Why is My Dishwasher Making Loud Sounds? | Rockford Appliance Repair

Appliances such as a dishwasher are there to save you time as well as make your life more efficient. Plus they get better results than hand washing and when you open the machine when they are finished everything is dried up and ready to put away.

If you have a dishwasher the likelihood is it’s hard to remember life without it. Furthermore most people would ideally avoid the amount of washing up you would need to do if it breaks down. If that happens, you will need to call a dishwasher repair company to repair the kitchen appliance.

Do You Use a Rowdy Dishwasher?

It is perfectly normal for a dishwasher to make a number of different noises while running. The water entering the machine, the motor running, the dishwasher tablet drawer clicking open as well as the buzz of the grinder are all routine sounds.

If you own a new machine these noises are likely to be inconsistent from your old dishwasher, moreover if you have recently installed a machine they could not be the sounds you were expecting.

Dishwasher Sounds Include:

Water Sound

The noise of water gurgling and sloshing around is absolutely routine, they may appear pretty loud if you are not used to having a dishwasher although you will soon get used to them.

Water can often produce a hissing noise as it comes through the inlet valve and a sloshing or swishing noise as the spray arms rotate. The machine will also drain and refill multiple times each time it runs.

A Thumping Noise

A thumping sound can happen because of the spray arm bashing against something that is dangling from the racks or an oversized plate. It could also be the drain pipe thumping into the wall or cabinets.

Despite the fact that this isn’t a noise your dishwasher should be making it is simple to fix with a little rearrangement.

Regular Humming and Buzzing Sounds

Humming sounds are routine for many machines. It is the noise the water makes pumping out of the machine. The humming is a result of the vibration caused by the drain pump and is absolutely normal, it can also pause as the pump helps push food debris and water out of the machine.

Buzzing can additionally be a result of the fan keeps the dishwasher motor cool while it runs.

Plenty of dishwashers also make use of a grinder that could make a humming noise intermittently while the dishwasher is on.

Beeping When the Cycle Has Finished

Beeping sounds when the cycles finishes are perfectly normal although they can be irritating, particularly if your dishwasher finishes its cycle while you’re in bed. You should be able to switch the beeping off on the dishwasher controls. Check your owners manual for details as models will all be slightly different.

Squealing Noise from a New Dishwasher

A new machine can make a squealing sounds when it is first installed because there is no water in the machine. This can also cause a rattling noise , this could also happen if your dishwasher hasn’t been used for a while.

You can avoid this by putting water in the machine before running it for the first time or when you’ve not used it for a while.

Abnormal Dishwasher Noises

It’s not unusual to feel a little nervous if your dishwasher starts making strange sounds, however there is usually no cause for concern.

On the other hand, if your dishwasher starts making louder than normal or unusual sounds this can call for further investigation, in particular when you’ve had your dishwasher for a while and know what is normally sounds like.

Remember, always turn the power off to your machine before taking it apart.

Loud or Unusual Grinding Noises

Despite the fact that some machines may produce a soft grinding noise as part of their routine operation if your dishwasher all of a sudden starts making a loud or strange grinding noise this is generally not a good sign and needs further investigation.

Most of the time the issue will be an item such as an olive stone or corn kernel has got stuck in either the waste disposal or the drain impeller, and is knocking against the blades. in this case you need to stop the machine and have a look. If you discover anything, carefully take it out before re-starting the dishwasher.

The other possible cause is that there is insufficient water in the dishwasher, if this is the case you should check the water inlet to try to determine why the machine doesn’t have enough water.

Abnormal Humming, Rattling or Buzzing Sounds

While humming and buzzing sounds can be absolutely routine they could also indicate a problem. A broken motor could produce a irregular humming or even squealing noise, in this case you may need a replacement part.

A broken pump may also make a rattling sound.

Rattling sounds coming from a dishwasher are most likely a result of dishes or cutlery hitting into one another. However, unusually noisy banging may also be indicative of a plumbing issue.

If you run an empty cycle and the rattling sound continues this could indicate a damaged pump.

Beeping During the Cycle

Although it is perfectly routine for a machine to beep at the end of the cycle, beeping half way through the cycle is often your dishwasher indicating there is a fault. Many machines will alert you if they are opened mid-cycle and the cycle is paused. Or you could need to consult the owners manual.

Knocking, Clunking and Banging Noises

A regular knocking is usually due to the arm bashing something inside the machine and may be easily rectified by rearranging your dishes. Items dangling from the shelves is often the problem.

It can be a good idea to check that the arm is able to turn without obstruction routinely to stop this from happening as it has a side effect of meaning your dishes aren’t being cleaned effectively.

Banging, on the other hand, is usually a sign of a plumbing issue often referred to as water hammer. The banging sound is due to the water pressure in the pipes and often happens when the machine is demanding more water than the pipes feeding it can supply.

Water hammer could also cause rattling in the plumbing.

Unluckily there isn’t much you can do to fix this yourself therefore it’s best to contact a plumber if you think this is the problem.

Mending your Dishwasher

Faulty pumps or motors are the most likely cause of strange loud noises coming from your dishwasher. Luckily these parts are replaceable so you shouldn’t need a whole new dishwasher. You might even be able to replace the part yourself or you might need to phone a local engineer.