Why is My Dishwasher Making Loud Sounds?

Home Appliances such as a dishwasher are there to save you time and make your life more efficient. Not to mention the fact that they get better results than washing up by hand and when you open the machine at the end of the cycle everything is already dry and ready to put away.

If you own a dishwasher the chances are it’s unpleasant to imagine the idea of not having one. Furthermore you would ideally avoid the mountain of dishes that you would need to do if it breaks down. In this case, you’ll need to call a dishwasher repair company to fix the kitchen appliance.

Do You Use a Noisy Dishwasher?

It is completely normal for your dishwasher to produce an assortment of separate sounds while running. The water running into the drum, the motor running, the dishwasher tablet drawer opening and closing as well as the noise of the grinder blades are all normal sounds.

If you replace your dishwasher these sounds are likely to be different from your old dishwasher, furthermore if you have installed a dishwasher for the first time they might not be the sounds you were expecting.

Dishwasher Sounds Include:

The Sound of Water Sloshing or Swishing

Water sloshing sounds are perfectly regular, they may sound rather intrusive if you are not used to having a dishwasher but they are nothing to worry about.

Water will regularly produce a hissing sound as it comes through the water inlet valve and a sloshing or swishing sound as the spray arms circulate it around the machine. The dishwasher will also repeat this process multiple times each time it runs.

A Pounding Sound

A thumping sound can be de to the spray arm bumping into something that is dangling from the racks or an oversized dish. It could also be the drain pipe banging against the wall or cabinets.This is more likely if your machine has recently been installed.

Although these aren’t noises your machine should be making it is simple to sort out with a little rearrangement.

Routine Humming and Buzzing Sounds

Humming noises are regular for lots of machines. It is the noise the water makes draining out of the machine. The humming is a result of the drain pump vibrating as it operates and is completely normal, it could also stop and start as the pump helps push food debris as well as water out of the machine.

Humming could additionally be heard from the fan keeps the motor cool while it works.

Plenty of dishwashers also have a food disposal grinder that can produce a humming noise while the dishwasher is on.

Beeping When the Cycle Has Finished

Beeping sounds when the cycles has finished are absolutely normal although they may be annoying, particularly if your machine ends its cycle at night. In most cases you can switch this sound off on the dishwasher controls. Check your owners manual for instructions as machines will vary.

Squealing Sound from a New Dishwasher

A new machine can make a squealing noise the first few times it is run because there is no water in the machine. This can also result in a rattling sound , this may also happen if your machine hasn’t been operated for a while.

You could avoid this by putting water in the machine before turning it on for the first time or after you’ve been away.

Abnormal Dishwasher Noises

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

That being said, if there are louder than usual or unusual noises coming from your dishwasher this may call for additional investigation, especially when you’ve had the machine for a while and know how it usually sounds.

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

A Loud or Unusual Grinding Noise

Despite the fact that some machines may produce a grinding noise as part of their routine operation if your dishwasher all of a sudden starts making a louder than normal or unusual grinding sound this is often a sign of an issue and therefore needs checking out.

The most common issue will be that something is caught in either the the waste disposal or the drain impeller, and therefore is grinding into the blades. in this case you should pause the cycle and check. If you find anything, carefully take it out before re-starting the dishwasher.

The other potential issue is that there is insufficient water in the dishwasher, if this is the case you can check the water inlet to try to determine the reason the dishwasher doesn’t have enough water.

Worrying Humming, Rattling or Buzzing Noises

While humming and buzzing noises can be completely normal they may also signal an issue. A faulty pump could produce a high pitched humming or even squealing noise, if this happens it will usually need to be replaced.

A damaged pump may also produce a rattling noise.

Rattling noises deriving from a dishwasher are most likely caused by dishes and cutlery bashing against each other. Nevertheless, particularly loud rattling can also be a plumbing issue.

To check, run an empty cycle and if the rattling sound persists this could indicate a faulty motor.

Beeping Mid-Cycle

Although it is absolutely routine for a dishwasher to beep when it is finished, beeping half way through the cycle is often your machine telling you there is an error. Many dishwashers will alert you if they are opened mid-cycle and the cycle is paused. Or you could need to consult your manual.

Knocking, Clunking and Banging Noises

A rhythmical knocking is most likely due to the arm bashing an obstruction inside the machine and can be quickly fixed by rearranging your dishes. Things descending from the shelves is the most likely cause of this.

It can be worthwhile checking the arm can rotate without obstruction each time you use your machine to stop this from happening as it has a side effect of meaning your dishes don’t get cleaned so well.

Banging, on the other hand, is more often an indication of a household plumbing issue often referred to as water hammer. The banging sound is related to the water pressure in the pipes and thus often happens when the machine is demanding more water than the pipes feeding it are able to supply.

Water hammer may also cause rattling in the pipes.

Unluckily there isn’t much you can do to fix this on your own therefore it’s easiest to contact an engineer if you think this is the problem.

Fixing your Dishwasher

Damaged pumps or motors are often responsible for unusual loud noises coming from your machine. The good news is these parts can be replaced so you shouldn’t need to replace your dishwasher. You may even manage replace the part yourself or you might wish to contact a local engineer.