and also fill it up with water to find out if the leak presents itself.
If this doesn’t shed any light, your appliance may just be leaking during operation. In this case you will need to hire a service technician to identify and fix the fault as there are safety hazards in troubleshooting with exposed electrical components.