Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

No-one is happy to open their machine and discover it hasn’t emptied properly but, try not to lose it just yet. You may have the means to solve the error before you have to call a plumber or purchase a brand-new machine.

Your machine refusing to drain can be bought about by any number of components a few of which can be simple to rectify. Therefore, in advance of calling a dishwasher repair service here is a selection of potential issues you may correct by yourself. A number of which aren’t even related to the machine itself.

Ensure the dishwasher wasn’t interrupted mid-cycle

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

The cycle might have been interrupted for a number of of reasons. Children pushing controls, mistakenly leaning against the control panel, a power surge or opening the dishwasher mid-program may all stop the program from completing and mean your dishwasher doesn’t empty.

If you suspect this might be the circumstance, or you just want to be sure it’s not the issue run your dishwasher again on a quick cycle.

A number dishwashers may have an empty function so it’s worth consulting your owners manual or checking online to check.

Check the garbage disposal

If your dishwasher is plumbed into a garbage disposal inspect this before you move on as an obstructed waste disposal will block your machine from emptying. Turn on the garbage disposal using plenty of water to ensure there are no blockages.

If you do discover an issue drain unclogger or a plunger may be sought after to remove the blockage and so this may fix the issue.

Examine the sink for clogs

If you sink is draining reluctantly this might suggest an issue with the plumbing as opposed to a problem with your machine.

In the case that the sink is draining inefficiently you can try putting some bicarbonate of soda and vinegar down the plughole, leaving it for a few minutes and then rinsing it through with hot water.

A plunger may also be employed to try and dislodge the obstruction.

This may be all you need to do to let your dishwasher to work again so run a short rinse and drain program now. If this hasn’t sorted the issue you may remove the standing water by hand using a jug as well as a sponge and troubleshoot the next few possible issues.

Make sure you unplug the dishwasher to prevent electrocution.

If while you are carrying out one of these examinations you think you have found and fixed the issue there is no need to continue to the next issue. Just run an empty program to ensure the dishwasher is repaired.

Inspect and wash the filters

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

Take out the filter and clean it thoroughly before replacing it. Not all dishwashers have their filter in the same place so you might need to look at the manual for this.

Is the waste hose blocked?

The next area to inspect is the drain 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 can all stop your dishwasher from emptying.

Subject to the location of the waste hose (normally the corrugated one) you could have the means to view it by means of lifting away the base or you might need to pull the dishwasher out from under the counter.

Have a look at the pipe in the first instance to discover if there are any kinks or it’s been squashed. You could have the means to manually fix any kinks which should fix the issue, but be aware that when this has occurred the chance of it occurring again is massively increased so you might need to buy a replacement hose.

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

If you can’t blow air through the waste pipe this could be the issue.

Remove the other end of the hose in order to give it a thorough flush through to clear the blockage. If you are unable to get rid of the obstruction or the waste pipe is cracked or degraded buy a brand-new one. If you can get rid of the blockage then put the hose back and run a short cycle to double check that you have solved the fault.

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

Check the drain valve

You may examine the drain valve by hand to check it hasn’t got stuck. The drain valve will often be located in the bottom of the dishwasher on the valve bracket. Consult your manual if you can’t see it.

Depressing the valve or giving it a wiggle will likely be enough to find out if it’s stuck. If you are able to see something stopping it from moving remove this. If you can’t, this could be a good time to ring a plumber unless you are happy in procuring and repairing the component on your own.

Inspect your pump is not blocked

Your appliance pump makes use of impellers that can become obstructed by pieces of china or other debris. Check your impellers aren’t obstructed by removing the cover and checking that the impellers can be easily rotated.

Run your machine and listen for any unusual sounds

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

Call a repair person

If you have been through the above list and the fault remains, or you have reason to believe the pump, pump valve or motor are not working, it might be a good time to call for help.

This way though you will at least have the means to give them more information and have managed to avoid needing to pay a big repair fee for a clogged filter.