Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

Although it’s never a welcome sight to open a machine and discover it is still full of water, try not to lose it just yet. You might have the means to fix the problem by yourself, without having to call a plumber or acquire a brand-new dishwasher.

Standing water in your dishwasher can be bought about by any number of things a few of which are easy to solve. So, before you call a dishwasher repair service here is a lineup of probable things you could correct on your own. A proportion of which aren’t even related to the machine itself.

Ensure the dishwasher wasn’t stopped mid-program

It is possible that there is nothing preventing your machine from draining. Alternatively, the cycle might have been cut short.

The program might have been cut short for multiple of reasons. Children pressing buttons, mistakenly pressing on the control panel, a power cut or opening the dishwasher mid-program might all stop the cycle from completing and mean your dishwasher doesn’t drain.

If you believe this might be the case, or you just want to be sure it’s not the issue run your machine again on a short cycle.

A proportion dishwashers could have an empty program so it’s worth checking your instructions or checking online to find out.

Examine the waste disposal

If your dishwasher is connected to your garbage disposal check this first as a blocked disposal will prevent the machine from emptying. Turn on the disposal using plenty of water to check there are no blockages.

If you do uncover an obstruction drain unclogger or a plunger could be used to remove the obstruction and so this might solve the problem.

Inspect the plumbing for blockages

If you sink is emptying reluctantly this may indicate a plumbing issue rather than an issue with your dishwasher.

In the case that the sink is draining slowly you could attempt putting some bicarbonate of soda and vinegar down the drain, letting it sit for a while and subsequently rinsing it through with boiling water.

A plunger could also be employed to attempt to remove the blockage.

This could be enough to let the appliance to empty so run a quick cycle now. If this hasn’t solved the problem you may remove the dirty water by hand using a bowl and also a sponge and troubleshoot a few more possible issues.

Make sure you unplug the machine to prevent electrocution.

If during one of these investigations you suspect you have discovered and repaired the problem there is no need to continue to the next step. Just start an empty program to make sure the machine is fixed.

Inspect and wash the filters

Any number of things could block the filters including popcorn, labels from tupperware, film covers and smashed glass. Clear glass may also be difficult to see if you aren’t looking for it.

Take out the filter and give it a good clean before putting it back in place. Not all machines have their filter in the same place so you could need to look at the manual for this.

Is the drain hose blocked?

The next component to inspect is the drain hose. Many things could cause an obstruction including a build up of food debris, a kink in the hose, or a crushed hose. All of which may all stop your machine from emptying.

Contingent upon the location of the hose (usually the corrugated one) you could be able to view it simply by taking off the base alternatively you might be required to pull the machine out from under the counter.

Visually examine the hose first to find out if there are any kinks or it’s been squashed. You may be able to manually remove any kinks which is likely to resolve the issue, but be aware that once this has happened the probability of it happening again is significantly increased so you might wish to buy a replacement hose.

If you can’t find an issue you could disconnect the waste water pipe from the dishwasher and blow into it to check for any blockages. Be sure to line the floor with newspaper or towels before you remove the hose as there could still be dirty water in the pipe.

If you can’t blow air through the waste hose this may be the problem.

Remove the hose at the sink end in order to give it a good flush through to remove the blockage. If you can’t remove the blockage or the waste hose is slit or degraded buy a brand-new one. If you may get rid of the blockage then put the hose back and run a short program to double check that you have repaired the error.

You can also inspect where the waste pipe connects to the sink as well. This is a common point for a build-up of gunk so if you do remove the waste pipe give this area a good clean as well.

Inspect the drain valve

You may manually examine the drain valve to make sure it hasn’t stopped working. The drain valve will generally be found at the base of the machine on the valve bracket. Examine your instruction manual if you can’t see it.

Pressing down on the valve or wiggling it a bit will likely be enough to tell you if it’s stuck. If you can see any debris blocking it get rid of this. If you are unable to, this may be a good time to call a repair person unless you are confident in procuring and repairing the part on your own.

Check your pump is not broken

Your water pump makes use of impellers that could become obstructed by pieces of china or other objects. Check your pump isn’t blocked by taking off the cover and ensuring that the impellers can rotate freely.

Run your dishwasher and listen for any unusual noises

If it sounds unusual your pump or motor may be faulty and need to be repaired.

Call a plumber

If you have been through the above list and the problem persists, or you think the pump, pump valve or motor are not working, it could be the right time to call for help.

At least having attempted to investigate what is wrong you have avoided having to pay a big call-out fee for a blocked drain.