Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

Although it’s always annoying to open a machine and discover it hasn’t drained properly, don’t lose it just yet. You could manage rectify the issue before you have to call a repair person or purchase a new dishwasher.

Standing water in your dishwasher could be caused by a number of things some of which are easy to fix. Therefore, in advance of calling a dishwasher repair service try this lineup of possible things you can correct yourself. A proportion of which aren’t even caused by the machine itself.

Check the program wasn’t cut short

If you’re lucky the standing water you have discovered may not be a problem at all. Rather, the cycle may have been stopped mid-way.

The program might have been stopped mid-way for any number of of reasons. Kids pressing controls, accidentally pushing against the buttons, a power cut or opening the machine mid-cycle could all prevent the program from completing and mean your dishwasher doesn’t drain.

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

A number appliances could have an empty program meaning it’s worthwhile having a look at your instructions or doing a quick internet search to find out.

Check the waste disposal

If you have a garbage disposal examine this before you move on as an obstructed disposal will block the dishwasher from emptying. Turn on the garbage disposal using plenty of water to check there are no obstructions.

If you do discover a blockage drain unclogger or a plunger could be employed to unclog the blockage and so this may fix the fault.

Check the sink for issues

If you sink is draining reluctantly this could suggest a plumbing issue instead of a fault with your dishwasher.

In the case that the sink is emptying inefficiently you can try putting a little bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar down the drain, letting it sit for a few minutes and then rinsing it through with hot water.

A plunger might also be utilized to attempt to remove the obstruction.

This might be sufficient to let the machine to drain so run a quick program now. If not you can manually drain the dishwasher using a cup as well as a sponge and have a look at the next few possible issues.

At this point make certain to unplug the dishwasher to stay safe.

If in the process of any of these checks you think you have found and solved the fault you don’t have to go through the remaining issues. Just run an empty cycle to check the dishwasher is fixed.

Inspect and wash the filters

Corn Kernels, paper from jars, plastic film lids and smashed glass, as well as scraps of food, can all block the dishwasher filter. Clear film may also be hard to spot if you don’t look carefully.

Remove the filter and give it a good scrub before putting it back in place. Not all machines have their filter in the same location so you may need to consult the manual for this.

Is the waste hose blocked?

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

Contingent upon the location of the waste hose (generally the corrugated one) you might be able to look at it by taking off the base or you might have to pull the machine away from the wall.

Visually examine the hose first to find out if it has been crushed or kinked. You may manage fix these issues by hand which should solve the issue, however, be aware that once this has happened the chance of it occurring again is significantly increased so you may wish to purchase a replacement hose.

If you are unable to see any obvious kinks or obstructions you can disconnect the waste water hose from the pump and blow into it to check for any blockages. Make sure you put down newspaper or towels first as there could still be water in the pipe.

If you can’t blow air through the hose this could be the reason your dishwasher isn’t emptying.

Disconnect the other end of the hose and then give it a good flush through to remove the blockage. If you are unable to get rid of the blockage or the waste hose is cracked or worn invest in a brand-new one. If you can get rid of the obstruction then re-attach the hose and start a quick cycle to make sure you have repaired the error.

You could also examine the point where the waste pipe attaches under your sink as well. This is a likely spot for debris to build up so if you do remove the pipe give this area a good clean as well.

Check the drain valve

You may manually examine the drain valve to make sure it hasn’t seized. The drain valve will generally be located at the base of the dishwasher on the valve bracket. Check your instructions if you can’t see it.

Pushing down on the valve or giving it a wiggle should be enough to let you know if it’s seized. If you are able to see any debris stopping it from moving get rid of this. If you can’t, this may be when you should ring a plumber unless you are happy in procuring and repairing the part yourself.

Examine your pump is not broken

Your dishwasher pump uses impellers that could become obstructed by broken china or other objects. Check your impellers aren’t blocked by taking off the cover and checking that the impellers can rotate freely.

Run your dishwasher and listen for any unusual noises

If your dishwasher is making funny noises your pump or motor could be damaged and need to be repaired.

Call a repair person

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

At least having attempted to troubleshoot you have prevented having to pay a hefty call-out fee for a blocked hose.