Troubleshooting a Dishwasher that Leaks

Troubleshooting dishwasher problems can eradicate the worry of waking up or returning home from work and finding a huge puddle in front of your dishwasher. Many leak problems are easy to identify and quick to fix. A few tweaks here and there and your dishwasher should be as good as new. If you ignore any signs of a leak, the damage can build up and ultimately cost you more money in repair costs.

Drain Hose

Check your drain hose which will be fitted to the back of the dishwasher. It will commonly be a long plastic pipe which is used to take dirty water out of the dishwasher. Check for any cracks and damage. Replace the hose if you find any, as they are relatively cheap to replace. Also, tighten the hose clamps are used for holding the drain hose into place. A drain hose is not particularly rigid, and may commonly fall out of the clippings used to secure it if they are not tightened correctly.

Water Inlet Valve

Many dishwasher leaks happen because the water inlet valve is not tight enough or fitted correctly. A good tip is to place a piece of tissue around the valve to check for leaking. Tighten with a wrench to stop this supply line from leaking. This may also be causing the fill hose to leak. In this case, simply change the spring clamp for a new one. This will be located near the water inlet valve on the dishwasher.

Feet

Your dishwasher could be leaking because the adjustable feet are not installed correctly. Remove the front access panel so you can get at the feet and use a spirit measure until the dishwasher has been leveled out. Use a large wrench to adjust them if you cannot do the job by hand.

Surface

Your dishwasher can leak because it is not on a flat surface. This will cause water to accumulate in a particular spot. Over time, the water will start to seep through the rubber sealing lips of the dishwasher and onto the floor. To fix this, simply uninstall the dishwasher from the current location and move it onto a level surface. Use a spirit level to make sure there is not a slope on the new ground.

Secure the Old Gasket

Over time, the door gasket will erode through natural wear and tear. Use the dishwasher manual to find it as positions can vary. Age can cause it to crack prematurely or wear down. If the gasket looks good and does not seem to be in any danger, tighten the screws on the door latch. This will shut the door of the dishwasher much tighter and will give the gasket a new lease of life.

Replacing an Old Door Gasket

Replace the door gasket if it is damaged and the above method has not stopped the leaking. Simply take the gasket out of the groove, clean the groove out thoroughly and insert a new one, which you can buy from a good home hardware store. This should stop any leaking and leave the dishwasher running correctly.