Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

Although it’s always annoying to open your machine and realize the machine is still full of water, try not to lose it just yet. You might be able to solve the fault by yourself, without having to call a repair person or purchase a brand-new dishwasher.

Standing water in your machine may be induced by any number of issues a number of which are straightforward to solve. Therefore, before you call a dishwasher repair service try this selection of probable things you can troubleshoot on your own. A proportion of which are not even a fault of the machine itself.

Ensure the program wasn’t cut short

If you’re fortunate the standing water you have discovered may not be a problem at all. Rather, the program could have been cut short.

The cycle might have been interrupted for a number of of reasons. Kids pushing buttons, mistakenly leaning on the buttons, a power outage or opening the dishwasher mid-cycle could all prevent the cycle from completing and mean your dishwasher doesn’t drain.

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

A number dishwashers may have an empty cycle so it’s worthwhile checking your manual or checking online to make sure.

Check the waste disposal

If your dishwasher is connected to the garbage disposal inspect this before you move on as an obstructed garbage disposal will stop the machine from draining. Turn on the garbage disposal using fast running water to make sure there are no issues.

If you do uncover a blockage drain unclogger or a plunger may be employed to clear the obstruction and so this could rectify the fault.

Examine the plumbing for issues

If you sink is draining slowly this may indicate a plumbing issue instead of a fault with your dishwasher.

In the case that the sink is emptying reluctantly you could try putting some bicarb and white vinegar down the plughole, leaving it for a few minutes, then washing it away with hot water.

A sink plunger might also be employed to try and shift the obstruction.

This may be enough to allow the machine to drain so start a short cycle now. If this hasn’t sorted the issue you could remove the dirty water by hand using a bowl as well as a sponge and have a look at the next few possible issues.

At this point make certain to disconnect the machine to stay safe.

If while you are carrying out any of these investigations you believe you may have discovered and fixed the fault you don’t have to go through the rest of the steps. Just complete an empty cycle to make sure your machine is once again emptying as it should.

Check and clean the filters

Corn Kernels, paper from jars, plastic covers and smashed glass, plus food debris, could all block the machine filter. Clear plastic lids can also be hard to see if you aren’t looking for it.

Remove the filter and give it a thorough scrub before putting it back in place. Not all filters are obvious and straightforward to remove so you might need to consult the owners manual for this.

Is the waste water hose blocked?

The next place to check is the waste hose. Stuck food, a kink in the hose or a crushed hose could all prevent your dishwasher from emptying.

Subject to the location of the hose (normally the ribbed one) you could have the means to inspect it by means of taking off the kick board alternatively you might need to move the dishwasher away from under the counter.

Visually examine the hose first to discover if it has been crushed or kinked. You may be able to manually straighten out any kinks which should deal with the issue, but be aware that when this has occurred the chance of it occurring again is greatly increased so you might need to purchase a new hose.

If you can’t find anything you could take off the waste water pipe from the dishwasher and blow through it to figure out if there are any blockages. Make sure you line the floor with newspaper or towels first as there might still be dirty water in the hose.

If you are unable to blow through the hose this might be the reason your machine isn’t draining.

Remove the other end of the hose and give it a good flush through to clear the obstruction. If you can’t dislodge the obstruction or the hose is cracked or worn buy a brand-new one. If you may clear the obstruction then put the hose back and start a short cycle to double check that you have fixed the issue.

You may also check where the pipe connects under your sink as well. This is a common spot for blockages to occur so if you happen to take off the waste hose give this connection a good clean as well.

Examine the drain valve

You may examine the drain valve by hand to check it hasn’t got stuck. The drain valve will usually be found at the base of the machine on the valve bracket. Check your owners manual if you’re not sure.

Pressing down on the valve or giving it a jiggle will likely be enough to let you know if it’s seized. If you are able to see any debris stopping it from moving carefully extract this. If you can’t, this might be a good time to get in touch with a repair person unless you are happy in procuring and swapping out the part on your own.

Check your pump is not broken

Your dishwasher pump uses impellers that could be blocked by broken china or other objects. Check your impellers aren’t broken by removing the safety cover and ensuring that the impellers are free to move.

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s on

If it sounds unusual your dishwasher pump or motor could be damaged and need to be repaired.

Call a repair person

If none of the above examinations has fixed the fault, or you think the pump, pump valve or motor are broken, it could be the moment you need to call a plumber.

This way though you will at least manage give them more information and have avoided needing to pay a hefty repair charge for a blocked hose.