Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

Although it’s always annoying to open a machine and realize the machine is still full of water, don’t overreact just yet. You could manage deal with the problem before you have to call a repair person or acquire a new dishwasher.

Standing water in your dishwasher can be bought about by multiple components a few of which can be straightforward to resolve. Therefore, before you call a dishwasher repair service here is a selection of probable components you may correct yourself. A few of which aren’t even a fault of the machine itself.

Ensure the cycle wasn’t cut short

It is probable that there is nothing preventing your dishwasher from draining. Instead, the cycle might have been stopped mid-way.

The program might have been interrupted for any number of of reasons. Little fingers pressing buttons, inadvertently leaning against the controls, a power cut or opening the machine mid-program could all interrupt the cycle and mean your dishwasher doesn’t drain.

If you believe this may be the circumstance, or you just want to be sure it’s not the issue start your machine again on a quick program.

A number appliances might have an empty function meaning it’s well worth checking your instructions or doing a quick internet search to make sure.

Inspect the waste disposal

If you have a disposal check this first as a blocked waste disposal will block your machine from draining. Run the garbage disposal using plenty of water to make sure there are no obstructions.

If you do discover a blockage drain unclogger or a plunger may be used to remove the blockage and this may rectify the problem.

Inspect the plumbing for clogs

If you kitchen sink is emptying slowly this could indicate an issue with the pipes instead of a problem with your dishwasher.

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

A sink plunger could also be utilized to try and dislodge the obstruction.

This could be all you need to do to let the machine to empty so run a quick rinse and drain cycle now. If not you may manually get rid of the standing water using a jug as well as a towel and troubleshoot a few more areas.

Make sure you unplug the dishwasher to prevent electrocution.

If in the process of any of these investigations you suspect you may have detected and fixed the fault you don’t have to go through the rest of the issues. Just complete an empty program to make sure your machine is fixed.

Inspect and scrub the filters

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

Take out the filter and give it a thorough clean before replacing it. Not all filters are obvious and easy to remove so you might need to look at the instruction manual for this.

Is the drain pipe obstructed?

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

Subject to the location of the waste pipe (generally the ribbed one) you may be able to inspect it by means of taking off the kick plate alternatively you might need to pull the dishwasher away from under the counter.

Visually examine the pipe first to see if there are any kinks or it’s been squashed. You might manage manually straighten out any kinks which will most likely fix the issue, but it’s worth noting that once this has occurred the probability of it happening again is massively increased so you could need to purchase a spare hose.

If you are unable to see any obvious kinks or obstructions you could remove the waste pipe from the pump and blow through it to check for any blockages. Be sure to put down newspaper or towels first as there might still be water in the hose.

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

Disconnect the other end of the hose and then give it a good flush through to remove the obstruction. If you can’t shift the blockage or the waste pipe is cracked or damaged buy a brand-new one. If you could remove the obstruction then put the hose back and run a quick cycle to make sure you have solved the error.

You may also examine the point where the pipe attaches under your sink as well. This is a common place for a build-up of gunk so if you happen to remove the hose give this point a good clean as well.

Inspect the drain valve

You could manually inspect the drain valve to make sure it isn’t seized. The drain valve will most often be situated in the bottom of the dishwasher on the valve bracket. Consult your instructions if you can’t see it.

Depressing the valve or wiggling it a bit will likely be adequate to tell you if it’s seized. If you can see an object blocking it remove this. If you are unable to, this might be the right time to call a plumber unless you are confident in purchasing and repairing the valve on your own.

Examine your pump is not broken

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

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s running

If it sounds unusual your pump or motor might be faulty and need to be repaired.

Call a repair person

If you have been through the above list and the issue remains, or you have reason to believe the pump, pump valve or motor are broken, it could be the right time to get the professionals.

This way though you will at least manage give them more information and have prevented needing to pay a big repair fee for a blocked drain.