Why is My Dishwasher Making Loud Sounds?

Appliances like a dishwasher are there to be seen and not heard. On top of that they are more hygienic than washing up by hand and when they are finished everything is dried up and ready to put away.

If you are fortunate enough to use a dishwasher the chances are it’s hard to contemplate life without it. And most people would ideally avoid the amount of dishes that you would be required to do if it breaks down. In this case, you will want to call a dishwasher repair company to fix the kitchen appliance.

Do You Have a Rowdy Dishwasher?

It is absolutely normal for a dishwasher to produce a variety of distinct sounds during a cycle. The water filling the drum, the motor working, the dishwasher tablet drawer clicking open as well as the buzz of the grinder blades are all normal sounds.

If you have a new machine these noises are likely to be inconsistent from your old machine, and if you have installed a machine for the first time they may not be the sounds you expected.

Dishwasher Sounds Include:

Water Sound

Water sloshing sounds are perfectly regular, they might appear pretty intrusive at first but they are nothing to worry about.

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

A Thumping Noise

A pounding sound can be the result of the spray arm hitting into something that is hanging down from the racks or an oversized plate. It could also be the drain pipe banging against the wall or cabinets.

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

Regular Humming and Buzzing Noises

Humming sounds are routine for many models. 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 perfectly regular, it could also pause as the pump may not run continuously.

Humming may also be heard from the fan that cools the dishwasher motor while it is working.

Plenty of dishwashers also make use of a soft food grinder that could produce a humming noise intermittently during the cycle.

Beeping at the End of the Cycle

Beeping noises when the cycles finishes are completely normal although they may be annoying, especially if your dishwasher ends its cycle while you’re in bed. You should be able to switch this noise off on the control panel. .

Squealing Sound from a New Dishwasher

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

You may stop this from happening by adding about a quart of water to the dishwasher before turning it on for the first time or when you’ve been away.

Worrying Dishwasher Noises

If you pickup funny noises coming from your dishwasher, getting a little uneasy is a very normal reaction though usually, it’s nothing to worry about.

That being said, if your dishwasher starts making louder than normal or unusual noises this could warrant further investigation, in particular when you’ve had your machine for a while and know how it usually sounds.

Just remember, always cut the power to your machine before taking it apart.

Loud or Unusual Grinding Sounds

Although many dishwashers may make a soft grinding noise as part of their normal cycle if your machine all of a sudden develops a loud or strange grinding sound this is often a sign of an issue and therefore needs further investigation.

The most common reason will be that something is caught in either the the waste disposal or the drain impeller, and is knocking into the blades. If you suspect this might be the problem you should stop the machine and check. If you discover something, remove it carefully before re-starting the dishwasher.

The other possible reason is that there is insufficient water in the dishwasher, if this is the case you can have a look at the water inlet valve to try to find out why the machine isn’t filling with water.

Worrying Humming, Rattling or Buzzing Noises

While humming and also buzzing sounds could be perfectly regular they can also be a sign of an issue. A damaged motor can make a irregular humming or even shrieking sound, in this case you may need a replacement part.

A damaged motor may also produce a rattling noise.

Rattling sounds deriving from a machine are most likely caused by plates and cutlery hitting against each other. Nevertheless, unusually noisy banging may also be indicative of a plumbing problem.

To check, run an empty cycle and if the rattling sound persists this may be evidence of a faulty pump.

Beeping Before the Cycle is Over

Although it is perfectly routine 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 dishwashers will alert you if they are interrupted half way through the cycle so that the cycle is paused. Or you can have to consult the owners manual.

Knocking, Clunking and Banging Noises

A rhythmical thumping is more often than not due to the spray arm hitting an obstruction inside the dishwasher and can be easily sorted by rearranging your dishes. Things hanging down from the shelves is often the problem.

It could be worthwhile checking the arm is able to rotate without obstruction routinely to stop this from being an issue as it also means your dishes aren’t being cleaned effectively.

Banging, however, is usually a sign of a household plumbing issue often referred to as water hammer. The banging noise is related to the water pressure in the pipes and therefore often happens when the machine is in need of more water than the pipes feeding it can provide.

Water hammer can also cause rattling in the pipes.

Regrettably there isn’t much you can do to fix this on your own and so it’s recommended to contact a plumber if you imagine this is the problem.

Mending your Dishwasher

Broken pumps as well as motors are the most likely cause of sudden loud sounds emanating from your machine. The good news is these parts are replaceable so you shouldn’t need to replace your machine. You could even be able to to the repair yourself or you could need to contact a local engineer.