Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

No-one wants to open their machine and discover it hasn’t drained fully but, don’t panic just yet. You could manage deal with the fault by yourself, without having to call a repair person or purchase a new machine.

Standing water in your dishwasher can have any number of of causes some of which are simple to fix. Therefore, before you call a dishwasher repair service try this lineup of probable components you can troubleshoot by yourself. A number of which are not even caused by the dishwasher itself.

Ensure the cycle wasn’t stopped mid-way

It is probable that there is nothing preventing your machine from draining. Rather, the cycle may have been interrupted.

The program may have been interrupted for multiple of reasons. Little fingers pressing buttons, inadvertently pushing on the control panel, a power surge or opening the dishwasher mid-program may all interrupt the program and mean your dishwasher doesn’t empty.

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

A few dishwashers could have an empty function so it’s worthwhile having a look at your instruction manual or checking online to make sure.

Check the garbage disposal

If your dishwasher is plumbed into a garbage disposal examine this first as a blocked garbage disposal will block the dishwasher from emptying. Turn on the garbage disposal using plenty of water to check there are no issues.

If you do discover a blockage drain un-blocker or a plunger can be employed to unclog the blockage and so this might resolve the error.

Examine the plumbing for blockages

If you kitchen sink is emptying slowly this might indicate a plumbing issue as opposed to a fault with your dishwasher.

In the case that the sink is draining inefficiently you could attempt putting a little bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar down the plughole, letting it sit for a while, then rinsing it through with boiling water.

A plunger could also be employed to attempt to dislodge the blockage.

This may be all you need to do to let the machine to drain so run a short program now. If not you can manually empty the dishwasher using a cup and a sponge and check a few more likely causes.

Make sure you disconnect the machine to prevent electrocution.

If in the process of any of these examinations you suspect you may have found and fixed the fault there is no need to continue to the next issue. Just start an empty cycle to make sure the machine is now draining as it should.

Check and rinse the filters

Popcorn, labels from food jars, plastic lids and broken glass, as well as scraps of food, could all obstruct the machine filter. Clear glass may also be hard to spot if you don’t look closely.

Take out the filter and give it a thorough scrub before replacing it. Not all dishwashers have their filter in the same location so you could need to refer to the instructions for this.

Is the waste water pipe obstructed?

The next area to check 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 can all impede your dishwasher from draining.

Depending on the location of the hose (usually the ribbed one) you might be able to view it simply by lifting away the base or you might need to move the dishwasher out from the wall.

Have a look at the hose first to find out if it has been squashed or kinked. You could manage fix these issues by hand which will most likely deal with the issue, but it’s worth noting that when this has occurred it is significantly more likely to happen again so you could need to buy a spare hose.

If you are unable to see an issue you can remove the waste water pipe from the dishwasher and blow into it to check for any blockages. Be sure to put down newspaper or towels before you remove the hose as there could still be dirty water in the hose.

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

Disconnect the other end of the hose and give it a good flush through to get rid of the blockage. If you can’t shift the obstruction or the waste hose is cracked or damaged invest in a brand-new one. If you may get rid of the obstruction then put the hose back and run a short program to make sure you have solved the error.

You can also inspect where the waste pipe attaches to the waste disposal. This is a typical spot for a build-up of gunk so if you happen to remove the waste hose give this connection a thorough clean as well.

Check the drain valve

You can check the drain valve by hand to ensure it hasn’t stopped working. The drain valve will usually be situated at the base of the machine on the valve bracket. Consult your instructions if you can’t see it.

Pushing down on the valve or giving it a jiggle will likely be adequate to tell you if it’s stuck. If you are able to see an object stopping it from moving get rid of this. If you can’t, this may be a good time to call a repair person unless you are undaunted by purchasing and swapping out the part on your own.

Examine your pump is not broken

Your dishwasher pump uses impellers that can become obstructed by broken china or other objects. Check your impellers aren’t broken by removing the cover and ensuring that the impellers can be easily rotated.

Run your dishwasher and listen for any unusual noises

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

Call a plumber

If none of the above examinations has solved the error, or you suspect the pump, pump valve or motor are not working, it may be the moment you need 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 charge for a blocked drain.