Why is My Dishwasher Making Loud Sounds?

Home Appliances such as a dishwasher are designed to make life easier. Not to mention the fact that they are more hygienic than washing up by hand and when you open the machine in the morning everything is dry and ready to use again.

If you use a dishwasher the likelihood is it’s hard to contemplate life without it. And most people would definitely rather not imagine the amount of dishes that you would be required to do if it breaks. In this case, you’ll need to hire a dishwasher repair company to fix the appliance.

Is Your Dishwasher Noisy?

It is completely regular for your dishwasher to produce an array of separate noises while running. The water entering the machine, the motor turning, the detergent drawer clicking open and the hum of the soft food grinder are all normal sounds.

If you own a new dishwasher these sounds may be inconsistent from your old machine, and if you have recently installed a machine they could not be the sounds you were expecting.

Dishwasher Sounds Include:

The Sound of Water Sloshing or Swishing

Water sloshing noises are perfectly normal, they may seem quite loud at first but you will soon get used to them.

Water can in many cases make a hissing sound as it enters the machine and a sloshing or swishing noise as the spray arms rotate. The dishwasher will also repeat this process several times during the cycle.

A Pounding Sound

A thumping sound can be de to the sprayer hitting into an object that is dangling from the racks or a large dish. It could also be the drain line bashing against the wall or cabinets.This is more likely if your dishwasher has just been installed.

Although these aren’t noises a dishwasher should be making it is simple to fix with a little adjustment.

Normal Humming as well as Buzzing Noises

Humming sounds are routine for plenty of models. This is the sound of water draining out of the machine. The humming is due to the vibration caused by the drain pump and thus is perfectly normal, it may also stop and start as the pump may not run continuously.

Humming may additionally be heard from the fan that cools the dishwasher motor while it is running.

Plenty of machines also have a food disposal grinder that could make a humming noise intermittently during the cycle.

Beeping at the End of the Cycle

Beeping noises at the end of the cycle are perfectly routine although they could be irritating, especially if your machine ends its cycle while you’re in bed. In most cases you can turn this noise off on the control panel. .

Squealing Sound from a New Dishwasher

A new dishwasher can produce a squealing sounds when it is first installed due to there not being any water in the drum. This may also cause a rattling noise , this could also happen if your dishwasher hasn’t been operated for a while.

You may stop this from happening by putting water in the dishwasher before turning it on for the first time or when you’ve been away.

Abnormal Dishwasher Noises

It’s not uncommon to feel a little on edge if your machine starts making strange noises, however there is usually no cause for concern.

That being said, if there are loud or unusual sounds coming from your dishwasher this could require further investigation, especially when you’ve had the machine for a while and thus know how it usually sounds.

Just remember, if you are going to start taking your machine apart you should always turn off the power first.

Loud or Unusual Grinding Sounds

Despite the fact that plenty of machines may make a grinding noise as part of their regular operation if your machine all of a sudden starts making a louder than normal or strange grinding noise this is often a sign of an issue and needs checking out.

The most common cause will be that something has got stuck in either the waste disposal or the drain impeller, and therefore is knocking into the blades. If you suspect this could be the problem you should stop the machine and have a look. If you discover anything, remove it carefully before re-starting the machine.

The other potential cause is that there is insufficient water in the dishwasher, in which case, you can have a look at the water inlet to try to find out the reason the machine isn’t filling with water.

Abnormal Humming, Rattling or Buzzing Sounds

While humming and buzzing sounds could be completely regular they may also be a sign of a fault. A faulty motor may produce a loud humming or even shrieking sound, if this happens it will usually need to be replaced.

A damaged pump could also produce a rattling noise.

Rattling sounds deriving from a dishwasher are usually caused by dishes and cutlery hitting against each other. Nonetheless, unusually loud rattling could also be a plumbing problem.

To check, run an empty cycle and if the rattling sound is still there this may be evidence of a broken pump.

Beeping Before the Cycle is Over

Despite the fact that it is completely normal for a dishwasher to beep at the end of the cycle, beeping during the cycle is usually your machine telling you there is a fault. Many dishwashers will beep if they are opened mid-cycle and the cycle is paused. Or you may have to have a look at the manual.

Knocking, Clunking and Banging Noises

A rhythmic thumping is most likely due to the spray arm bashing an obstruction inside the dishwasher and therefore can be quickly rectified by rearranging your dishes. Things hanging down from the shelves is often the problem.

It may be worthwhile checking the arm is able to rotate freely routinely to prevent this from being an issue as it has a side effect of meaning your dishes aren’t being cleaned effectively.

Banging, on the other hand, is often an indication of a plumbing problem often referred to as water hammer. The banging noise is related to the water pressure in the pipes and therefore often happens when the machine is in need of more water than the pipes feeding it can supply.

Water hammer may also be the reason behind rattling in the pipes.

Regrettably there isn’t much you can do to fix this yourself and so it’s recommended to contact a plumber if you suspect this is the problem.

Fixing your Dishwasher

Broken pumps and motors are the most likely cause of unusual loud noises coming from your dishwasher. The good news is these parts are replaceable so you shouldn’t need a whole replacement dishwasher. You may even be able to replace the part on your own or you may wish to contact a local engineer.

More Dishwasher Problems: