Why is My Dishwasher Making Loud Sounds?

Your Dishwasher is designed to make life easier. Not to mention the fact that they get better results than hand washing and when you open the machine in the morning all the dishes is dry and ready to put away.

If you have a dishwasher the chances are it’s unpleasant to contemplate life without it. And most people would prefer not to the amount of dishes that you would need to do if it breaks down. If that happens, you will need to hire a dishwasher repair company to fix the kitchen appliance.

Is Your Dishwasher Noisy?

It is absolutely normal to pick up an array of separate sounds while your machine is running. The water running into the machine, the motor running, the dishwasher tablet drawer clicking open and the buzz of the soft food grinder are all regular noises.

If you own a new machine these noises may be unlike your old dishwasher, moreover if you have installed a machine for the first time they may not be the sounds you were expecting.

Dishwasher Sounds Include:

A Water Sloshing or Swishing Noise

Hearing water gurgling and sloshing about is perfectly normal, they might sound rather noisy to begin with although they are nothing to worry about.

Water will regularly make a hissing noise as it enters the machine as well as a sloshing or swishing noise as the spray arms rotate. The dishwasher will also drain and refill several times during the cycle.

A Pounding Sound

A thumping sound can happen because of the spray arm hitting against an object that is hanging down from the racks or a large plate. It could also be the drain line thumping into the wall or cabinets.

Despite the fact that these aren’t noises a dishwasher should be making it is simple to rectify with a little adjustment.

Normal Humming as well as Buzzing Sounds

Humming noises are normal for many machines. This is the sound of water emptying out of the machine. The humming is due to the vibration caused by the drain pump and is absolutely routine, it could also stop and start as the pump helps push food debris as well as water out of the machine.

Buzzing could also be heard from the fan that cools the dishwasher pump motor while it is working.

Many dishwashers also have a grinder that can produce a buzzing noise while the dishwasher is on.

Beeping at the End of the Cycle

Beeping noises when the cycles finishes are absolutely normal despite the fact they could be annoying, particularly if your dishwasher finishes running while you’re in bed. In most cases you can turn the beeping off using the control panel. Check your manual for instructions as makes will all be slightly different.

Squealing Sound from a New Dishwasher

A new machine could make a squealing noise the first few times it is run due to there not being any water in the drum. This can also result in a rattling sound and may also occur if your dishwasher hasn’t been used for a while.

You could stop this from happening by putting water in the dishwasher before running it for the first time or after you’ve been away.

Worrying Dishwasher Noises

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

However, if your machine starts making louder than normal or unusual noises this could warrant additional investigation, especially if you’ve had your dishwasher for a while and therefore know what is normally sounds like.

Don’t forget, 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 could make a grinding noise as part of their regular operation if your machine suddenly starts making a louder than normal or strange grinding noise this is often a sign of an issue and therefore needs checking out.

The most common issue will be that something has got lodged in either the waste disposal or the drain impeller, and therefore is knocking into the blades. in this case you should stop the machine and check. If you discover anything, carefully take it out before re-starting the machine.

Another potential issue is that there is insufficient water in the machine, if this is the case you can have a look at the water inlet valve to try to find out the reason the dishwasher doesn’t have enough water.

Worrying Humming, Rattling or Buzzing Noises

While humming and buzzing noises can be absolutely routine they could also signal a fault. A faulty motor may make a irregular humming or even shrieking sound, in this case you may need a replacement part.

A damaged pump can also produce a rattling noise.

Rattling sounds coming from a dishwasher are usually caused by dishes or cutlery knocking into one another. However, unusually loud thumping could also be a water issue.

If you run an empty cycle and the rattling sound persists this could be evidence of a faulty pump.

Beeping Before the Cycle is Over

Despite the fact that it is absolutely normal for a dishwasher to beep at the end of the cycle, beeping half way through the cycle is commonly your dishwasher indicating there is an error. Many dishwashers will beep if they are interrupted half way through the cycle so that the cycle is paused. Or you can have to consult your manual.

Knocking, Clunking and Banging Sounds

A rhythmic clunking is most likely due to the sprayer bashing something inside the dishwasher and thus may be quickly fixed by rearranging your dishes. Things dangling from the shelves is often the problem.

It may be a good idea to check that the arm can turn without obstruction regularly before starting your machine to stop this from being an issue as it has a side effect of meaning your dishes don’t get cleaned so well.

Banging, however, is often an indication of a plumbing problem known as water hammer. The banging sound is related to the water pressure in the pipes and often happens when the dishwasher is demanding more water than the pipes feeding it can supply.

Water hammer can also result in banging in the pipes.

Unfortunately there isn’t much you are able to do to fix this without professional help therefore it’s best to contact an engineer if you suspect this is an issue.

Fixing your Dishwasher

Broken pumps and motors are the most likely cause of sudden loud noises emanating from your dishwasher. The good news is these parts can be replaced so you shouldn’t need to replace your machine. You may even be able to replace the part yourself or you could wish to contact a local repair person.