Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

Although it’s always irritating to open a machine and find out it is still full of water, don’t overreact just yet. You might have the means to solve the issue before you have to call a repair person or acquire a new dishwasher.

Your dishwasher failing to drain can have any number of of causes a proportion of which can be straightforward to resolve. Therefore, before you call a dishwasher repair service try this lineup of potential issues you can identify on your own. A proportion 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 machine from emptying. Rather, the program may have been interrupted.

The cycle may have been stopped mid-way for a number of of reasons. Kids pressing buttons, accidentally pressing against the controls, a power surge or opening the dishwasher mid-program could all interrupt the program and mean your dishwasher doesn’t empty.

If you suspect this might be the circumstance, or you think it could be a good idea to check run the dishwasher again on a quick program.

Some machines may have an empty program meaning it’s well worth consulting your instruction manual or consulting google to find out.

Check the disposal

If you have a waste disposal examine this first as a blocked waste disposal will block your dishwasher from emptying. Run the waste disposal using plenty of water to check there are no blockages.

If you do discover an obstruction drain un-blocker or a natural alternative may be employed to unclog the obstruction and so this may rectify the issue.

Check the plumbing for issues

If you kitchen sink is draining slowly this may signify a plumbing issue rather than an error with your dishwasher.

In the case that the kitchen sink is emptying reluctantly you could attempt putting some bicarbonate of soda and vinegar down the drain, letting it sit for a while, then flushing it away with boiling water.

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

This might be enough to allow your appliance to empty so run a short cycle at this point. If this hasn’t sorted the issue you could remove the water by hand using a cup and a towel and check a few more areas.

At this point make certain to turn off the dishwasher to avoid electrocution.

If while you are carrying out one of these investigations you believe you may have found and fixed the error there is no need to continue to the next step. Just run an empty program to ensure your dishwasher is once again draining as it should.

Inspect and clean the filters

Popcorn, labels from jars, film lids and smashed glass, plus scraps of food, can all obstruct the machine filter. Clear glass may also be difficult 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 simple to remove so you may need to look at the manual for this.

Is the waste hose blocked?

The next component to examine is the waste water 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 dishwasher from emptying.

Contingent upon the position of the hose (usually the corrugated one) you may be able to inspect it by taking off the base alternatively you might need to pull the machine out from under the counter.

Look at the hose first to discover if it has been crushed or kinked. You might manage manually remove any kinks which should deal with the issue, but be aware that once this has happened the chance of it happening again is significantly increased so you may need to order a spare hose.

If you can’t find any obvious kinks or obstructions you may remove the waste pipe from the dishwasher and blow through it to discover any blockages. Make sure you put down newspaper or towels first as there might still be water in the hose.

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

Remove the other end of the hose and give it a thorough clean to clear the blockage. If you can’t remove the blockage or the waste hose is split or worn purchase a brand-new one. If you could clear the blockage then put the hose back and run a quick cycle to double check that you have fixed the error.

You could also check where the pipe attaches to the waste disposal as well. This is a likely place for blockages to occur so if you do take off the hose give this area a good scrub as well.

Examine the drain valve

You may manually examine the drain valve to make sure it hasn’t seized. The drain valve will usually be found at the base of the machine on the valve bracket. Check your instruction manual if you can’t see it.

Depressing the valve or giving it a wiggle will likely be sufficient to tell you if it’s stuck. If you are able to see anything blocking it carefully extract this. If you are unable to, this may be when you should get in touch with a plumber unless you are confident in ordering and repairing the part on your own.

Check your pump is not broken

Your dishwasher pump makes use of impellers that may get blocked by broken china or other objects. Check your pump isn’t broken by taking off the safety cover and making sure the impellers are free to move.

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s on

If it is making funny noises your pump or motor might be broken and need to be repaired.

Call a plumber

If none of the above investigations has fixed the issue, or you suspect the pump, pump valve or motor are not working, it might be a good time to get the professionals.

At least having done your best to investigate what is wrong you have avoided needing to pay a hefty call-out fee for a clogged filter.