Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

Although it’s never a pleasant sight to open your dishwasher and discover the machine is still full of water, try not to overreact just yet. You might be able to rectify the problem by yourself, without having to call a plumber or acquire a new dishwasher.

Your machine failing to empty could have any number of of causes some of which can be easy to rectify. Therefore, before you call a dishwasher repair service here is a lineup of probable components you can correct on your own. Some of which aren’t even caused by the machine itself.

Check the dishwasher wasn’t interrupted mid-cycle

It is possible that there is nothing stopping your dishwasher from emptying. Instead, the program may have been cut short.

The cycle could have been interrupted for multiple of reasons. Children pushing buttons, mistakenly pressing on the controls, a power cut or opening the dishwasher mid-cycle may all prevent the cycle from completing and mean your dishwasher doesn’t empty.

If you think this may be the circumstance, or you feel it could be worthwhile checking start the machine again on a short program.

A number machines could have a drain cycle meaning it’s well worth consulting your instructions or checking online to make sure.

Examine the disposal

If you have a garbage disposal check this first as an obstructed garbage disposal will block your machine from emptying. Turn on the waste disposal using fast running water to check there are no issues.

If you do uncover a blockage drain cleaner or a plunger could be employed to clear the obstruction and so this may solve the error.

Inspect the plumbing for issues

If you sink is emptying slowly this might indicate a plumbing issue instead of an error with your dishwasher.

If the sink is draining reluctantly you can try putting a little bicarb and vinegar down the drain, leaving it for a few minutes and then flushing it away with hot water.

A sink plunger might also be used to attempt to dislodge the blockage.

This might be sufficient to let the appliance to work again so run a short rinse and empty cycle at this point. If not you may remove the standing water by hand using a bowl and also a sponge and troubleshoot a few more areas.

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

If in the process of one of these checks you believe you may have detected and fixed the error there is no need to continue to the next step. Just complete an empty program to make sure your dishwasher is now draining as it should.

Check and rinse the filters

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

Remove the filter then scrub it thoroughly before putting it back in place. Not all machines have their filter in the same location so you could need to refer to the instructions for this.

Is the drain hose blocked?

The next place to examine is the drain pipe. Stuck food, a kink in the hose or a crushed hose could all impede your machine from draining.

Depending on the location of the waste hose (generally the corrugated one) you might be able to inspect it by means of lifting away the kick board alternatively you could be required to pull the dishwasher away from under the counter.

Have a look at the pipe first to see if it has been crushed or kinked. You could have the means to manually remove any kinks which should deal with the issue, however, it’s worth noting that when this has occurred it is significantly more inclined to happen again so you might need to purchase a replacement hose.

If you are unable to find an issue you may disconnect the waste hose from the machine and blow into it to check for any blockages. Be sure to line the floor with newspaper or towels before you remove the hose as even if you have emptied the dishwasher there could still be dirty water in the hose.

If you can’t blow through the hose this might be the issue.

Take off the other end of the hose in order to give it a thorough clean to get rid of the obstruction. If you are unable to shift the obstruction or the waste pipe is split or worn buy a brand-new one. If you can remove the obstruction then put the hose back and run a quick cycle to double check that you have solved the error.

You could also examinethe point where the pipe connects to the sink. This is a common spot for blockages to occur so if you do take off the waste pipe give this point a good clean as well.

Inspect the drain valve

You could manually examine the drain valve to ensure it isn’t stopped working. The drain valve will usually be situated at the base of the machine on the valve bracket. Consult your manual if you’re unsure.

Depressing the valve or wiggling it a bit should be enough to find out if it’s seized. If you are able to see any debris stopping it from moving carefully extract this. If you are unable to, this may be a good time to ring a plumber unless you are happy in procuring and swapping out the component on your own.

Examine your pump is not broken

Your dishwasher pump makes use of impellers that may get blocked by pieces of glass or other objects. Check your pump isn’t broken by removing the safety cover and making sure the impellers are free to move.

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s running

If the dishwasher is making funny noises your pump or motor may be damaged and need replacing.

Call a repair person

If none of the above examinations has solved the problem, or you have reason to believe the pump, pump valve or motor are broken, it may be a good time to call your local repair person.

This way though you will at least be able to give them more information and have avoided having to pay a hefty repair charge for a blocked hose.