Why is My Dishwasher Leaking?

Getting up in the morning only to find an ominous puddle on the floor is never a great to start the day.

Luckily, most everyday explanations of dishwasher faults are comparably simple to determine and fix yourself. Meaning you may not need to hand wash the dishes for too long, spend a day at home waiting for an repair person or need to pay the call-out charge.

So, get out the manual if you can, grab an old towel to clean up the leak and get a towel soak up any additional leaks and so see if you can’t fix the problem. If you can’t call us for local dishwasher repair.

Commonly Seen Causes of Dishwasher Leaks and How to Mend Them

Some of the most simple causes of dishwasher faults aren’t really due to a dishwasher fault at all. Prior to starting getting the tools out and looking at numerous youtube tutorials there are a number of problems you might want to troubleshoot first.

Check to see whether your dishwasher is level. If your dishwasher isn’t aligned water can quickly pool as well as spill out without there being anything that needs to be resolved or changed.
Test you have been using the correct soap. You could have seen this with your washing machine. Too much soap or using the incorrect variety can lead to too many bubbles, the soap suds bubble over and so you get a leak.
Test your dishwasher door fully closes. If it does not there may be an obstruction, or you may need to replace the hinge or the locking mechanism.
Check the filter located at the bottom of the tub for any visible obstructions as if your dishwasher isn’t emptying properly this is likely to cause it to overfill and spill.

Once you have looked at these potential problems it’s time to roll up your sleeves and start the investigation.

To make your life easier start with the door and check for any obvious issues inside of the machine prior to moving on to the underside. If you can find and so fix the problem without pulling out the dishwasher so much the better.

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

Door Gasket

The door is probably the most common place for leakage as well as one of the quickest issues to fix.

If the leakage is intermittent the fault could be as simple as an oversized dish or another object putting pressure against the door and preventing it from sealing correctly.

Else-ways the door gasket could have come out of place or got damaged.

Examine the door seal and also investigate for any cracks, a build-up of limescale or other deposits, or any areas in which the seal has come away from the door.

Extracting the seal and also giving it a thorough clean can help in some instances or you may need to acquire a new gasket and replace it.

Water Inlet Valve (Solenoid Fill Valve)

The fill valve can also be a everyday fault. The Valve is generally found on the underbelly of the machine so you will have to unscrew the toe board and could need to take off the door cover.

The water inlet valve opens and closes to allow water into the dishwasher at different parts of the cycle. The fill valve might be leaking, shown with a slow drip, or it could be broken and not operating correctly while the dishwasher is running.

If the water inlet valve doesn’t shut fully this can mean that the dishwasher overfills, causing a leak.

Generally water inlet valve can’t be refurbished unless it is just the rubber gasket that is damaged, and so the whole component would need to be replaced.

Leaking Hoses

Hoses are needed to fill, drain and also redistribute water along the cycle.

Two problems could arise where hoses are the cause.

The gaskets could get damaged or the connections can work loose meaning it’s a good idea to check all the connections first.
The other issue than can often happen as you use the machine is that hoses could get broken or get a hole in.

Luckily faulty hoses are easy to procure and also replace, even for a novice.

Pumps and Gaskets

You can visually test the seals that are part of the water pumps or motor to determine whether there is a leakage and change them if there is.

The Float Switch

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

A working float will go up as the water rises until the desired or highest water level is reached. The tag of the float would then operate the switch. A blockage or breakage could be causing your problem.

Testing the switch would need a multi-meter although it could be clearly damaged in which case getting a new one should resolve the issue.

Alternative Components that Could Cause a Leak

A broken wash arm or support could causing a leak. This could also often result in your dishes not being cleaned as effectively as they should.

Broken or cracked lines could also cause this fault as might a cracked pump cover if your machine has one.

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

Top Tips to Sort Out Your Dishwasher

Spend less by replacing the seal rather than the whole component. In most instances, you are able to buy the seal without the rest of the part which saves you having to replace the whole component.
Investigate the quick resolutions before you get more complicated. There’s no point pulling the whole dishwasher out if it’s the soap that’s causing the issue.
Take pictures as you go. This might help you reverse the process, describe the component you need in a store, and explain the fault to a repair person if required.
Be careful. Water and electricity do not mix so unplug the machine first.
If you’re not sure call the professionals.

What To Do Next If Your Initial Investigation Fails to Identify or Mend the Leak

If the root of the leak is still a mystery the thing you could do is to pull the machine away from the wall to get better access beneath it as well as add water to the tub to see if the leakage presents itself.

If you are still in the dark your dishwasher might only leak when it’s running. In this case, you may wish to employ a dishwasher repair person to determine and fix the problem due to the safety risks of checking for faults with electrical components uncovered.