Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

No-one wants to open their machine and discover standing water but, don’t overreact just yet. You could manage figure out the problem by yourself, without having to call a plumber or invest in a new dishwasher.

Standing water in your dishwasher could have any number of of causes a proportion of which are simple to solve. Therefore, before you call a dishwasher repair service try this selection of potential components you could identify yourself. Some of which are not even related to the dishwasher itself.

Ensure the cycle wasn’t interrupted

It is probable that there is nothing preventing your dishwasher from draining. Instead, the cycle may have been stopped mid-way.

The program might have been stopped mid-way for any number of of reasons. Children pushing controls, accidentally pushing against the buttons, a power cut or opening the dishwasher mid-cycle could all interrupt the cycle and mean your machine doesn’t empty.

If you think this could be the case, or you think it might be worthwhile checking run the dishwasher again on a short program.

A number dishwashers may have an empty function meaning it’s worthwhile checking your owners manual or checking online to find out.

Inspect the disposal

If you have a garbage disposal check this before you move on as a blocked waste disposal will block your machine from emptying. Run the disposal with fast running water to ensure there are no issues.

If you do find an issue drain unclogger or a plunger can be employed to clear the blockage and so this might resolve the problem.

Inspect the sink for issues

If you sink is draining slowly this may indicate an issue with the drains instead of a fault with your dishwasher.

In the case that the sink is emptying slowly you can attempt putting some bicarb and white vinegar down the drain, letting it sit for a while and then washing it away with boiling water.

A sink plunger may also be employed to attempt to remove the blockage.

This may be all you need to do to permit the machine to empty so run a short program to check. If not you can remove the standing water by hand using a jug as well as a towel and have a look at a few more possible issues.

Make certain to unplug the machine to avoid electrocution.

If in the process of one of these investigations you suspect you have found and repaired the fault you don’t have to go through the rest of the issues. Just run an empty cycle to make sure your machine is fixed.

Examine and clean the filters

Popcorn, labels from tupperware, plastic film lids and broken glass, plus scraps of food, could all obstruct the dishwasher filter. Clear film can also be difficult to see if you don’t look carefully.

Take out the filter and wash it thoroughly before replacing it. Not all filters are obvious and straightforward to remove so you could need to look at the instructions for this.

Is the waste hose obstructed?

The next area to check is the drain hose. Stuck food, a kink in the hose or a crushed hose could all prevent your machine from draining.

Subject to the position of the waste pipe (normally the ribbed one) you may be able to inspect it simply by lifting away the kick board or you could have to pull the dishwasher away from under the counter.

Look at the pipe first to discover if it has been squashed or kinked. You might have the means to fix these issues by hand which should solve the issue, however, be aware that once this has happened it is significantly more likely to happen again so you may need to purchase a replacement hose.

If you are unable to see any obvious kinks or obstructions you can remove the waste hose from the dishwasher and blow into it to figure out if there are any blockages. Make sure you line the floor with newspaper or towels first as even if you have emptied the machine there could still be waste water in the hose.

If you are unable to blow through the waste hose this could be the problem.

Take off the other end of the hose in order to give it a thorough flush through to clear the blockage. If you are unable to dislodge the blockage or the pipe is cracked or degraded buy a new one. If you may get rid of the blockage then put the hose back and run a short cycle to make sure you have repaired the error.

You could also check where the waste hose attaches under your sink. This is a likely place for a build-up of gunk so if you happen to remove the pipe give this connection a thorough scrub as well.

Examine the drain valve

You may manually check the drain valve to make sure it hasn’t stopped working. The drain valve will often be found at the base of the machine on the valve bracket. Check your instructions if you can’t see it.

Pushing down on the valve or giving it a wiggle should be enough to find out if it’s seized. If you are able to see anything stopping it from moving carefully extract this. If you are unable to, this could be when you should get in touch with a plumber unless you are undaunted by ordering and swapping out the component yourself.

Examine your pump is not blocked

Your appliance pump uses impellers that could be obstructed by pieces of china or other objects. Check your pump isn’t broken by removing the cover and checking that the impellers can rotate freely.

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s running

If it doesn’t sound right your dishwasher pump or motor could be broken and need to be repaired.

Call a plumber

If none of the above examinations has solved the fault, or you have reason to believe the pump, pump valve or motor are not working, it could be a good time to get the professionals.

At least having done your best to investigate what is wrong you have managed to avoid needing to pay a big repair charge for a blocked hose.

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