Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

Although it’s never a pleasant sight to open a dishwasher and discover it is still full of water, try not to overreact just yet. You may manage fix the issue by yourself, without having to call a plumber or acquire a new dishwasher.

Your machine declining to empty may be caused by a number of issues some of which are straightforward to fix. Therefore, in advance of calling a dishwasher repair service here is a selection of probable components you could identify by yourself. A number of which are not even related to the machine itself.

Check the dishwasher wasn’t stopped mid-program

If you’re lucky the fact your dishwasher hasn’t emptied may not be an issue at all. Instead, the program could have been stopped mid-way.

The cycle may have been interrupted for multiple of reasons. Kids pressing buttons, mistakenly pressing against the controls, a power surge or opening the machine mid-cycle may all interrupt the cycle and mean your dishwasher doesn’t empty.

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

A proportion dishwashers may have an empty function so it’s well worth consulting your manual or consulting google to find out.

Examine the waste disposal

If you have a disposal inspect this before you do anything else as an obstructed waste disposal will prevent your machine from emptying. Run the waste disposal with plenty of water to check there are no obstructions.

If you do discover a blockage drain un-blocker or a plunger can be sought after to clear the obstruction and so this could fix the error.

Check the sink waste for clogs

If you sink is draining slowly this may signify an issue with the pipes as opposed to a fault with your machine.

If the kitchen sink is emptying reluctantly you can try putting some bicarb and vinegar down the drain, letting it sit for a few minutes and then rinsing it away with hot water.

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

This might be enough to allow your appliance to work again so run a short cycle to check. If not you can remove the water by hand using a bowl and also a sponge and have a look at a few more possible issues.

Make certain to unplug the machine to stay safe.

If while you are carrying out one of these investigations you suspect you may have found and solved the problem you don’t have to go through the rest of the steps. Just complete an empty cycle to check the dishwasher is fixed.

Check and wash the filters

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

Remove the filter and scrub it thoroughly before replacing it. Not all machines have their filter in the same place so you could need to look at the instruction manual for this.

Is the waste hose blocked?

The next component to check is the waste water hose. 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 may all impede your dishwasher from emptying.

Contingent upon the location of the hose (usually the ribbed one) you might be able to view it simply by removing the kick board alternatively you might need to pull the machine away from under the counter.

Have a look at the pipe first to discover if there are any kinks or it’s been squashed. You could manage fix these issues by hand which should deal with the issue, however, it’s worth noting that once this has occurred the probability of it happening again is significantly increased so you might need to order a new hose.

If you can’t find any obvious kinks or obstructions you can disconnect the waste hose from the dishwasher and blow through it to discover any blockages. Make sure you put down newspaper or towels before you remove the hose as even if you have emptied the dishwasher there could still be dirty water in the pipe.

If you are unable to blow through the pipe this could be the problem.

Disconnect the other end of the hose and give it a good clean to get rid of the obstruction. If you can’t remove the blockage or the waste pipe is slit or damaged acquire a brand-new one. If you may remove the blockage then put the hose back and start a short program to double check that you have fixed the error.

You may also inspect where the waste hose attaches under your sink. This is a typical point for blockages to occur so if you do remove the waste pipe give this area a good clean as well.

Examine the drain valve

You may check the drain valve by hand to make sure it isn’t got stuck. The drain valve will often be situated at the base of the machine on the valve bracket. Check your instruction manual if you can’t see it.

Depressing the valve or giving it a jiggle should be sufficient to find out if it’s seized. If you are able to see something blocking it remove this. If you can’t, this could be when you should ring a plumber unless you are happy in purchasing and replacing the valve yourself.

Check your pump is not blocked

Your dishwasher pump makes use of impellers that could become blocked by broken china or other objects. Check your pump isn’t obstructed by removing the safety cover and ensuring that the impellers are free to move.

Run your dishwasher and listen for any unusual noises

If it sounds unusual your dishwasher pump or motor could be faulty and need to be repaired.

Call a plumber

If none of the above investigations has fixed the fault, or you think the pump, pump valve or motor are not working, it might be a good time to call for help.

At least having attempted to fix the problem yourself you have avoided having to pay a hefty repair fee for a blocked drain.

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