What to look for to prevent a dishwasher leak

3/15/2023 (Permalink)

Your dishwasher may be leaking for one of several different reasons. The most common cause of leaks is a clogged drain hose or a cracked tub. You can check for these things by removing the bottom rack and looking at both ends of the drain hose.

Check water supply line

If you suspect that your dishwasher is leaking, look for a valve on the water supply line. If there is one and it's open, close it and then check for debris in the bottom of your dishwasher. If there isn't a valve, turn off power to your dishwasher by flipping off its breaker switch or pulling out its plug from an outlet (if possible). Then turn off water supply lines leading into your house by opening faucet handles until they're fully closed, if this doesn't work, call an electrician or plumber for help shutting down these lines permanently so that no more leaks can occur.

Check to see if the fill hose is connected to a water source.

To check if the dishwasher is connected to a water source, remove the drain hose from its connection point and see if there is water flowing through it. If there is not, then you have an issue with your plumbing or faucet, which will need to be addressed by a professional plumber.

If you can see that there is water flowing through the drain hose but nothing coming out of it when you open up your dishwasher door, this could mean that clogs have formed inside of both ends of your hoses. You'll want to remove these hoses from both locations before trying again. This time making sure each end has been cleaned thoroughly beforehand so as not introduce any more blockages into them.

Adjust the pressure switch on the back of the dishwasher.

The pressure switch is usually located on the back of your machine, but it could be in other places depending on your model. The pressure switch is usually a small plastic box with a simple dial inside it. To adjust this part, you'll want to turn the dial clockwise until you hear water rushing through your plumbing pipes or see steam coming out of them.

Level your dishwasher.

Make sure your dishwasher is level. If it's not, it may be leaking from the bottom. Check to make sure there's enough water in the dishwasher. If there isn't, add more until you hear a gurgling sound when you open and close the door (this indicates that all of the tubs are full). Inspect your connection between your faucet and drain hose to make sure they're tight by hand-tightening them if necessary--and then check again after running hot water through them for five minutes or so (it can help loosen up any corrosion).

Check for debris.

To check your drain hose, first remove it from the sink and examine it. Look for kinks or other obstructions in the hose that could be blocking water flow. Also look at the ends of your drain hoses, if they're cracked or have holes in them, you'll need to replace them right away.

If everything looks good with your drain hoses, move on to checking for leaks around their connections with other components. Leaks here can cause similar problems as clogs in your dishwasher's filters. If you suspect a dishwasher leak, give a plumber or the professionals at SERVPRO a call immediately to prevent secondary damages.