Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

No-one wishes to open their dishwasher and discover standing water but, try not to panic just yet. You could have the means to solve the issue before you have to call a plumber or acquire a new machine.

Standing water in your machine could have a number of of causes some of which are simple to rectify. Therefore, before you call a dishwasher repair service try this lineup of probable issues you can correct by yourself. A proportion of which are not even caused by the machine itself.

Ensure the cycle wasn’t interrupted

It is probable that there is nothing preventing your machine from emptying. Rather, the cycle might have been interrupted.

The program could have been interrupted for multiple of reasons. Little fingers pushing buttons, accidentally leaning on the control panel, a power outage or opening the machine mid-program could all interrupt the program and mean your machine doesn’t empty.

If you think this might be the circumstance, or you just want to be sure it’s not the issue start the dishwasher again on a quick program.

A number machines could have a drain cycle so it’s well worth checking your instruction manual or checking online to check.

Inspect the garbage disposal

If you have a waste disposal examine this before you do anything else as a blocked disposal will stop the machine from draining. Run the disposal with fast running water to ensure there are no issues.

If you do find an obstruction drain cleaner or a natural alternative may be employed to unclog the obstruction and so this might deal with the problem.

Inspect the plumbing for blockages

If you kitchen sink is emptying inefficiently this might signify an issue with the pipes instead of a problem with your machine.

In the case that the sink is emptying slowly you can try putting a little bicarb and vinegar down the drain, letting it sit for a while, then flushing it through with hot water.

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

This might be all you need to do to permit your dishwasher to work again so start a quick rinse and drain cycle now. If this hasn’t sorted the issue you could manually empty the dishwasher using a bowl and a towel and check the next few possible issues.

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

If during any of these checks you believe you have discovered and fixed the issue there is no need to continue to the next step. Just start an empty cycle to ensure the machine is fixed.

Check and scrub the filters

Corn Kernels, paper from containers, plastic covers and broken glass, as well as scraps of food, could all block the machine filter. Clear glass could also be hard to spot if you don’t look carefully.

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

Is the waste water pipe blocked?

The next place to check is the waste water 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 could all prevent your machine from draining.

Subject to the location of the hose (usually the corrugated one) you may be able to view it by removing the base alternatively you could need to pull the dishwasher away from the wall.

Look at the pipe in the first instance to discover if it has been squashed or kinked. You could manage manually straighten out any kinks which should rectify the issue, but it’s worth noting that once this has occurred the chance of it occurring again is massively increased so you may wish to purchase a spare hose.

If you are unable to see an issue you can remove the waste hose from the dishwasher and blow through it to figure out if there are any blockages. Be sure to line the floor with newspaper or towels first as there might still be dirty water in the pipe.

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

Remove the other end of the hose and then give it a thorough flush through to remove the obstruction. If you can’t dislodge the obstruction or the pipe is cracked or damaged acquire a brand-new one. If you could get rid of the blockage then put the hose back and start a short cycle to check that you have repaired the error.

You may also inspect where the pipe attaches to the waste disposal. This is a common place for a build-up of gunk so if you do take off the waste hose give this point a thorough scrub as well.

Examine the drain valve

You can check the drain valve by hand to check it hasn’t stopped working. The drain valve will most often be located in the bottom of the dishwasher on the valve bracket. Consult your manual if you can’t see it.

Pushing down on the valve or wiggling it a bit should be enough to tell you if it’s stuck. If you are able to see anything blocking it remove this. If you are unable to, this may be the right time to ring a plumber unless you are undaunted by purchasing and replacing the valve on your own.

Examine your pump is not broken

Your dishwasher pump makes use of impellers that may get obstructed by pieces of glass or other objects. Check your impellers aren’t obstructed by removing the safety cover and checking that the impellers can rotate freely.

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s on

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

Call a repair person

If you have been through the above list and the fault remains, or you think the pump, pump valve or motor are damaged, it could be a good time to call in the professionals.

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.