Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

No-one wishes to open their machine and discover standing water but, try not to lose it just yet. You could be able to rectify the fault without having to call a repair person or purchase a new machine.

Standing water in your machine could be caused by a number of components a few of which can be straightforward to solve. Therefore, before you call a dishwasher repair service here is a lineup of possible things you could correct by yourself. A proportion of which are not even related to the machine itself.

Check the cycle wasn’t stopped mid-way

It is possible that there is nothing stopping your machine from emptying. Rather, the program could have been stopped mid-way.

The cycle might have been stopped mid-way for multiple of reasons. Children pushing controls, inadvertently pressing against the buttons, a power cut or opening the dishwasher mid-cycle could all prevent the cycle from completing and mean your machine doesn’t empty.

If you believe this could be the circumstance, or you feel it might be worthwhile checking run the machine again on a short program.

A few dishwashers might have a drain capacity so it’s well worth checking your owners manual or doing a quick internet search to check.

Examine the disposal

If you have a garbage disposal check this before you move on as a blocked garbage disposal will block the machine from draining. Run the disposal using fast running water to make sure there are no issues.

If you do uncover an obstruction drain unclogger or a plunger may be employed to unclog the blockage and so this could fix the error.

Examine the sink waste for issues

If you sink is draining reluctantly this may suggest an issue with the pipes rather than a fault with your dishwasher.

If the sink is emptying reluctantly you may attempt putting some bicarb and white vinegar down the drain, leaving it for a while and then washing it through with boiling water.

A sink plunger could also be employed to attempt to dislodge the blockage.

This may be enough to allow the machine to empty so start a quick program to check. If not you may remove the water by hand using a bowl and a sponge and troubleshoot the next few possible issues.

At this point make sure you unplug the machine to stay safe.

If in the process of one of these examinations you suspect you may have detected and fixed the issue you don’t need to go through the remaining issues. Just run an empty cycle to check your machine is fixed.

Inspect and wash the filters

Popcorn, paper from tupperware, plastic covers and smashed glass, as well as scraps of food, can all obstruct the machine filter. Clear film could also be hard to spot if you aren’t looking for it.

Take out the filter and give it a thorough scrub before replacing it. Not all filters are obvious and easy to remove so you might need to refer to the instructions for this.

Is the waste water hose blocked?

The next component to examine is the drain hose. Stuck food, a kink in the hose or a crushed hose can all stop your machine from draining.

Contingent upon the position of the hose (generally the ribbed one) you may manage inspect it by means of taking off the kick board alternatively you could be required to pull the dishwasher out from the wall.

Visually inspect the hose in the first instance to discover if it has been squashed or kinked. You might manage manually straighten out any kinks which is likely to resolve the issue, but be aware that when this has happened it is much more likely to happen again so you could need to buy a spare hose.

If you are unable to see an issue you can disconnect the drain pipe from the dishwasher and blow through it to check for any blockages. Be sure to put down newspaper or towels before you remove the hose as even if you have emptied the machine there could still be dirty water in the hose.

If you can’t blow air through the waste pipe this may be the issue.

Disconnect the hose at the sink end and then give it a thorough flush through to get rid of the obstruction. If you are unable to get rid of the blockage or the waste hose is slit or worn invest in a brand-new one. If you may remove the blockage then put the hose back and run a short cycle to make sure you have repaired the issue.

You may also check where the pipe attaches to the sink. This is a common point for a build-up of gunk so if you happen to take off the pipe give this connection a thorough clean as well.

Check the drain valve

You may examine the drain valve by hand to make sure it isn’t seized. The drain valve will most often be found in the bottom of the dishwasher on the valve bracket. Examine your instruction manual if you’re unsure.

Depressing the valve or giving it a jiggle will likely be adequate to find out if it’s seized. If you can see an object blocking it carefully extract this. If you are unable to, this could be when you should get in touch with a repair person unless you are happy in purchasing and repairing the component on your own.

Examine your pump is not blocked

Your water pump makes use of impellers that may get obstructed by broken china or other objects. Check your impellers aren’t obstructed by removing the safety cover and making sure the impellers can rotate freely.

Run your dishwasher and listen for any unusual noises

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

Call a repair person

If none of the above investigations has fixed the issue, or you think the pump, pump valve or motor are damaged, it could be a good time to call for help.

At least having tried to troubleshoot you have managed to avoid having to pay a hefty call-out charge for a clogged filter.

More Dishwasher Problems:

CLICK-TO-CALL