Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

No-one is happy to open their machine and discover it hasn’t drained properly but, don’t panic just yet. You might manage deal with the fault without having to call a repair person or acquire a brand-new dishwasher.

Your machine refusing to drain could have any number of of causes some of which are simple to resolve. So, before you call a dishwasher repair service here is a lineup of potential issues you can correct on your own. A proportion of which are not even related to the dishwasher itself.

Check the program wasn’t interrupted

It is probable that there is nothing stopping your machine from emptying. Rather, the cycle could have been cut short.

The program might have been interrupted for multiple of reasons. Children pushing buttons, accidentally leaning against 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 believe this might be the case, or you just want to be sure it’s not the issue start the machine again on a short cycle.

A proportion machines may have a drain function so it’s worth consulting your instruction manual or doing a quick internet search to find out.

Examine the waste disposal

If you have a garbage disposal examine this before you move on as a blocked garbage disposal will block your machine from draining. Run the waste disposal using fast running water to make sure there are no obstructions.

If you do find an obstruction drain unclogger or a natural alternative may be used to unclog the blockage and so this might fix the problem.

Examine the sink for blockages

If you kitchen sink is draining reluctantly this might signify an issue with the pipes instead of an error with your dishwasher.

If the kitchen sink is emptying inefficiently you may attempt putting a little bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar down the drain, leaving it for a while and then rinsing it away with hot water.

A plunger may also be employed to try and remove the blockage.

This may be enough to permit your appliance to empty so run a short rinse and empty program now. If this hasn’t worked you may remove the water by hand using a jug and also a sponge and have a look at a few more areas.

At this point make certain to disconnect the dishwasher to stay safe.

If in the process of one of these checks you think you have found and repaired the fault there is no need to continue to the next step. Just run an empty cycle to ensure the machine is once again emptying as it should.

Inspect and wash the filters

Corn Kernels, labels from food jars, plastic film covers and broken glass, as well as food debris, may all block the machine filter. Clear glass could also be hard to see if you don’t look closely.

Take out the filter and wash it thoroughly before putting it back in place. Not all machines have their filter in the same place so you could need to refer to the manual for this.

Is the waste hose obstructed?

The next place to check is the drain pipe. Stuck food, a kink in the hose or a crushed hose can all stop your machine from emptying.

Depending on the location of the waste pipe (normally the corrugated one) you may be able to view it simply by removing the base alternatively you might be required to move the dishwasher away from the wall.

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

If you are unable to see an issue you may take off the waste water pipe from the pump and blow into it to check for any blockages. Be sure to line the floor with newspaper or towels first as even if you have emptied the dishwasher there may still be dirty water in the hose.

If you are unable to blow air through the waste hose this may be the reason your dishwasher isn’t emptying.

Take off the other end of the hose and give it a good flush through to remove the obstruction. If you are unable to get rid of the blockage or the waste hose is cracked or damaged acquire a brand-new one. If you could clear the obstruction then put the hose back and run a quick cycle to check that you have fixed the problem.

You can also check the point where the waste hose attaches to the waste disposal as well. This is a common place for debris to build up so if you do take off the waste pipe give this connection a good scrub as well.

Inspect the drain valve

You could manually check the drain valve to make sure it hasn’t stopped working. The drain valve will generally be located at the base of the dishwasher on the valve bracket. Check your manual if you’re not sure.

Pushing down on the valve or giving it a wiggle should be enough to find out if it’s stuck. If you can see anything stopping it from moving carefully extract this. If you can’t, this may be when you should get in touch with a plumber unless you are undaunted by purchasing and swapping out the component on your own.

Check your pump is not blocked

Your water pump uses impellers that may be obstructed by pieces of china or other debris. Check your pump isn’t broken by removing the cover and ensuring that the impellers can be easily rotated.

Run your machine and listen for any unusual noises

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

Call a plumber

If none of the above checks has fixed the fault, or you have reason to believe the pump, pump valve or motor are not working, it may be time to call a plumber.

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