Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

Although it’s never a pleasant sight to open your machine and discover it hasn’t drained properly, try not to lose it just yet. You may be able to deal with the issue before you have to call a plumber or invest in a new dishwasher.

Your machine declining to empty could have a number of of causes a few of which can be easy to rectify. Therefore, in advance of calling a dishwasher repair service here is a list of probable issues you could correct yourself. A proportion of which aren’t even a fault of the dishwasher itself.

Ensure the program wasn’t stopped mid-way

If you’re fortunate the standing water you have discovered may not be a fault at all. Rather, the cycle might have been cut short.

The cycle might have been interrupted for a number of of reasons. Little fingers pressing controls, mistakenly leaning against the controls, a power surge or opening the machine mid-program may all stop the cycle from completing and mean your machine doesn’t empty.

If you think this may be the case, or you just want to be sure it’s not the issue run your dishwasher again on a quick cycle.

A proportion dishwashers could have an empty program so it’s well worth consulting your manual or checking online to check.

Examine the disposal

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

If you do find an obstruction drain cleaner or a plunger could be used to clear the blockage and so this may fix the error.

Check the sink for clogs

If you sink is emptying reluctantly this could suggest a plumbing issue instead of an error with your dishwasher.

In the case that the sink is draining inefficiently you can attempt putting a little bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar down the drain, leaving it for a while and subsequently rinsing it through with boiling water.

A plunger may also be employed to attempt to shift the obstruction.

This could be all you need to do to permit the dishwasher to drain so start a quick program now. If this hasn’t solved the problem you may manually get rid of the standing water using a cup and also a sponge and have a look at a few more likely causes.

Make sure you turn off the dishwasher to avoid electrocution.

If while you are carrying out one of these investigations you suspect you may have detected and repaired the issue there is no need to continue to the next issue. Just complete an empty program to make sure your machine is fixed.

Examine and clean the filters

Popcorn, paper from containers, plastic film lids and broken glass, plus food debris, can all block the machine filter. Clear film can also be difficult to spot if you aren’t looking for it.

Remove the filter and give it a good scrub before replacing it. Not all filters are obvious and easy to remove so you may need to look at the instructions for this.

Is the waste water hose blocked?

The next component to inspect is the drain 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 may all stop your machine from draining.

Subject to the location of the waste pipe (normally the corrugated one) you might manage inspect it by removing the base or you may be required to move the dishwasher away from the wall.

Look at the hose in the first instance to discover if there are any kinks or it’s been squashed. You may manage fix these issues by hand which will most likely fix the issue, however, be aware that once this has happened it is significantly more inclined to happen again so you may need to purchase a spare hose.

If you are unable to find anything you could remove the drain pipe from the machine and blow into it to discover any blockages. Make sure you put down newspaper or towels first as there could still be water in the pipe.

If you are unable to blow through the waste pipe this could be the issue.

Disconnect the other end of the hose and then give it a thorough clean to remove the obstruction. If you can’t get rid of the blockage or the hose is slit or degraded invest in a brand-new one. If you may get rid of the blockage then put the hose back and run a quick cycle to make sure you have fixed the error.

You may also inspect where the waste pipe attaches under your sink as well. This is a common place for blockages to occur so if you do take off the hose give this connection a good scrub as well.

Check the drain valve

You can check the drain valve by hand to make sure it isn’t seized. The drain valve will often be situated in the bottom of the dishwasher on the valve bracket. Examine your instruction manual if you’re not sure.

Pressing down on the valve or wiggling it a bit will likely be sufficient to find out if it’s stuck. If you are able to see anything blocking it get rid of this. If you can’t, this may be a good time to get in touch with a plumber unless you are happy in procuring and replacing the valve on your own.

Examine your pump is not broken

Your water pump uses impellers that may become obstructed by broken china or other objects. Check your pump isn’t obstructed by removing the safety cover and checking that the impellers can rotate freely.

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s running

If the dishwasher doesn’t sound right your dishwasher pump or motor may be damaged and need to be repaired.

Call a repair person

If you have been through the above list and the issue persists, or you suspect the pump, pump valve or motor are broken, it could be time to call a plumber.

This way though you will at least manage give them more information and have prevented having to pay a hefty repair fee for a clogged filter.