No-one is happy to open their dishwasher and discover standing water but, try not to overreact just yet. You could manage rectify the fault before you have to call a repair person or buy a brand-new dishwasher.
Standing water in your dishwasher may be bought about by any number of components a proportion of which can be straightforward to fix. So, in advance of calling a dishwasher repair service here is a selection of probable things you could troubleshoot on your own. A few of which are not even related to the machine itself.
Ensure the dishwasher wasn’t stopped mid-program
It is probable that there is nothing preventing your machine from emptying. Rather, the cycle could have been interrupted.
The cycle might have been interrupted for any number of of reasons. Children pushing buttons, mistakenly pushing on the controls, a power surge or opening the dishwasher mid-cycle might all interrupt the cycle and mean your dishwasher doesn’t drain.
If you suspect this may be the circumstance, or you just want to be sure it’s not the issue run the dishwasher again on a quick program.
A number machines could have a drain capacity meaning it’s worthwhile checking your instructions or doing a quick internet search to find out.
Inspect the disposal
If your dishwasher is plumbed into a garbage disposal check this first as an obstructed waste disposal will stop the machine from emptying. Turn on the disposal using fast running water to ensure there are no issues.
If you do find an issue drain un-blocker or a plunger may be employed to clear the obstruction and so this might solve the issue.
Inspect the plumbing for blockages
If you kitchen sink is emptying slowly this might indicate a plumbing issue as opposed to a fault with your dishwasher.
In the case that the kitchen sink is draining reluctantly you could try putting a little bicarb and vinegar down the plughole, leaving it for a few minutes and subsequently washing it through with hot water.
A sink plunger may also be employed to try and shift the blockage.
This may be enough to permit the dishwasher to work again so run a short cycle now. If not you could manually get rid of the water using a cup as well as a towel and troubleshoot a few more likely causes.
At this point make certain to unplug the dishwasher to avoid electrocution.
If while you are carrying out any of these investigations you think you may have discovered and fixed the problem you don’t have to go through the rest of the steps. Just start an empty program to make sure your dishwasher is now draining as it used to.
Inspect and clean the filters
Corn Kernels, labels from jars, film covers and smashed glass, plus scraps of food, may all obstruct the dishwasher filter. Clear film may also be hard to spot if you don’t look carefully.
Take out the filter and give it a thorough wash before replacing it. Not all machines have their filter in the same location so you may need to consult the instruction manual for this.
Is the waste water hose obstructed?
The next component to examine is the waste water hose. Many things could cause a blockage including a build up of food debris, a kink in the hose, or a crushed hose. All of which can all impede your dishwasher from draining.
Contingent upon the location of the waste pipe (generally the corrugated one) you might manage look at it by removing the base alternatively you might have to move the dishwasher out from the wall.
Have a look at the pipe in the first instance to discover if it has been crushed or kinked. You may be able to fix these issues by hand which should deal with the issue, however, be aware that once this has happened it is much more inclined to happen again so you could need to buy a new hose.
If you are unable to see anything you can take off the waste hose from the pump and blow into it to figure out if there are any blockages. Be sure to put down newspaper or towels first as there may still be dirty water in the hose.
If you are unable to blow through the waste pipe this could be the reason your machine isn’t emptying.
Remove the hose at the sink end and give it a thorough clean to remove the obstruction. If you can’t remove the blockage or the hose is cracked or worn buy a brand-new one. If you could remove the obstruction then put the hose back and run a short program to check that you have repaired the fault.
You could also check where the pipe attaches under your sink as well. This is a common point for a build-up of gunk so if you do remove the hose give this area a thorough clean as well.
Inspect the drain valve
You could examine the drain valve by hand to ensure it isn’t got stuck. The drain valve will generally be located at the base of the dishwasher on the valve bracket. Examine your manual if you can’t see it.
Depressing the valve or wiggling it a bit will likely be enough to tell you if it’s seized. If you can see anything stopping it from moving remove this. If you are unable to, this could be when you should call a plumber unless you are confident in procuring and replacing the part yourself.
Examine your pump is not blocked
Your water pump makes use of impellers that may get blocked by broken china or other objects. Check your pump isn’t obstructed by removing the safety cover and making sure the impellers can rotate freely.
Run your dishwasher and listen for any unusual sounds
If the dishwasher sounds unusual your pump or motor may be broken and need to be repaired.
Call a repair person
If you have been through the above list and the fault persists, or you suspect the pump, pump valve or motor are damaged, it may be the moment you need to call for help.
This way though you will at least be able to give them more information and have prevented needing to pay a hefty call-out charge for a clogged filter.
More Dishwasher Problems:
- Dishwasher Being Loud
- Dishwasher Not Turning On
- Dishwasher Leaking
- Dishwasher Not Drying