Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

No-one wishes to open their dishwasher and discover standing water but, try not to lose it just yet. You may manage solve the issue before you have to call a repair person or purchase a brand-new dishwasher.

Your machine refusing to empty could have a number of of causes some of which can be straightforward to deal with. Therefore, before you call a dishwasher repair service try this lineup of possible things you can troubleshoot on your own. A few of which aren’t even a fault of the dishwasher itself.

Check the dishwasher wasn’t stopped mid-cycle

If you’re fortunate the standing water you have discovered may not be a fault at all. Alternatively, the cycle might have been interrupted.

The program may have been interrupted for multiple of reasons. Kids pushing buttons, inadvertently leaning on the control panel, a power surge or opening the machine mid-program could all prevent the cycle from completing and mean your machine doesn’t empty.

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

A few machines might have a drain cycle so it’s well worth consulting your manual or consulting google to make sure.

Check the garbage disposal

If you have a waste disposal inspect this first as an obstructed waste disposal will stop your machine from draining. Turn on the garbage disposal using fast running water to ensure there are no obstructions.

If you do uncover an issue drain cleaner or a natural alternative could be sought after to clear the obstruction and so this may fix the issue.

Examine the sink waste for blockages

If you sink is emptying reluctantly this might suggest an issue with the drains instead of an issue with your machine.

In the case that the kitchen sink is emptying reluctantly you can attempt putting a little bicarbonate of soda and vinegar down the drain, letting it sit for a while and then rinsing it away with hot water.

A sink plunger might also be used to attempt to remove the blockage.

This could be sufficient to let your appliance to drain so run a quick rinse and empty program to check. If not you can remove the water by hand using a cup as well as a sponge and have a look at the next few possible issues.

Make certain to unplug the machine to prevent electrocution.

If in the process of any one of these checks you think you have found and solved the error you don’t have to go through the remaining steps. Just start an empty cycle to check your machine is fixed.

Examine and wash the filters

Any number of things could block the filters including popcorn, paper from containers, plastic film lids and smashed glass. Clear glass may also be difficult to spot if you don’t look closely.

Take out the filter and scrub it thoroughly before putting it back in place. Not all filters are obvious and simple to remove so you could need to look at the instructions for this.

Is the drain pipe obstructed?

The next area to inspect 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 prevent your machine from draining.

Depending on the location of the waste pipe (usually the ribbed one) you may have the means to inspect it by means of taking off the base alternatively you may need to pull the machine out from under the counter.

Visually examine the pipe in the first instance to discover if there are any kinks or it’s been squashed. You may manage fix these issues by hand which should rectify the issue, but it’s worth noting that once this has occurred it is much more likely to happen again so you might need to purchase a new hose.

If you can’t find an issue you may remove the waste hose from the machine and blow through it to discover any blockages. Make sure you put down newspaper or towels first as there could still be dirty water in the hose.

If you can’t blow air through the waste pipe this might be the reason your dishwasher isn’t draining.

Take off the other end of the hose in order to give it a thorough flush through to get rid of the obstruction. If you can’t remove the obstruction or the pipe is slit or worn buy a new one. If you could get rid of the obstruction then put the hose back and start a short cycle to make sure you have solved the fault.

You can also check where the hose attaches to the sink as well. This is a typical place for blockages to occur so if you happen to remove the waste pipe give this area a good clean as well.

Examine the drain valve

You can inspect the drain valve by hand to ensure it isn’t seized. The drain valve will generally be located in the bottom of the dishwasher on the valve bracket. Consult your instruction manual if you can’t see it.

Pushing down on the valve or giving it a wiggle will likely be enough to tell you if it’s seized. If you are able to see an object blocking it carefully extract this. If you are unable to, this may be the right time to ring a repair person unless you are happy in ordering and repairing the part yourself.

Inspect your pump is not broken

Your dishwasher pump makes use of impellers that can become obstructed by broken glass or other debris. Check your impellers aren’t obstructed by removing the cover and ensuring that the impellers can rotate freely.

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s running

If it doesn’t sound right your pump or motor might be damaged and need to be repaired.

Call a plumber

If none of the above examinations has fixed the error, or you have reason to believe the pump, pump valve or motor are broken, it might be a good time to get the professionals.

At least having done your best to troubleshoot you have avoided having to pay a big repair charge for a clogged filter.