Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

Although it’s always irritating to open a machine and realize it hasn’t drained properly, try not to overreact just yet. You might manage deal with the problem without having to search for appliance repair near me or purchase a brand-new dishwasher.

Standing water in your machine could be induced by a number of things a number of which are straightforward to resolve. Therefore, before you call a dishwasher repair service here is a lineup of probable things you can identify yourself. A proportion of which are not even related to the dishwasher itself.

Check the cycle wasn’t stopped mid-way

It is possible that there is nothing stopping your machine from draining. Alternatively, the program may have been stopped mid-way.

The program may have been cut short for multiple of reasons. Kids pressing buttons, accidentally pressing on the buttons, a power outage or opening the dishwasher mid-cycle may all interrupt the cycle and mean your dishwasher doesn’t drain.

If you believe this might be the situation, or you think it may be a good idea to check run your machine again on a quick cycle.

Some appliances might have a drain capacity so it’s well worth having a look at your instruction manual or checking online to make sure.

Examine the waste disposal

If you have a waste disposal examine this first as an obstructed garbage disposal will stop the machine from draining. Turn on the garbage disposal with fast running water to make sure there are no issues.

If you do uncover an obstruction drain unclogger or a plunger can be sought after to unclog the blockage and so this may deal with the problem.

Inspect the plumbing for issues

If you kitchen sink is draining reluctantly this might suggest an issue with the plumbing as opposed to an error with your dishwasher.

In the case that the sink is emptying inefficiently you could try putting some bicarbonate of soda and vinegar down the plughole, leaving it for a few minutes, then flushing it away with boiling water.

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

This may be enough to allow the appliance to work again so start a quick rinse and empty cycle now. If this hasn’t sorted the issue you could manually empty the dishwasher using a jug and a sponge and troubleshoot a few more possible issues.

At this point make sure you disconnect the dishwasher to stay safe.

If during one of these checks you think you may have discovered and solved the error there is no need to continue to the next issue. Just run an empty program to make sure the machine is fixed.

Examine and wash the filters

Any number of things could block the filters including corn kernels, paper from jars, film covers and smashed glass. Clear film can also be hard to spot if you don’t look carefully.

Remove the filter and scrub it thoroughly before replacing it. Not all machines have their filter in the same place so you might need to refer to the manual for this.

Is the waste water hose obstructed?

The next component to check 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 can all stop your machine from draining.

Depending on the location of the waste hose (generally the ribbed one) you could manage look at it by means of lifting away the base alternatively you could have to pull the machine out from the wall.

Have a look at the hose in the first instance to see if there are any kinks or it’s been squashed. You might be able to fix these issues by hand which is likely to deal with the issue, but it’s worth noting that once this has happened it is much more inclined to happen again so you could need to order a replacement hose.

If you are unable to see anything you may take off the waste pipe from the pump and blow into it to discover any blockages. Make sure you line the floor with newspaper or towels before you remove the hose as even if you have emptied the machine there might still be waste water in the hose.

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

Take off the hose at the sink end in order to give it a good flush through to get rid of the obstruction. If you are unable to dislodge the obstruction or the hose is cracked or worn buy a brand-new one. If you can get rid of the obstruction then replace the hose and start a short cycle to double check that you have solved the problem.

You may also examine the point where the waste pipe attaches to the waste disposal. This is a common spot for blockages to occur so if you do remove the waste pipe give this connection a good clean as well.

Inspect the drain valve

You may inspect the drain valve by hand to ensure it isn’t seized. The drain valve will usually be found at the base of the machine on the valve bracket. Consult your manual if you can’t see it.

Pushing down on the valve or giving it a wiggle will likely be adequate to find out if it’s seized. If you are able to see something stopping it from moving carefully extract this. If you are unable to, this may be a good time to ring a plumber unless you are confident in procuring and repairing the valve on your own.

Examine your pump is not broken

Your dishwasher pump makes use of impellers that may be blocked by pieces of glass or other objects. Check your impellers aren’t blocked by removing the cover and making sure the impellers are free to move.

Run your dishwasher and listen for any unusual sounds

If the dishwasher sounds unusual your dishwasher pump or motor might be damaged and need replacing.

Call a plumber

If none of the above examinations has fixed the problem, or you think the pump, pump valve or motor are broken, it may be a good time to call for help.

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