Your dishwasher runs quietly in the background, handling one of the most tedious kitchen chores without complaint. Most people don't think about it until something goes wrong — and by then, a small issue has often been building for weeks. The good news: most dishwasher problems have a specific, fixable cause. Here are the five we hear about most from Calgary homeowners.

1. Dishes Are Coming Out Dirty or Gritty

A dishwasher that leaves food residue, grease, or a gritty film on dishes is the most common complaint we receive — and it's rarely a sign that the machine is worn out. In most cases, one of three things is happening.

A clogged filter is the leading cause. Modern dishwashers have a removable filter at the bottom of the tub that traps food particles. When it isn't cleaned regularly, it becomes so clogged that dirty water recirculates over your dishes instead of draining away. Most manufacturers recommend cleaning the filter monthly; many homeowners have never cleaned it at all.

Blocked spray arms are another frequent culprit. The spray arms — the rotating arms that jet water over your dishes — have small holes that can become blocked with mineral deposits or food debris. When the holes are blocked, water pressure drops and coverage becomes uneven. You'll often notice the top rack coming out dirtier than the bottom, or vice versa.

Hard water buildup is a Calgary-specific issue. Calgary's water is notoriously hard, and mineral deposits accumulate on the interior walls, heating element, and spray arms over time. A white, chalky film on the inside of the tub is a telltale sign. Running a dishwasher cleaner monthly and using a rinse aid helps, but if buildup is severe, a technician can descale the machine properly.

If cleaning the filter and spray arms doesn't resolve the issue, the wash pump or water inlet valve may be failing — both are repairable by a technician.

2. The Dishwasher Is Leaking

Water on the kitchen floor around your dishwasher is never something to ignore. Even a slow leak can damage your flooring, subfloor, and cabinetry over time — and the longer it goes unaddressed, the more expensive the collateral damage becomes.

A worn door gasket is the most common source of leaks. The rubber seal around the door compresses every time the door closes; over years of use it hardens, cracks, or pulls away from the frame, allowing water to escape during the wash cycle. You'll typically see water pooling directly in front of the dishwasher.

A faulty door latch can also cause leaking if it doesn't hold the door firmly closed during operation. The door flexes slightly under water pressure, and a weak latch allows a gap to open.

A cracked or loose hose — either the inlet hose bringing water in or the drain hose carrying it out — can drip underneath the machine. This type of leak often goes unnoticed until water has already reached the subfloor.

A failing pump seal allows water to escape from the pump assembly at the bottom of the tub. This is a more involved repair but entirely fixable.

If you notice water on the floor, stop using the dishwasher and call a technician. Running a leaking dishwasher accelerates the damage and can void your home insurance coverage for water damage if the cause was a known, unaddressed appliance fault.

3. The Dishwasher Isn't Draining

Standing water at the bottom of the tub after a cycle is a clear sign of a drainage problem. A small amount of water (an inch or less) is normal — it keeps the pump seal from drying out — but anything more than that points to a blockage or a failing component.

A clogged filter or drain hose is the first thing to check. Food debris and grease can accumulate in the filter, the drain hose, or the air gap (if your installation has one) and restrict or block drainage entirely.

A blocked garbage disposal connection is a common cause in kitchens where the dishwasher drains through the disposal. If the disposal is clogged or the knockout plug was never removed during installation, the dishwasher can't drain properly.

A failing drain pump is the other common cause. The drain pump pushes water out of the tub at the end of the cycle; when it fails, water sits in the bottom of the machine. You may hear the pump trying to run — a humming or buzzing sound — without water actually moving.

A technician can diagnose whether the issue is a blockage (a quick fix) or a pump failure (a parts repair) and resolve it in a single visit.

4. The Dishwasher Is Making Unusual Noises

Dishwashers aren't silent, but they should run with a consistent, low hum and the sound of water moving. Grinding, rattling, banging, or high-pitched squealing are all signs that something is wrong.

Grinding during the wash cycle usually means something — a piece of broken glass, a small utensil, a bottle cap — has fallen through the rack and is caught in the pump or chopper assembly. Stop the cycle, remove the lower rack, and check the bottom of the tub and the filter area before running it again.

Rattling is often loose items in the rack vibrating against each other or against the spray arm. But if the rattling is coming from inside the machine rather than the rack, it can indicate a worn wash pump bearing or a loose component in the motor assembly.

Squealing or whining during the fill cycle often points to a failing water inlet valve. The valve controls water flow into the tub; as it wears, it can produce a high-pitched noise as water forces through a partially restricted opening.

Banging or thumping during the wash cycle can be the spray arm hitting items that are loaded too low, or a spray arm that has come loose from its mount.

If the noise persists after checking for loose items, a technician can identify the source and advise on the repair.

5. Dishes Are Coming Out Wet or the Drying Cycle Isn't Working

Most modern dishwashers use one of two drying methods: a heated drying element (common in older and budget models) or condensation drying (common in European-style and higher-end machines). When dishes come out wet, the cause depends on which system your dishwasher uses.

A failed heating element is the most common cause in dishwashers with heated drying. The element sits at the bottom of the tub and heats the air inside during the drying cycle. When it fails, the cycle runs but no heat is generated. You can often confirm this by touching the element (when the machine is off and cool) — a failed element may show visible damage or discolouration.

A faulty high-limit thermostat can also disable the heating element. The thermostat cuts power to the element if it detects overheating; when it fails in the open position, it prevents the element from heating at all.

Condensation drying issues are usually related to rinse aid. Condensation drying works by heating the final rinse water so that steam condenses on the cooler stainless steel walls and drains away. Without rinse aid, water beads on dishes instead of sheeting off, and they come out wet. Check your rinse aid dispenser first — it's a simple fix.

If refilling the rinse aid doesn't resolve the issue, the vent fan (in models that use one) or the heating element may need attention.

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When to Repair vs. Replace Your Dishwasher

A dishwasher under 8–10 years old showing one of the symptoms above is almost always worth repairing. Dishwashers are relatively simple machines, and most common failures — a pump, a door gasket, a heating element, a spray arm — cost far less to fix than a replacement unit, especially when you factor in installation and disposal.

Older machines with multiple simultaneous failures, or machines where the tub or door frame is physically damaged, may not be worth the investment. Our technicians will give you an honest, upfront assessment before any work begins. If repair doesn't make sense, we'll tell you.

No fix, no fee — if we can't repair your dishwasher, you don't pay. (Exception: if parts are no longer available for your model, we'll let you know before we start.)

Book a Dishwasher Repair in Calgary

Maple Leaf Appliance Repair serves all of Calgary and surrounding communities — Airdrie, Cochrane, Okotoks, Chestermere, and more — seven days a week from 6am to 10pm.

Call (587) 557-8989 or book online for same-day or next-day service. We repair all brands — Samsung, Bosch, LG, Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, and more — all makes and models.