Who in this day and age wants to do their dishes by hand? Odds are, not many. But, if your dishwasher is suffering from some sort of leak, you may be leery to use it in fear of leaving giant puddles all over your kitchen floor. Figure out what’s causing the leak by checking it yourself or by calling a plumber in Springfield Missouri for leak detection. So, where does one commonly find leaks in a dishwasher?
The Pump Seal
The dishwasher pump, mounted beneath the basin in the center of the dishwasher, forces water up into the spray arms, then directs water into the drain hose during the draining process. It’s a common problem for the seal around the pump to leak. The pump would need to be removed in order to replace the damaged seal with a new one. For future reference, seals can easily be compromised if the water temperatures you use exceed 150 degrees.
The Water Inlet Valve
The dishwasher water inlet valve, located behind the bottom plate on the front of most dishwashers, controls the flow of water into the dishwasher. Even if you don’t see any dripping, check to see if the valve is corroded. It may very well need to be replaced.
Hoses
Leaks may also occur on a dishwasher’s circulation or drain hoses, which are both typically located at the rear of the unit. One hose fills the dishwasher, the other empties it. Make sure the water gets from one location to the other without interruption. Check the hoses carefully for cracks or splits. Depending on the damage to the hoses, you may be able to patch them instead of doing a complete replacement.
Float Switch
If you’re aware of the balloon-like bobber if your toilet, your dishwasher has one of those as well—and as with your toilet, it prevents your dishwasher from overfilling with water. Check your float and float switch, which are located inside the tub at the bottom of the dishwasher. Look for debris and clean it out if need be. If that doesn’t fix the float’s leveling issue, you may have to get either the float or switch replaced.
Hunting down the source of a leak on a dishwasher can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. We at United Plumbing are experts at leak detection in Springfield Missouri and don’t want to see you have to do your dishes the old-fashioned way. Give us a call and let us help solve any problems with your plumbing in Springfield Missouri.