Why is My Dishwasher Making Loud Sounds?

Your Dishwasher is designed to make life easier. Plus they are more hygienic than washing up by hand and when you open the machine at the end of the cycle everything is dried up and ready to put away.

If you are lucky enough to have a dishwasher the probability is it’s hard to imagine the idea of not having one. Furthermore you would ideally avoid the amount of dishes that you would be required to do if it breaks down. If that happens, you will need to call a dishwasher repair company to fix the appliance.

Is Your Dishwasher Noisy?

It is perfectly normal for a dishwasher to produce an assortment of separate sounds during a cycle. The water entering the drum, the motor spinning, the dishwasher tablet drawer opening and closing and the buzz of the grinder blades are all normal sounds.

If you replace your dishwasher these noises could be unlike your old dishwasher, and if you have installed a machine for the first time they could not be the sounds you were expecting.

Dishwasher Sounds Include:

A Water Sloshing or Swishing Noise

Water sloshing sounds are completely normal, these sounds might seem pretty loud if you are not used to having a dishwasher although they are nothing to worry about.

Water can in many cases produce a hissing sound as it comes through the inlet and a sloshing or swishing noise as the spray arms circulate the water around the machine. The dishwasher will also drain and refill multiple times during the cycle.

A Thumping Sound

A thumping noise could be de to the sprayer bashing into an object that is dangling from the racks or a large plate. Alternatively, it could be the drain line bashing into the wall or cabinets.

Although this isn’t a noise a machine is designed to make it is easy to fix with a little rearrangement.

Normal Humming as well as Buzzing Noises

Humming noises are routine for plenty of machines. This is the noise the water makes pumping out of the dishwasher. The buzzing is due to the drain pump vibrating as it operates and is absolutely normal, it can also pause as the pump helps push food debris as well as water out of the machine.

Humming may additionally be a result of the fan keeps the pump motor cool while it runs.

Many dishwashers also make use of a food disposal grinder that can make a buzzing sound during the cycle.

Beeping at the End of the Cycle

Beeping sounds when the cycles finishes are perfectly routine despite the fact they can be annoying, particularly if your machine ends its cycle at night. In most cases you can turn this noise off using the control panel. .

Squealing from a New Dishwasher

A new machine can 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 can also occur if your machine has been out of action for a period of time.

You could avoid this by putting water in the drum before turning it on for the first time or when you’ve not used it for a while.

Abnormal Dishwasher Noises

If you notice funny sounds emanating from your dishwasher, being a little on edge is a very natural reaction though usually, it’s nothing to worry about.

However, if there are louder than usual or unusual sounds coming from your machine this can warrant additional investigation, in particular if you’ve had the dishwasher for some time and therefore know how it usually sounds.

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

A Loud or Unusual Grinding Noise

Although some dishwashers can make a soft grinding noise as part of their normal cycle if your dishwasher suddenly develops a louder than normal or unusual grinding sound this is not considered a good sign and needs checking out.

Most of the time the cause will be that something is caught in either the the waste disposal or the drain impeller, and therefore is grinding into the blades. If you suspect this might be the issue you should pause the cycle and have a look. If you find something, remove it carefully before re-starting the cycle.

An alternative potential issue is that there is insufficient water in the dishwasher, in which case, you should check the water inlet valve to try to determine why the machine doesn’t have enough water.

Worrying Humming, Rattling or Buzzing Noises

While humming and buzzing sounds could be perfectly normal they may also be a sign of an issue. A faulty pump may make a high pitched humming or even squealing sound, in this case you may need a replacement part.

A broken pump can also make a rattling noise.

Rattling sounds deriving from a machine are most likely caused by dishes and cutlery hitting into one another. However, particularly noisy banging may also be a water issue.

If you run an empty cycle and the rattling sound persists this can indicate a faulty pump.

Beeping Mid-Cycle

Although it is perfectly normal for a dishwasher to beep at the end of the cycle, beeping during the cycle is commonly your dishwasher letting you know there is a fault. Many dishwashers will alert you if they are opened mid-cycle so that the cycle is paused. Or you could need to have a look at the owners manual.

Knocking, Clunking and Banging Sounds

A rhythmic knocking is most likely the result of the spray arm bashing something inside the dishwasher and thus may be quickly sorted by moving your dishes. Items dangling from the racks is the most likely cause of this.

It could be worthwhile checking the arm is able to spin freely routinely to prevent this from being an issue as it also means your dishes don’t get cleaned so well.

Banging, on the other hand, is more often a result of a household plumbing problem often referred to as water hammer. The banging sound is related to the water pressure in the pipes and usually occurs when the machine is in need of more water than the pipes feeding it can supply.

Water hammer could also result in banging in the pipes.

Unluckily there isn’t much you can do to resolve this yourself and so it’s recommended to call an engineer if you imagine this is an issue.

Fixing your Dishwasher

Damaged pumps or motors are the most likely cause of sudden loud sounds emanating from your dishwasher. Luckily these parts are replaceable so you shouldn’t need a whole replacement machine. You may even be able to replace the part yourself or you may need to contact a local repair person.