Why is My Dishwasher Making Loud Sounds?

Home Appliances such as a dishwasher are there to save you time and make your life better. On top of that they are more hygienic than washing up by hand and at the end of the cycle everything is dried up and ready to use again.

If you are lucky enough to use a dishwasher the likelihood is it’s unpleasant to contemplate life without it. And you would ideally avoid the piles of washing up you would be required to do if it breaks down. In this case, you’ll need to hire a dishwasher repair company to repair the kitchen appliance.

Is Your Dishwasher Noisy?

It is absolutely regular for a dishwasher to produce an array of separate sounds during a cycle. The water entering the machine, the motor turning, the detergent drawer opening and closing and the buzz of the grinder are all routine noises.

If you replace your machine these noises could be different from your old machine, furthermore if you have recently installed a machine they could not be the noises you expected.

Dishwasher Sounds Include:

A Water Sloshing or Swishing Noise

The sound of water gurgling and sloshing about is perfectly normal, they may appear rather intrusive at first but you will soon get used to them.

Water will in many cases make a hissing sound as it pushes through the inlet as well as a sloshing or swishing sound as the spray arms rotate. The machine will also repeat this process multiple times during the cycle.

A Pounding Noise

A pounding noise could happen because of the sprayer hitting into something that is hanging down from the racks or an oversized dish. Alternatively, it can be the drain pipe bashing into the wall or cabinets.This is more likely if your machine has recently been installed.

Although this isn’t a noise a dishwasher should be making it is easy to fix with a little adjustment.

Regular Humming and Buzzing Sounds

Humming noises are regular for lots of models. It 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 absolutely normal, it may also pause as the pump helps push food debris as well as water out of the machine.

Humming can also be a result of the fan that cools the pump motor while it is turning.

Plenty of dishwashers also have a grinder that could make a buzzing noise intermittently during the cycle.

Beeping When the Cycle Finishes

Beeping sounds when the cycles has finished are absolutely normal despite the fact they could be annoying, particularly if your dishwasher completes its cycle at night. You should be able to switch the beeping off using the dishwasher controls. Check your owners manual for details as models will vary.

Squealing Noise from a New Dishwasher

A new machine could make a squealing sounds the first few times it is run because there is no water in the drum. This could also cause a rattling noise and could also occur if your dishwasher has been out of action for a while.

You could stop this from happening 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 unusual to be a little uneasy if your machine starts making unusual noises, however there is usually no cause for concern.

That being said, if your machine starts making louder than normal or unusual noises this could call for additional investigation, in particular when you’ve had your machine for some time and know how it usually sounds.

Don’t forget, if you are going to start taking your machine apart you should always turn off the power first.

A Loud or Unusual Grinding Sound

Despite the fact that some machines can make a grinding noise as part of their regular operation if your machine unexpectedly begins to emit a loud or unusual grinding sound this is not considered a good sign and needs checking out.

The most likely issue will be an item such as an olive stone or corn kernel has become lodged in either the waste disposal or the drain impeller, and is knocking into the blades. in this case you should stop the machine and check. If you discover something, carefully take it out before re-starting the machine.

Another potential reason is a lack of water in the machine, in which case, you can have a look at the water inlet to try to determine the reason the machine is empty.

Worrying Humming, Rattling or Buzzing Noises

While humming and buzzing sounds can be completely normal they could also indicate an issue. A broken pump could make a irregular humming or even squealing noise, in this case you may need a replacement part.

A damaged pump may also make a rattling sound.

Rattling noises deriving from a machine are often a result of plates or cutlery knocking against each other. Nonetheless, particularly noisy rattling may also be indicative of a water problem.

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

Beeping Before the Cycle is Over

Despite the fact that it is absolutely regular for a dishwasher to beep when it is finished, beeping half way through the cycle is often your dishwasher indicating there is an error. Many machines will beep if they are opened half way through the cycle and the cycle is paused. Or you could need to have a look at the owners manual.

Knocking, Clunking and Banging Sounds

A regular clunking is more often than not due to the arm bashing an obstruction inside the dishwasher and thus could be quickly sorted by rearranging your dishes. Items descending from the racks is the most likely cause of this.

It may be worthwhile checking the arm can rotate freely regularly before starting your machine to prevent this from being an issue as it also means your dishes don’t get cleaned so well.

Banging, however, is usually an indication of a plumbing issue often referred to as water hammer. The banging noise is due to the water pressure in the pipes and thus usually occurs when the machine is in need of more water than the pipes feeding it are able to provide.

Water hammer may also cause banging in the pipes.

Unluckily there isn’t much you can do to solve this yourself and so it’s easiest to phone an engineer if you imagine this is an issue.

Mending your Dishwasher

Faulty pumps and motors are the most likely cause of strange loud sounds emanating 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 yourself or you could wish to call a local engineer.