Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

Although it’s always irritating to open a dishwasher and discover the machine hasn’t emptied properly, try not to lose it just yet. You might manage figure out the issue before you have to call a plumber or purchase a brand-new dishwasher.

Your dishwasher declining to empty may have a number of of causes a number of which are simple to resolve. Therefore, in advance of calling a dishwasher repair service try this list of probable things you can correct on your own. A few of which aren’t even caused by the machine itself.

Check the program wasn’t stopped mid-way

If you’re lucky the fact your dishwasher hasn’t drained may not be a fault at all. Instead, the program could have been cut short.

The program may have been interrupted for a number of of reasons. Kids pressing buttons, accidentally leaning against the control panel, a power surge or opening the machine mid-program could all interrupt the program and mean your machine doesn’t empty.

If you think this might be the case, or you just want to be sure it’s not the issue run the dishwasher again on a short program.

A number appliances may have a drain function so it’s well worth checking your manual or consulting google to find out.

Inspect the garbage disposal

If your dishwasher is plumbed into your waste disposal examine this first as an obstructed garbage disposal will block your machine from draining. Run the garbage disposal using lots of water to make sure there are no blockages.

If you do discover an issue drain unclogger or a plunger can be employed to remove the blockage and this may deal with the problem.

Examine the sink for blockages

If you sink is emptying slowly this may signify an issue with the drains instead of a fault with your machine.

In the case that the kitchen sink is draining inefficiently you can try putting some bicarbonate of soda and vinegar down the drain, leaving it for a while and subsequently rinsing it away with boiling water.

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

This could be sufficient to let your appliance to work again so run a quick program now. If not you could manually drain the dishwasher using a cup as well as a sponge and troubleshoot the next few possible issues.

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

If during any of these examinations you believe you may have found and fixed the error there is no need to continue to the next issue. Just start an empty program to make sure your dishwasher is once again draining as it should.

Inspect and wash the filters

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

Remove the filter and wash it thoroughly before replacing it. Not all machines have their filter in the same location so you might need to consult the instruction manual for this.

Is the drain pipe obstructed?

The next component to examine is the waste hose. Stuck food, a kink in the hose or a crushed hose can all impede your machine from emptying.

Subject to the location of the hose (normally the corrugated one) you might be able to view it by taking off the kick plate alternatively you might be required to pull the dishwasher away from under the counter.

Visually inspect the pipe first to find out if it has been crushed or kinked. You might manage fix these issues by hand which will most likely solve the issue, however, it’s worth noting that once this has occurred the probability of it occurring again is greatly increased so you may wish to buy a new hose.

If you can’t find anything you may take off the drain hose from the dishwasher 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 water in the hose.

If you can’t blow air through the hose this might be the issue.

Remove the other end of the hose in order to give it a good flush through to remove the blockage. If you are unable to shift the obstruction or the waste hose is slit or worn buy a new one. If you can clear the blockage then put the hose back and start a quick cycle to find out if you have repaired the error.

You could also examine where the pipe connects to the waste disposal as well. This is a typical point for a build-up of gunk so if you happen to take off the pipe give this area a thorough scrub as well.

Examine the drain valve

You can check the drain valve by hand to check it hasn’t stopped working. The drain valve will most often be found at the base of the dishwasher on the valve bracket. Consult your instruction manual if you can’t see it.

Pressing down on the valve or wiggling it a bit will likely be adequate to tell you if it’s seized. If you can see anything blocking it get rid of this. If you are unable to, this could be the right time to call a repair person unless you are confident in procuring and swapping out the part on your own.

Check your pump is not blocked

Your dishwasher pump uses impellers that can become blocked by broken glass or other objects. Check your impellers aren’t obstructed by taking off the safety cover and ensuring that the impellers can be easily rotated.

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s running

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

Call a repair person

If none of the above investigations has repaired the issue, or you think the pump, pump valve or motor are not working, it might be time to call a plumber.

At least having tried to investigate what is wrong you have avoided having to pay a hefty call-out charge for a clogged filter.

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