Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

Although it’s always irritating to open the machine and find out it hasn’t drained fully, try not to lose it just yet. You may be able to figure out the fault before you have to call a repair person or buy a brand-new dishwasher.

Your machine failing to drain can have any number of of causes a number of which are simple to deal with. Therefore, before you call a dishwasher repair service try this selection of probable issues you may correct by yourself. Some of which aren’t even related to the machine itself.

Check the cycle wasn’t stopped mid-way

If you’re lucky the fact your dishwasher hasn’t emptied may not be an issue at all. Instead, the program could have been interrupted.

The cycle may have been interrupted for multiple of reasons. Little fingers pressing controls, accidentally pushing on the control panel, a power cut or opening the dishwasher mid-cycle may all interrupt the program and mean your dishwasher doesn’t drain.

If you suspect this may be the circumstance, or you feel it might be worthwhile checking start your machine again on a short cycle.

A number dishwashers might have an empty cycle meaning it’s well worth having a look at your owners manual or consulting google to check.

Check the waste disposal

If you have a disposal examine this before you do anything else as a blocked waste disposal will stop the machine from emptying. Turn on the waste disposal using plenty of water to ensure there are no obstructions.

If you do find a blockage drain un-blocker or a plunger can be employed to unclog the blockage and this could fix the error.

Examine the plumbing for blockages

If you kitchen sink is draining reluctantly this could signify a plumbing issue instead of an issue with your machine.

If the kitchen sink is emptying slowly you could attempt putting some bicarb and white vinegar down the plughole, letting it sit for a while and then flushing it away with boiling water.

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

This could be enough to permit your appliance to empty so run a quick rinse and drain program to check. If this hasn’t sorted the issue you could manually empty the dishwasher using a cup as well as a towel and check the next few possible issues.

Make sure you disconnect the machine to stay safe.

If while you are carrying out any of these examinations you think you may have found and fixed the problem you don’t need to go through the rest of the issues. Just complete an empty cycle to check your dishwasher is once again draining as it should.

Check and scrub the filters

Popcorn, labels from containers, plastic film covers and broken glass, plus scraps of food, could all obstruct the dishwasher filter. Clear film can also be hard to spot if you don’t look closely.

Take out the filter and clean it thoroughly before putting it back in place. Not all filters are obvious and straightforward to remove so you could need to consult the manual for this.

Is the waste pipe obstructed?

The next place to examine 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 emptying.

Subject to the position of the waste pipe (normally the corrugated one) you may be able to look at it simply by taking off the kick plate alternatively you may have to move the dishwasher away from the wall.

Look at the pipe in the first instance to find out if it has been squashed or kinked. You may have the means to fix these issues by hand which will most likely deal with the issue, but it’s worth noting that once this has happened the probability of it occurring again is greatly increased so you might wish to order a replacement hose.

If you can’t see any obvious kinks or obstructions you can disconnect the waste water pipe from the pump and blow through it to figure out if there are any blockages. Be sure to put down newspaper or towels before you remove the hose as there could still be waste water in the pipe.

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

Remove the other end of the hose and give it a thorough clean to clear the blockage. If you can’t remove the obstruction or the hose is split or degraded purchase a brand-new one. If you can get rid of the blockage then re-attach the hose and run a short cycle to check that you have solved the issue.

You can also examine where the waste hose connects to the waste disposal as well. This is a typical place for blockages to occur so if you do remove the waste pipe give this point a good scrub as well.

Examine the drain valve

You could inspect the drain valve by hand to ensure it isn’t got stuck. The drain valve will most often be situated in the bottom of the machine on the valve bracket. Examine your instruction manual if you’re not sure.

Pressing down on 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 anything blocking it remove this. If you are unable to, this might be the right time to call a plumber unless you are undaunted by ordering and repairing the valve on your own.

Inspect your pump is not blocked

Your appliance pump makes use of impellers that could become obstructed by broken glass or other debris. Check your pump isn’t blocked by taking off the cover and making sure the impellers can be easily rotated.

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s running

If it doesn’t sound right your pump or motor could be faulty and need replacing.

Call a repair person

If none of the above examinations has fixed the fault, or you have reason to believe the pump, pump valve or motor are not working, it could be 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 needing to pay a big repair fee for a blocked drain.