Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

Although it’s never a welcome sight to open a dishwasher and discover the machine hasn’t drained fully, don’t lose it just yet. You might manage fix the issue without having to call a repair person or buy a new machine.

Your dishwasher failing to drain may be induced by any number of issues a few of which can be straightforward to deal with. Therefore, in advance of calling a dishwasher repair service here is a list of probable issues you could identify by yourself. A proportion of which aren’t even a fault of the machine itself.

Ensure the program wasn’t interrupted

It is probable that there is nothing preventing your dishwasher from draining. Rather, the cycle may have been interrupted.

The cycle could have been interrupted for multiple of reasons. Little fingers pushing controls, mistakenly pushing on the controls, a power surge or opening the dishwasher mid-cycle might all interrupt the cycle and mean your dishwasher doesn’t drain.

If you think this may be the case, or you just want to be sure it’s not the issue start your machine again on a quick program.

Some dishwashers could have a drain cycle meaning it’s worth having a look at your instructions or checking online to find out.

Inspect the waste disposal

If you have a disposal examine this before you move on as a blocked waste disposal will prevent your machine from emptying. Run the disposal using fast running water to check there are no issues.

If you do uncover a blockage drain unclogger or a natural alternative can be employed to remove the blockage and so this might rectify the error.

Inspect the plumbing for blockages

If you sink is draining inefficiently this might suggest an issue with the plumbing rather than a fault with your dishwasher.

If the sink is emptying reluctantly you could attempt putting some bicarb and white vinegar down the drain, letting it sit for a few minutes and subsequently washing it away with boiling water.

A sink plunger might also be employed to try and dislodge the blockage.

This may be enough to let the appliance to drain so run a quick rinse and drain cycle to check. If not you could remove the dirty water by hand using a bowl and also a sponge and check the next few possible issues.

Make certain to unplug the machine to stay safe.

If while you are carrying out any one of these checks you think you may have found and solved the fault you don’t need to go through the remaining steps. Just run an empty program to ensure your dishwasher is now draining as it used to.

Check and scrub the filters

Corn Kernels, paper from containers, film lids and smashed glass, plus food debris, could all obstruct the machine filter. Clear glass could also be hard to spot if you aren’t looking for it.

Remove the filter and give it a good clean before replacing it. Not all filters are obvious and straightforward to remove so you may need to look at the instructions for this.

Is the waste water pipe blocked?

The next area to check is the waste water 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 stop your machine from draining.

Depending on the location of the waste hose (usually the corrugated one) you may have the means to look at it by means of removing the kick plate or you could have to move the dishwasher away from the wall.

Visually examine the hose in the first instance to see if it has been crushed or kinked. You might be able to manually straighten out any kinks which is likely to rectify the issue, however, it’s worth noting that once this has occurred it is significantly more inclined to happen again so you may wish to order a replacement hose.

If you are unable to find any obvious kinks or obstructions you can remove the waste pipe from the dishwasher and blow through it to discover any blockages. Make sure you put down newspaper or towels before you remove the hose as even if you have emptied the dishwasher there may still be water in the pipe.

If you are unable to blow through the pipe this could be the reason your dishwasher isn’t draining.

Remove the hose at the sink end and give it a thorough clean to remove the obstruction. If you are unable to shift the blockage or the hose is cracked or damaged purchase a brand-new one. If you may clear the blockage then re-attach the hose and start a short cycle to check that you have fixed the issue.

You may also check the point where the pipe connects to the waste disposal. This is a common point for debris to build up so if you do take off the waste hose give this area a good clean as well.

Examine the drain valve

You can manually check the drain valve to ensure it hasn’t stopped working. The drain valve will often be situated in the bottom of the machine on the valve bracket. Examine your owners manual if you’re unsure.

Depressing the valve or wiggling it a bit will likely be adequate to tell you if it’s stuck. If you can see an object stopping it from moving carefully extract this. If you are unable to, this may be the right time to ring a plumber unless you are undaunted by procuring and replacing the component yourself.

Examine your pump is not blocked

Your water pump makes use of impellers that can become obstructed by broken china or other objects. Check your impellers aren’t broken by removing the cover and checking that the impellers can be easily rotated.

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s on

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

Call a plumber

If none of the above checks has solved the issue, or you have reason to believe the pump, pump valve or motor are not working, it might be a good time to call for help.

This way though you will at least have the means to give them more information and have prevented having to pay a big call-out charge for a blocked drain.