Dishwasher Not Draining? A Guide For Toronto Homeowners
So you opened the dishwasher, expecting clean dishes, and instead there’s this puddle of dirty water sitting at the bottom.
let’s help you go through all possible causes and what we as Toronto Appliance Repairs techs see most often
So Why Is There Water Down There?
Dishwashers basically do this little routine every time: wash → rinse → drain → dry → done.
If it’s not draining, something in that chain didn’t happen. Could be a clog. Could be the pump.
Before going through with bigger underlying issues we suggest you remove the filter at the base, clean it and observe to see if there are any visible obstructions.
Now after that is said and done lets go through the most common issues we see when we come across a dishwasher that is not draining
1. The Drain Inside the Dishwasher Is Clogged
This is the classic one.
Food bits, seeds, those little twist-tie wires, sometimes a piece of glass, and once we even found a Lego head. Don’t ask.
When that part is clogged, the pump can’t do anything. It tries to spin… but the water just sits there.
Sometimes cleaning the filter helps, sometimes it’s deeper.
2. The P-Trap Under the Sink Is Backed Up
This one throws people off ALL the time.
Your dishwasher drains into your sink plumbing. So if the P-trap under the sink is clogged, the dishwasher basically drains into a brick wall and then the water just stands there inside the hose.
It looks like the dishwasher’s fault, but really it’s a plumbing fault.
In a lot of the cases it is as simple as removing the drain hose connection and clearing the obstructions in other cases you will require the assistance of a plumber.
3. The Drain Pump Is Done
This is the little motor that “sucks” the water out.
Inside it, there’s an impeller. If it breaks or falls off, the pump makes noise but doesn’t move a drop of water.
Sometimes the pump motor itself loses power inside and just gets weak.
How you’ll know:
A buzzing or humming sound (gradually becoming louder with time)
Or the complete opposite with the pump being extremely quiet as if it is not really working.
Usually by just getting closer to the dishwasher, we already know what’s up.
4. The Pump Isn’t Getting Power
Sometimes there is nothing wrong with the pump - it just isn’t being told to turn on.
The control board is like the “brain” of the dishwasher. If a relay burns out or a wire melts (which happens more than people think), the pump never gets the voltage required to turn on.
So you get:
cycle runs → it sounds normal → water still sitting there.
5. A Valve Issue?
This one tricks people (and a lot of techs) quite often.
Sometimes the dishwasher actually drains perfectly… but then the inlet valve doesn’t close all the way, and it slowly drips water back into the tub.
The water looks “clean” so people think it failed to drain, but nope.
It’s like the dishwasher quietly refilling itself after it’s done.
This happens quite often since most people will let their dishwasher run and do its thing without baby sitting it until the last minute it is done, and will only come back sometime after the cycle is already done.
You’ll notice:
Smaller amount of water
No dirty smell
Happens even after a forced drain cycle
Your dishwasher starts leaking through the door even when not on cycle.
When we see this, it’s almost always the valve.
When Should You Call Someone?
If you tried cleaning the filter, and maybe checked the hose, and it’s still not moving water… it’s probably time.
Call us if:
It won’t drain at all
Water keeps coming back
The dishwasher hums but doesn’t drain
You smell something weird
You tried the basics and nothing changed
We do this stuff every day around Toronto and Vaughan. It’s honestly one of the our most common service calls.
Why People Around Toronto Call Us
We’re not a giant corporation. We just a family-run repair company that tries to keep things simple.
No pressure, no weird fees, none of that stuff.
People usually call us because:
350+ real 5-star reviews across multiple platforms
Same-day or next-day repairs
Fair, honest pricing
Service call is waived with any repair
We stock common dishwasher parts
Every part replaced comes with warranty.
Pretty straightforward.
Book a Dishwasher Repair in Toronto
If your dishwasher isn’t draining and you’re tired of hand-washing everything, we can help.
Serving Toronto, Vaughan, and nearby spots.