Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

No-one is happy to open their dishwasher and discover it hasn’t drained properly but, try not to panic just yet. You may be able to deal with the issue without having to call a plumber or acquire a brand-new dishwasher.

Your machine refusing to empty can have multiple of causes some of which can be simple to deal with. Therefore, in advance of calling a dishwasher repair service try this list of possible components you may correct on your own. A few of which aren’t even related to the dishwasher itself.

Ensure the dishwasher wasn’t interrupted mid-program

If you’re fortunate the standing water you have discovered may not be a fault at all. Rather, the program may have been stopped mid-way.

The program may have been interrupted for a number of of reasons. Little fingers pressing buttons, inadvertently leaning on the controls, a power outage or opening the machine mid-program might all prevent the program from completing and mean your dishwasher doesn’t empty.

If you suspect this could be the case, or you think it may be a good idea to check start your machine again on a quick cycle.

A few appliances could have an empty function so it’s worthwhile consulting your owners manual or doing a quick internet search to check.

Inspect the disposal

If you have a garbage disposal inspect this before you move on as an obstructed waste disposal will stop the dishwasher from draining. Run the disposal with lots of water to check there are no blockages.

If you do find a blockage drain cleaner or a natural alternative can be employed to unclog the blockage and so this could deal with the issue.

Check the sink for clogs

If you kitchen sink is emptying inefficiently this might signify a plumbing issue as opposed to a problem with your machine.

In the case that the kitchen sink is draining reluctantly you may attempt putting a little bicarbonate of soda and vinegar down the drain, leaving it for a while, then rinsing it through with hot water.

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

This may be all you need to do to permit your dishwasher to work again so run a quick program at this point. If not you may remove the water by hand using a jug and a towel and troubleshoot the next few possible issues.

At this point make sure you unplug the machine to stay safe.

If while you are carrying out one of these investigations you think you have discovered and fixed the error there is no need to continue to the next step. Just complete an empty cycle to make sure your dishwasher is fixed.

Inspect and rinse the filters

Popcorn, paper from containers, film lids and broken glass, plus scraps of food, may all obstruct the machine filter. Clear film may also be hard to see if you aren’t looking for it.

Take out the filter and clean it thoroughly before replacing it. Not all filters are obvious and easy to remove so you could need to look at the manual for this.

Is the waste water pipe blocked?

The next component to inspect is the drain hose. Stuck food, a kink in the hose or a crushed hose could all impede your machine from emptying.

Contingent upon the location of the hose (usually the corrugated one) you may have the means to view it simply by removing the base alternatively you could need to move the machine out from under the counter.

Look at the hose first to find out if it has been squashed or kinked. You could manage manually fix any kinks which should rectify the issue, however, it’s worth noting that once this has occurred it is significantly more inclined to happen again so you may need to order a new hose.

If you can’t see any obvious kinks or obstructions you can take off the waste pipe from the dishwasher and blow through it to figure out if there are any blockages. Be sure to line the floor with newspaper or towels first as even if you have emptied the machine there might still be waste water in the hose.

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

Take off the other end of the hose and then give it a good flush through to remove the obstruction. If you are unable to dislodge the blockage or the pipe is slit or worn invest in a brand-new one. If you could remove the obstruction then put the hose back and start a short program to check that you have repaired the problem.

You can also inspect the point where the waste hose attaches to the waste disposal. This is a likely place for a build-up of gunk so if you happen to take off the hose give this point a thorough scrub as well.

Inspect the drain valve

You may inspect the drain valve by hand to ensure it hasn’t stopped working. The drain valve will generally be situated at the base of the dishwasher on the valve bracket. Consult your owners manual if you can’t see it.

Depressing the valve or wiggling it a bit will likely be adequate to find out if it’s seized. If you are able to see an object stopping it from moving remove this. If you are unable to, this could be when you should ring a plumber unless you are undaunted by purchasing and swapping out the part yourself.

Check your pump is not broken

Your appliance pump makes use of impellers that may get blocked by pieces of china or other objects. Check your impellers aren’t blocked by taking off the cover and checking that the impellers can rotate freely.

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s running

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

Call a plumber

If none of the above investigations has solved the problem, or you think the pump, pump valve or motor are damaged, it could be the right time to call your local repair person.

This way though you will at least manage give them more information and have prevented having to pay a hefty repair charge for a blocked drain.