Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

No-one is happy to open their machine and discover standing water but, try not to overreact just yet. You may manage fix the problem before you have to call a plumber or buy a brand-new dishwasher.

Standing water in your dishwasher could have multiple of causes a proportion of which are easy to solve. Therefore, in advance of calling a dishwasher repair service try this lineup of probable issues you may correct yourself. Some of which are not even caused by the machine itself.

Check the program wasn’t interrupted

It is possible that there is nothing stopping your dishwasher from emptying. Rather, the program might have been cut short.

The cycle may have been cut short for a number of of reasons. Children pushing controls, accidentally leaning against the control panel, a power surge or opening the dishwasher mid-program may all stop the program from completing and mean your dishwasher doesn’t drain.

If you suspect this might be the case, or you feel it could be worthwhile checking run the dishwasher again on a short program.

A number dishwashers might have a drain cycle meaning it’s well worth having a look at your owners manual or consulting google to find out.

Check the disposal

If your dishwasher is attached to the disposal inspect this before you move on as a blocked disposal will prevent the machine from draining. Run the waste disposal with lots of water to check there are no issues.

If you do uncover a blockage drain cleaner or a plunger may be employed to unclog the blockage and so this may deal with the error.

Inspect the plumbing for blockages

If you sink is draining reluctantly this may signify an issue with the pipes instead of an error with your dishwasher.

If the sink is draining reluctantly you can try putting some bicarbonate of soda and vinegar down the plughole, letting it sit for a few minutes and subsequently rinsing it away with hot water.

A plunger may also be utilized to try and dislodge the blockage.

This could be sufficient to permit the machine to work again so start a quick cycle at this point. If this hasn’t sorted the issue you can manually remove the water using a bowl and a sponge and troubleshoot a few more likely causes.

Make certain to turn off the machine to avoid electrocution.

If during one of these examinations you think you have found and solved the issue there is no need to continue to the next step. Just start an empty program to make sure your dishwasher is repaired.

Inspect and rinse the filters

Any number of things could block the filters including popcorn, labels from containers, plastic film covers and broken glass. Clear glass may also be hard to spot if you don’t look carefully.

Remove the filter and give it a thorough wash before putting it back in place. Not all filters are obvious and simple to remove so you might need to look at the instruction manual for this.

Is the waste water pipe obstructed?

The next area to inspect is the waste water pipe. 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 could all stop your dishwasher from emptying.

Depending on the location of the waste pipe (generally the ribbed one) you might manage look at it by taking off the base or you could have to move the machine out from the wall.

Have a look at the pipe first to discover if there are any kinks or it’s been squashed. You may manage fix these issues by hand which is likely to resolve the issue, however, be aware that once this has occurred it is much more inclined to happen again so you might wish to buy a new hose.

If you can’t see an issue you may disconnect the waste pipe from the machine and blow through it to check for any blockages. Be sure to line the floor with newspaper or towels first as there might still be water in the pipe.

If you are unable to blow through the hose this could be the problem.

Take off the hose at the sink end and give it a good clean to remove the blockage. If you can’t dislodge the blockage or the hose is slit or degraded invest in a new one. If you may get rid of the blockage then put the hose back and run a short cycle to double check that you have fixed the issue.

You may also examine where the waste pipe connects under your sink. This is a typical point for a build-up of gunk so if you do remove the waste pipe give this connection a thorough clean as well.

Examine the drain valve

You can examine the drain valve by hand to make sure it hasn’t stopped working. The drain valve will generally be situated in the bottom of the dishwasher on the valve bracket. Examine your instructions if you’re not sure.

Pushing down on the valve or wiggling it a bit should be sufficient to find out if it’s seized. If you are able to see anything blocking it remove this. If you are unable to, this could be a good time to call a repair person unless you are happy in ordering and repairing the component yourself.

Inspect your pump is not blocked

Your dishwasher pump makes use of impellers that could get blocked by broken glass or other objects. Check your pump isn’t blocked by removing the cover and checking that the impellers can rotate freely.

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s running

If your dishwasher is making funny noises your dishwasher pump or motor might be faulty and need replacing.

Call a plumber

If none of the above investigations has fixed the fault, or you suspect the pump, pump valve or motor are not working, it might be the right time to call for help.

This way though you will at least be able to give them more information and have avoided having to pay a hefty repair charge for a clogged filter.