Dishwasher Not Draining? Here's Why

Standing water in your dishwasher is typically the first clue your dishwasher is not draining, and it’s not a symptom homeowners can ignore. This inconvenience can put a wrench in your kitchen clean-up plans after dinner, forcing you to hand-wash your dishes. Nobody has time for that!

If the dishwasher isn’t draining properly, even after it has stopped running, you could have a serious clog on your hands. Get to the root of the problem with the following troubleshooting tips so your dishwasher can return to normal operation, and so can your kitchen.

Make Sure the Dishwasher Is the Problem

Begin by making sure the drainage problem is isolated to your dishwasher, rather than a larger plumbing issue. You will need to verify other drains in the home are still working. If you discover the kitchen sink drain and/or bathroom drains are not draining properly or are backing up, you’re facing a whole-home plumbing system issue rather than a dishwasher problem. In this case, the best plan of action is to contact Mr. Rooter^® Plumbing right away for professional drain cleaning services.

If you see that the other drains are working as they should, you can feel confident the problem lies with the dishwasher. Proceed with the steps below to determine exactly where in the dishwasher the problem lies.

Pinpoint Why the Dishwasher Is Not Draining

At this point, you’re getting closer to the problem; you just need to check for a few more things:

• Visible obstructions in the bottom of the dishwasher
• Dirty dishwasher filter
• Disconnected or clogged drain hose
• Worn-out drain valve bracket

Depending on the issue you found, you may be able to take the steps necessary to fix the problem: Remove visible obstructions, clear the filter, reconnect or blow through the drain hose to clear clogs, and/or replace the valve bracket if necessary. On the other hand, if during your troubleshooting you discover the dishwasher is leaking.

Dishwasher Not Draining – and You Can’t Figure Out Why?

In some cases, you simply won’t be able to figure out what is going on, because the issue is just too complicated. That’s when you can call on the expert plumbing technicians at your local Mr. Rooter. We will determine the source of the dishwasher problem and provide the efficient professional repair you can count on to get your kitchen back in action ASAP.

Call or request a job estimate online today to get the help you need.

If you determine the dishwasher’s waste water line is not obstructed, it could signal a problem with your dishwasher. We recommend Mr. Appliance for quality dishwasher repair and replacement. Like Mr. Rooter, Mr. Appliance is part of Neighbourly’s community of home service providers. You can count on Mr. Appliance for all of your appliance repair needs.