Why Is This Happening?
When you step in a puddle of water in your kitchen, it can set off some serious alarm bells. When you trace that puddle to your dishwasher, things can get even more confusing. It was working just fine yesterday! Why is it leaking now?
The answer usually lies in the parts of your dishwasher that you don’t pay much attention to. Just like your sink, your dishwasher is hooked up to your plumbing system through pipes that can leak if not tightened or maintained. Additionally, your dishwasher has its own specialized internal parts that could be failing or in need of maintenance.
Common Causes of a Leaky Dishwasher Include:
- A faulty gasket or door latch
- Excessive suds from dish cleaning products
- Cracked or damaged valves, hoses, or connections
- A leaky pump seal
- Issues with the draining mechanism or float switch
- The dishwasher is installed on uneven ground
- The dishwasher is overfilled
How Can I Fix It?
The list above might contain a lot of words you’re unfamiliar with, but the good news is that diagnosing and resolving these issues is usually pretty easy. While there are certain leaks that only a plumber can fix, you can typically stop a dishwasher leak with a trip to the hardware store and some do-it-yourself expertise.
DIY Dishwasher Fixes
- Make sure your dishwasher is sitting flat on a level plane. An off-balance dishwasher is more prone to leaks!
- Take a good look at your dishwasher’s door. Make sure the latch closes all the way and the rubber sealing, called a gasket, is intact and forms a proper watertight seal. Fixing a weak latch may be as simple as tightening a screw, or you may need to pick up a new latch from a hardware store. Replacement gaskets are similarly easy to find at hardware stores and installing them is easy.
- Check the drain. Make sure it’s not being blocked or that the filters aren’t clogged so that water can drain efficiently and not overflow onto your kitchen floor.
- Make sure your dishwasher isn’t being overloaded. More dishes or more soap may seem like they’ll get things cleaner faster, but they can just create a bigger mess for you to clean up. Also, check to make sure that you’re using the right kind of soap for your dishwasher’s capacity.
Know When it’s Time to Call the Professionals
If the quick fixes listed above don’t solve the issue, you may need to call a plumber. We have the training and experience to replace hoses and internal mechanisms without damaging your dishwasher further or causing more leaks.
If your leak is coming from the very bottom of your dishwasher, none of our advice has worked, or you feel like your constantly fixing leaks, contact us to get professional plumbers on the case. We can get your dishwasher working like new, without any leaks, in no time!
