Dishwasher Not Draining? Causes & Fixes (Lynn, MA Guide)

Opening the dishwasher to a pool of dirty water at the bottom is frustrating, but the cause is usually one of a handful of common issues.

Start with the easiest fix: check the filter at the bottom of the tub for food debris, and clear the drain hose connection for any visible clogs. A surprising number of drainage complaints are solved with a five-minute filter cleaning.

Next, check the garbage disposal if your dishwasher drains through it — a knockout plug that was never removed during installation, or a clog in the disposal itself, will back water straight into the dishwasher.

If the filter and disposal check out, the drain pump itself may be the problem. A worn or jammed pump motor is one of the most common reasons for standing water, especially in units over 6-8 years old.

Less often, a faulty check valve or a kinked drain hose behind the unit is to blame. Either way, if cleaning the filter doesn't solve it, it's worth having a technician trace the drain path before it leads to water damage under the cabinets.

This applies whether you're in Lynn, Salem and Revere, or anywhere nearby on the North Shore — the troubleshooting steps are the same everywhere.