Dishwasher Not Draining

Standing water after the cycle ends

Water sitting in the bottom of the dishwasher is a common kitchen call, from San Francisco flats to Daly City and the Peninsula. Food, broken glass and grease clog the filter or chopper. Other times it’s the drain hose, the air gap, the disposal knockout or the drain pump. Standing water smells and is hard on the seals if you leave it, but it’s usually fixable in one visit without replacing the machine.

We fix dishwashers that won’t drain, Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. We’re at 140 San Pedro Rd, Daly City, CA 94014, and we come to you. Call (415) 585-5900 or email service@bayappliancerepair.com. California BEAR #46247.

Common causes (high level)

Drain problems usually come down to three places: the filter, the path to the sink plumbing, and the pump that pushes the water out. A new disposal hooked up without knocking out the dishwasher plug is one we see all the time. Countertop air gaps clog with sludge. A bad control or float switch is less common, but it happens on machines that have run a lot of cycles.

• Clogged filter, screen, or chopper under the lower spray arm
• Food or glass in the drain pump impeller
• Kinked or grease-filled drain hose
• Clogged air gap or high-loop drain routing issue
• Garbage disposal knockout plug still in place after a new disposal install
• Failed drain pump, check valve, or control not running the drain portion

Brand-oriented kitchen help: Bosch, KitchenAid, Whirlpool, GE, Samsung, and LG.

Safe checks you can try

These tips stay on the user-accessible side of the machine. Unplug or switch off the dishwasher breaker before removing filters. Do not put hands near a running pump or disposal:

• Remove and rinse the filter per your manual; clear visible debris from the sump.
• Run the garbage disposal with water to clear shared drain lines; confirm the disposal knockout was removed if the dishwasher is newly tied in.
• Check the air gap (small chrome/plastic cap on the sink deck) for sludge if your sink has one.
• Look under the sink for a sharply kinked dishwasher drain hose.
• Note whether the unit hummed during drain or never tried to pump out.

Do not hardwire jumper tests, dismantle sealed pump housings under power, or force chemical cleaners into electrical compartments. If water is leaking onto the floor near outlets, cut power at the breaker and call a pro.

When to call for dishwasher repair

Call when standing water returns every cycle after a filter clean, you hear grinding from the pump, the air gap overflows, error codes repeat, or water backs into the sink when the dishwasher drains. Same-day service available. Hours are Mon-Fri 8am-5pm. Water on the floor instead of in the tub? See dishwasher leaking from the bottom.

In San Francisco, book through San Francisco dishwasher repair. Other kitchen problems? See our refrigerator and oven repair pages. Dishes still wet at the end? See dishwasher not drying.

Fisher & Paykel DishDrawers drain each drawer on its own, so one drawer can hold water while the other works. See Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer repair for what we usually find.

What we check on site

We check the filter, the drain path, the pump and whether the control is telling it to drain, and we only quote parts it actually needs. A pump, hose or filter repair fixes many of these when the tub and racks are in good shape. You hear what we found and the exact price before any work starts, with no hidden fees.

Related repair pages: Blomberg appliance repair

Book help for a dishwasher that will not drain

Tell us if the water is cloudy or clear, whether the disposal was just replaced, the brand and model if you know them, and how we get in. Call (415) 585-5900, Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, or use contact and the FAQ. See services and about Bay Appliance Repair. Messages left after hours get a reply the next business day.