Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

Although it’s never a welcome sight to open a machine and discover the machine hasn’t emptied properly, try not to lose it just yet. You may have the means to fix the fault before you have to call a repair person or invest in a brand-new machine.

Standing water in your dishwasher can have a number of of causes a proportion of which are easy to rectify. So, in advance of calling a dishwasher repair service here is a selection of probable issues you may troubleshoot by yourself. Some of which aren’t even caused by the machine itself.

Check the dishwasher wasn’t interrupted mid-cycle

It is probable that there is nothing stopping your machine from draining. Alternatively, the program may have been cut short.

The cycle might have been cut short for multiple of reasons. Little fingers pushing controls, inadvertently pushing on the control panel, a power outage or opening the dishwasher mid-cycle might all prevent the cycle from completing and mean your dishwasher doesn’t drain.

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

Some machines could have an empty program so it’s worth checking your instruction manual or consulting google to make sure.

Check the garbage disposal

If your dishwasher is plumbed into the waste disposal inspect this before you do anything else as a blocked garbage disposal will prevent the dishwasher from draining. Run the garbage disposal using lots of water to ensure there are no issues.

If you do uncover a blockage drain unclogger or a plunger may be employed to unclog the obstruction and this could deal with the error.

Check the sink for issues

If you sink is emptying reluctantly this might suggest a plumbing issue as opposed to a fault with your machine.

If the kitchen sink is emptying slowly you can try putting some bicarb and white vinegar down the drain, leaving it for a few minutes and subsequently washing it through with hot water.

A plunger may also be employed to attempt to remove the obstruction.

This might be enough to allow the appliance to empty so start a short rinse and empty program to check. If not you may remove the standing water by hand using a bowl and also a sponge and check the next few possible issues.

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

If while you are carrying out one of these checks you believe you have discovered and fixed the error there is no need to continue to the next step. Just run an empty program to check the dishwasher is fixed.

Inspect and clean the filters

Popcorn, paper from food jars, plastic film lids and smashed glass, plus food debris, could all block the dishwasher filter. Clear plastic lids may also be difficult to spot if you don’t look closely.

Take out the filter and give it a thorough scrub before putting it back in place. Not all filters are obvious and straightforward to remove so you may need to refer to the instruction manual for this.

Is the waste hose obstructed?

The next place to examine 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 could all prevent your dishwasher from emptying.

Depending on the location of the hose (generally the corrugated one) you may be able to inspect it simply by removing the base or you might need to pull the dishwasher out from under the counter.

Look at the hose in the first instance to find out if there are any kinks or it’s been squashed. You could have the means to fix these issues by hand which will most likely rectify the issue, but it’s worth noting that when this has happened it is significantly more inclined to happen again so you could need to purchase a replacement hose.

If you are unable to see any obvious kinks or obstructions you may take off the waste pipe from the dishwasher and blow through it to check for any blockages. Be sure to line the floor with newspaper or towels first as even if you have emptied the machine there could still be waste water in the hose.

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

Disconnect the other end of the hose and give it a good clean to clear the blockage. If you are unable to get rid of the blockage or the pipe is split or worn buy a brand-new one. If you may clear the obstruction then put the hose back and start a short cycle to double check that you have solved the fault.

You can also examine where the waste hose connects to the sink as well. This is a likely point for debris to build up so if you happen to remove the hose give this point a thorough clean as well.

Inspect the drain valve

You can manually check the drain valve to make sure it isn’t seized. The drain valve will most often be situated in the bottom of the dishwasher on the valve bracket. Examine your owners manual if you’re not sure.

Depressing the valve or wiggling it a bit should be sufficient to tell you if it’s seized. If you can see any debris stopping it from moving carefully extract this. If you are unable to, this might be a good time to call a plumber unless you are happy in ordering and repairing the valve on your own.

Check your pump is not blocked

Your water pump uses impellers that could get obstructed by pieces of glass or other debris. Check your impellers aren’t broken by removing the safety cover and making sure the impellers are free to move.

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s on

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

Call a repair person

If none of the above investigations has fixed the issue, or you think the pump, pump valve or motor are not working, it may be the moment you need to get the professionals.

This way though you will at least manage give them more information and have prevented needing to pay a hefty repair charge for a clogged filter.