Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

No-one wishes to open their machine and discover it hasn’t emptied properly but, don’t lose it just yet. You may have the means to deal with the problem before you have to call a repair person or buy a brand-new dishwasher.

Your machine refusing to empty could have any number of of causes a few of which are easy to figure out. Therefore, in advance of calling a dishwasher repair service here is a lineup of possible components you can correct by yourself. A number of which aren’t even a fault of the dishwasher itself.

Ensure the dishwasher wasn’t interrupted mid-cycle

If you’re fortunate the fact your dishwasher hasn’t emptied may not be a fault at all. Alternatively, the cycle may have been stopped mid-way.

The cycle could have been interrupted for a number of of reasons. Kids pressing buttons, accidentally pressing on the controls, a power outage or opening the machine mid-cycle might all interrupt the program and mean your dishwasher doesn’t drain.

If you think this may be the circumstance, or you feel it could be worthwhile checking run the dishwasher again on a quick cycle.

A proportion machines may have a drain function meaning it’s worthwhile having a look at your owners manual or checking online to find out.

Examine the garbage disposal

If you have a garbage disposal check this before you move on as a blocked garbage disposal will prevent your machine from draining. Turn on the garbage disposal using lots of water to check there are no issues.

If you do discover an issue drain unclogger or a plunger may be used to unclog the blockage and this could fix the issue.

Examine the sink waste for clogs

If you kitchen sink is emptying slowly this may signify a plumbing issue as opposed to an issue with your dishwasher.

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

A plunger might also be utilized to attempt to remove the blockage.

This may be enough to let the machine to empty so start a short program at this point. If this hasn’t sorted the issue you may manually empty the dishwasher using a cup as well as a towel and have a look at the next few possible issues.

Make certain to turn off the machine to stay safe.

If while you are carrying out one of these investigations you believe you may have detected and solved the fault there is no need to continue to the next step. Just run an empty cycle to ensure your dishwasher is repaired.

Check and wash the filters

Any number of things could block the filters including popcorn, labels from jars, plastic lids and smashed glass. Clear plastic lids may also be hard to spot if you aren’t looking for it.

Take out the filter and give it a thorough wash before replacing it. Not all dishwashers have their filter in the same place so you may need to refer to the owners manual for this.

Is the waste water hose obstructed?

The next component to check is the waste hose. Many things could cause a blockage including a build up of food debris, a kink in the hose, or a crushed hose. All of which can all impede your dishwasher from draining.

Depending on the location of the waste hose (normally the corrugated one) you might manage view it by taking off the kick plate or you might have to pull the machine out from under the counter.

Have a look at the hose in the first instance to discover if there are any kinks or it’s been squashed. You could manage manually fix any kinks which is likely to fix the issue, but be aware that once this has happened the probability of it occurring again is greatly increased so you might wish to purchase a spare hose.

If you are unable to see any obvious kinks or obstructions you may remove the waste hose from the machine and blow into it to discover any blockages. Make sure you line the floor with newspaper or towels before you remove the hose as there may still be waste water in the pipe.

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

Take off the other end of the hose and give it a thorough clean to clear the obstruction. If you can’t shift the blockage or the waste pipe is slit or degraded buy a brand-new one. If you may get rid of the obstruction then put the hose back and start a quick cycle to double check that you have repaired the problem.

You may also examine where the hose connects to the waste disposal. This is a likely place for a build-up of gunk so if you do take off the hose give this point a good scrub as well.

Check the drain valve

You may manually examine the drain valve to make sure it hasn’t stopped working. The drain valve will most often be found in the bottom of the machine on the valve bracket. Examine your manual if you’re not sure.

Depressing the valve or giving it a wiggle will likely be sufficient to let you know if it’s stuck. If you are able to see an object stopping it from moving get rid of 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 part yourself.

Examine your pump is not blocked

Your dishwasher pump uses impellers that may become blocked by broken china or other debris. Check your pump isn’t broken by taking off the cover and ensuring that the impellers can rotate freely.

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s on

If it doesn’t sound normal your dishwasher pump or motor might be damaged and need replacing.

Call a repair person

If you have been through the above list and the problem persists, or you think the pump, pump valve or motor are broken, it could be the right time to get the professionals.

This way though you will at least have the means to give them more information and have managed to avoid having to pay a big repair charge for a blocked drain.