Why Is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

Opening the dishwasher to find an inch of cloudy water sitting at the bottom is a common, and usually solvable, problem. Drainage issues account for a large share of dishwasher service calls, and the cause is often simpler than people expect.

Check the filter first

Most modern dishwashers use a removable filter at the bottom of the tub to catch food debris before it reaches the drain pump. If that filter isn't cleaned periodically, it can clog enough to prevent proper drainage — and it's something homeowners can typically check and clean themselves.

The air gap and disposal connection

If your dishwasher drains through an air gap or through your garbage disposal, a clog in either of those can back water up into the dishwasher even when the dishwasher's own components are working fine. If you've recently run your disposal and noticed slow draining there too, that's worth checking first.

When it's the drain pump

If the filter is clear and the air gap or disposal connection checks out, the drain pump itself may have failed or have something lodged in it — a piece of glass, a bottle cap, or similar debris is a surprisingly common culprit.

What to do next

If your dishwasher in Bend isn't draining, start by checking and cleaning the filter, since that resolves a meaningful share of these calls on its own. If water is still standing after that, a diagnostic visit can confirm whether the pump, an internal clog, or something further down the drain line is responsible.