Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

No-one wants to open their dishwasher and discover it hasn’t emptied properly but, don’t lose it just yet. You may have the means to fix the error by yourself, without having to call a plumber or buy a brand-new dishwasher.

Your dishwasher failing to drain may have any number of of causes some of which can be straightforward to fix. So, in advance of calling a dishwasher repair service try this list of probable components you can identify yourself. A few of which aren’t even related to the machine itself.

Ensure the dishwasher wasn’t stopped mid-cycle

It is probable that there is nothing stopping your dishwasher from emptying. Alternatively, the cycle could have been interrupted.

The program could have been stopped mid-way for a number of of reasons. Kids pressing buttons, mistakenly pressing on the control panel, a power cut or opening the machine mid-cycle could all prevent 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 program.

A proportion machines may have a drain function meaning it’s worth checking your manual or consulting google to check.

Examine the disposal

If your dishwasher is connected to your disposal inspect this before you do anything else as an obstructed garbage disposal will prevent the dishwasher from draining. Run the disposal using plenty of water to ensure there are no blockages.

If you do discover an obstruction drain cleaner or a plunger may be used to unclog the blockage and this could resolve the error.

Inspect the plumbing for clogs

If you sink is draining inefficiently this may suggest a plumbing issue as opposed to an issue with your dishwasher.

In the case that the sink is draining slowly you can try putting a little bicarb and white vinegar down the drain, leaving it for a while and then flushing it away with hot water.

A sink plunger could also be utilized to try and remove the blockage.

This could be sufficient to permit your appliance to work again so start a short rinse and empty cycle now. If this hasn’t solved the problem you can remove the standing water by hand using a jug as well as a sponge and check the next few possible issues.

At this point make certain to disconnect the machine to stay safe.

If in the process of any of these investigations you think you have detected and fixed the fault you don’t have to go through the rest of the steps. Just run an empty program to check the dishwasher is fixed.

Examine and scrub the filters

Any number of things could block the filters including popcorn, labels from jars, plastic film lids and smashed glass. Clear plastic lids can also be hard to spot if you aren’t looking for it.

Take out the filter then wash it thoroughly before putting it back in place. Not all filters are obvious and straightforward to remove so you may need to refer to the manual for this.

Is the waste water pipe blocked?

The next component to examine is the waste hose. 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 dishwasher from draining.

Contingent upon the location of the waste hose (normally the ribbed one) you may manage look at it by removing the base or you may need to move the machine away from under the counter.

Look at the pipe in the first instance to discover if there are any kinks or it’s been squashed. You might manage manually fix any kinks which is likely to rectify the issue, however, be aware that when this has happened it is significantly more likely to happen again so you might need to purchase a new hose.

If you are unable to see any obvious kinks or obstructions you can disconnect the drain pipe from the machine and blow into it to discover any blockages. Make sure you line the floor with newspaper or towels before you remove the hose as there might still be dirty water in the hose.

If you can’t blow through the hose this may be the problem.

Remove the other end of the hose in order to give it a thorough clean to remove the obstruction. If you can’t remove the blockage or the waste pipe is cracked or worn invest in a brand-new one. If you can clear the obstruction then put the hose back and run a quick program to check that you have fixed the fault.

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

Examine the drain valve

You may manually check the drain valve to check it hasn’t got stuck. The drain valve will most often be found at the base of the dishwasher on the valve bracket. Consult your manual if you can’t see it.

Pressing down on the valve or giving it a jiggle should be adequate to let you know if it’s seized. If you are able to see an object stopping it from moving get rid of this. If you can’t, this may be when you should get in touch with a plumber unless you are confident in ordering and swapping out the part on your own.

Inspect your pump is not broken

Your water pump makes use of impellers that could be obstructed by pieces of china or other debris. Check your pump isn’t blocked by taking off the safety cover and checking that the impellers can rotate freely.

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s running

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

Call a repair person

If none of the above examinations has repaired the error, or you have reason to believe the pump, pump valve or motor are broken, it may be the moment you need to call for help.

At least having tried to troubleshoot you have managed to avoid having to pay a big call-out fee for a blocked hose.

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