Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Entering the kitchen to discover an ominous puddle coming from the dishwasher is never a great to start the day.

Fortuitously, most commonplace causes of dishwasher faults are comparatively simple to pinpoint and fix yourself. Meaning you might not be required to hand wash the dishes for too long, spend a day at home waiting for an engineer or need to pay the call-out charge.

So, grab the instruction manual if you can, clean up the mess and get a towel soak up any further leaks and see whether you can’t fix the problem. If you aren’t able to call us for local dishwasher repair. We proudly serve El Paso Texas!

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

A lot of the most commonly seen sources of dishwasher leaks are not really because of a dishwasher issue at all. Prior to starting preparing yourself for an engineering task and watching endless online videos there are a couple of things you should rule out first.

Test to see if your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher is not level water can quickly pool and so spill out regardless of whether or not the dishwasher has a fault.
Check you are using the correct detergent. You could have seen this with your washer. Too much detergent or the wrong variety could lead to too many bubbles, the soap suds spill over and so you get a spill.
Investigate your dishwasher door closes correctly. If there’s a gap there may be a blockage, or you may have to replace the door fixings.
Test the filter located in the bottom of the tub for any visible obstructions as if your dishwasher isn’t draining effectively this can result in overfill and so spill.

If none of the above issues apply it’s time to get ready and really begin a thorough check.

The easiest place to start is the door as well as check for any visible damage within of the machine prior to moving on to the underside. If you are able to find and mend the leak before you have to pull out the dishwasher you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle.

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 commonplace place for leakage is on the door, thankfully it is also one of the easiest issues to fix.

If the leak is occasional the problem may be as simple as a big pan or something else pushing against the door thus stopping it from closing fully.

On the other hand the door gasket might have been dislodged or been split.

Inspect the door seal and investigate for any brittleness, mineral deposits or other deposits, or any tracts where the gasket might have separated from the door.

Taking off the seal and allowing it a comprehensive clean can help in some instances or you might need to acquire a new seal and change it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The fill valve can also be a common fault. This is generally located underneath the machine which means you may need to remove the toe board and also may have to remove the door cover.

The fill valve opens and also closes to let water into the dishwasher at varying parts of the cycle. The inlet valve may be damaged, evidenced with a slow drip, or it may be damaged and so not functioning fully while the dishwasher is running.

In the case that the fill valve doesn’t close correctly this can result in the dishwasher overflowing.

Generally these valves cannot be repaired, and so the whole part would need to be changed.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to fill, empty and also redistribute water during the cycle.

Two problems can develop with hoses.

The seals may break or the connections can come loose meaning it’s a good idea to check all the connections first.
The alternative fault than can often develop as time goes by is that hoses might become damaged or cracked.

If you are able to see that the leak is coming from a hose this will be relatively simple to replace and spare hoses are easy to procure.

Pumps and Gaskets

You are able to visually check the rubber seals surrounding the pumps or motor to see if there is a leak as well as replace them if there is.

The Float Switch

Either the float or the float switch might be damaged resulting in the dishwasher overfilling.

A working float will lift up as the water rises until the optimum or highest water level is reached. The tag of the float should then turn on the switch. If something is blocking this or the float is broken this could be your issues.

Checking the switch would need a multi-meter although it may be noticeably broken in which case getting a new one should solve the problem.

Other Parts that May Cause Leakage

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

Broken or faulty tubes can also cause this problem as can a damaged pump cap.

The motor shaft seal might have cracked resulting in a leak. This generally presents as leakage coming from the underside of the machine.

Top Tips to Sort Out Your Dishwasher

Spend less by changing the seal in place of the entire component. In many situations, you are able to purchase the seal separately which saves time as well as money.
Investigate the easy solutions first. You don’t need to pull the whole machine away from the wall if it’s the detergent that’s causing the problem.
Take pictures at each step. This could make your life easier when you come to reverse the process, explain the part you need in a shop, as well as identify the issue to an engineer if required.
Stay safe. Water and electricity are not good friends so turn off the power first.
If in doubt call a professional.

The Next Steps You Should Take If Your Initial Investigation Fails to Identify or Fix the Leakage

If the cause of the leakage remains a mystery the thing you can do is to pull out the machine to get a better look underneath it and also add water to the tub to find out whether the leak presents itself.

If this gives no further clues your dishwasher may only leak when it’s running. If this is the case, your best bet would be to hire a repairman to pinpoint and also fix the issue as there are safety risks of checking for faults with electrical parts uncovered.