24/7 Emergency Service
Dishwasher Leak Water Damage: Causes and What To Do
4/1/2021 (Permalink)
When your dishwasher leaks in your Connecticut home, it can cause serious water damage to floors, walls, ceilings, and even cabinetry.
Majority of Connecticut homeowners use their dishwashers every single day without a disaster occurring and don’t even give a second thought to them flooding their kitchen. If your dishwasher does leak or overflow, it can cause water damage to your kitchen flooring, cabinets, and even the ceiling below.
The water damage that results from a leaking dishwasher must be immediately addressed to prevent mold growth or even structural problems in your Middlesex County home.
Here, we will review the steps you need to take when your dishwasher leaks to prevent further damages, why dishwashers start to leak, and whether or not insurance will cover the repairs.
What To Do When Your Dishwasher Leaks
The sooner you take the following steps, the better chance you will have to minimize additional flood damage or mold growth in your Connecticut home.
1. Contain Leaking Water
Depending on how badly your dishwasher is leaking, you may be able to let the wash cycle finish. But, in some cases you may need to take immediate action to stop the leak.
If the leak is minor enough that you can contain it with towels or rags while the wash cycle finishes, let the dishwasher keep running.
If the leak is severe and causing your kitchen to flood or water is leaking through the ceiling below, you should turn off the appliance and then close the dishwasher water supply line valve. This is usually located under your sink.
2. Inspect Your Kitchen For Signs of Water Damage
Once you’ve cleaned up standing water, you can’t assume that your dishwasher hasn’t caused any major damages in places where you can’t see. It’s possible that your dishwasher leak has been ongoing and caused extensive damages to the floor or wall behind it.
If possible, pull the dishwasher away from the wall. Inspect the flooring, walls, and cabinetry adjacent to the appliance for signs of water damage or mold growth. Signs of water damage may include:
- Bubbling or warped flooring
- Peeling or bubbling paint
- Discoloration on walls or cabinets
- Musty odors
You should also inspect the ceiling directly below the dishwasher for signs that water has leaked through the flooring. If you find any signs of water damage or mold growth, you should take steps to have the damages addressed as soon as possible.
This may result in the need to call a local water damage restoration company in Middlesex County to repair the damages. Depending on the extent of the appliance water damage, walls, floors, ceilings, or cabinetry must be properly dried out to ensure no problems in the future.
3. Repair the Dishwasher
You should not use the dishwasher until the problem causing it to leak has been repaired. In some cases you can repair the damages yourself, but other times you may need an appliance repair company or to replace the faulty dishwasher altogether.
Why Is Your Dishwasher Leaking?
There are many possible causes of leaking dishwasher water damage in Connecticut. After performing an inspection, you should be able to figure out where your leak is coming from and whether or not you can repair it yourself.
Dishwasher Door
Your dishwasher door should fully close and have a strong seal to prevent water from leaking out. When you notice water leaking out the front of the dishwasher, the door is likely your issue.
If you suspect the dishwasher door is leaking, take the following steps:
- Check that the latch is working properly and that the door closes all the way. If it’s too easy to open the dishwasher or you can open it without using the latch, it may be the cause.
- Open your dishwasher and inspect the gasket seal around the door. If this has any rips, holes, or worn out sections, the seal that it creates can weaken and cause water to leak out the door.
- Replace whichever dishwasher component is causing the door to leak.
Dishwasher Tub
If you can’t exactly tell where the dishwasher is leaking from, it may be a problem with the dishwasher tub. Soap and hard water can cause the bottom of the tub to corrode over time and leak. If this is the problem, it’s likely you’ll need a new appliance. But, it doesn’t hurt to have a repairman look at the damages to see if it can be repaired before making a purchase.
Faulty Water Supply Lines and Valves
It’s normal for hoses, water supply lines, valves or seals to become loose or deteriorate over time. If you notice the dishwasher leaking from the bottom, you may have an issue with one of these components.
Take off the toe tick plate underneath the dishwasher door and feel the hoses and seals underneath the appliance for any moisture. If anything is damaged or leaking, you can likely replace these on your own and end the problem.
Dishwasher Isn't Level
If your dishwasher wasn’t installed properly or has shifted over time, it can cause it to leak. Find a level and place it on the machine and adjust it as needed.
Used the Wrong Detergent
When you use dish soap or anything else than dishwasher detergent in the appliance, it can cause it to overflow. This is because incorrect soaps will create too many suds and essentially force water to leak out of the door. If this caused your dishwasher leak, be sure to purchase the correct detergent before using it again.
Homeowners Insurance Coverage For Water Damage From A Dishwasher
In most cases, dishwasher leak water damage is covered by your insurance company.
So long as the damage from your dishwasher was sudden and unforeseen, meaning that it was a result of mechanical or plumbing issues, the damage should be covered. But, if your dishwasher shows signs of neglected maintenance that could've prevented the problem, your claim may end up being denied.
Filing a claim for water damage from a dishwasher is usually a good idea so that you can have a professional water damage repair company properly clean up water, prevent mold, and dry your kitchen floor, cabinets, and other areas as needed.
Need Help With Dishwasher Leak Water Damage in Connecticut? We Can Help.
As a professional water damage restoration service with over 14 years of experience, SERVPRO of Old Saybrook has the experience and resources needed to quickly restore your Middlesex County home to pre-damage conditions.
Our team rapidly responds to inspect damages, create a specialized restoration plan, and get to work. Our goal is to make water damage from your dishwasher leak "Like it never even happened."
We Handle the Insurance Process For You!
Advanced Drying and Dehumidification
Free Damage Estimates
24/7 Emergency Services