Why is my dishwasher not draining?
Most common cause on a dishwasher in the GTA: clogged filter, sump, or drain hose (food debris, grease, glass/seeds in the pump). A typical repair runs $200–$390 all-in, including the $149.95 diagnostic, credited 100% toward your repair. No flooding risk while it just sits full, but it goes stagnant fast — book within a day or two. Book at convenience
Prices in CAD for the GTA; typical ranges — your exact quote is confirmed on-site before any work. Updated .
Most dishwasher faults in the GTA come down to a handful of parts — and the majority are worth repairing rather than replacing an appliance that typically lasts 9–12 years. Anthony is a Red Seal certified technician who carries the common dishwasher parts on the van, so most jobs in the GTA are diagnosed and fixed in a single visit.
Dishwasher repair costs in the GTA
Honest, all-in ranges for common jobs. Every visit starts with a flat $149.95 diagnostic that is credited 100% toward your repair — so you never pay it twice.
| Problem | Parts | Labour | All-in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not draining / standing water | $0–$180 | $130–$210 | $200–$390 |
| Diagnostic (credited to the repair) | $149.95 |
Ranges are estimates for common jobs in the GTA; your exact quote is confirmed on-site before any work begins. Prices in CAD, updated .
How your repair works
Four simple steps, no surprises.
Book
Call or request a callback. Same-day & next-day appointments available.
Diagnose
A flat $149.95 diagnostic pinpoints the real fault.
Approve
You get an upfront all-in quote first — diagnostic credited 100% toward your repair.
Repaired
Fixed with OEM parts, backed by a 90-day warranty.
Common Dishwasher problems & what we check
Tap any problem for the likely causes, what is safe to check yourself, and what it costs.
Not draining / standing water$200–$390
Not draining / standing water: A pool of dirty water sits in the sump/tub floor at the end of the cycle, sometimes with a hum from the drain pump that never clears it.
Also described as: standing water in bottom, water won't drain, water left in tub, pooling at the bottom
Likely causes
- Clogged filter, sump, or drain hose (food debris, grease, glass/seeds in the pump) (Most common)
- Failed or jammed drain pump (hums but won't move water, or dead silent) (Common)
- Blocked air gap, kinked drain hose, or a new garbage-disposal knockout plug never removed (Common)
- Stuck check valve letting water siphon back, or a failed control relay not firing the pump (Occasional)
How we diagnose it — in order
- Scoop out the standing water, then pull and clean the cylindrical sump filter and any coarse/fine screens at the tub floor -- food debris, grease, broken glass, and paper labels clog these first and are the single most common cause.
- Check the household side of the drain: if plumbed to a garbage disposal, confirm the knockout plug was punched out of the disposal inlet; if there's a countertop air gap, pull the cap and flush both hoses -- a blocked air gap or capped disposal stub backs water into the tub.
- Inspect the drain hose end to end for a clog, kink, or sag: detach it at the disposal/standpipe, run water through it, and confirm the high loop under the counter is intact (no high loop lets dirty sink water siphon back in).
- Pull the sump cover and check the drain pump impeller for debris jamming it -- a pump that hums but moves no water is almost always a glass chip, toothpick, or seed locking the impeller; clear it and spin it by hand.
- With debris ruled out, test the drain pump electrically (technician): confirm the control is sending line voltage to the pump on the drain step, then check the pump motor windings for continuity/correct resistance per the model's service sheet -- open or out-of-spec windings or no commanded voltage condemns the pump or control board.
- If the pump runs and is clear but water still won't leave, check the drain check valve / flapper at the pump outlet for sticking or debris -- a stuck-open valve lets pumped water siphon back, mimicking a no-drain fault.
✔ Safe to check yourself
- Twist out the lower filter (bottom of the tub) and rinse it under warm water — the single most common fix and fully owner-doable.
- Scoop out the standing water with a cup and sponge first, then check the sump for glass, seeds, or a bone fragment.
- If recently connected to a new garbage disposal, confirm the disposal knockout plug was punched out.
- Check the drain hose under the sink isn't kinked and the air gap on the counter isn't clogged.
✖ Leave to a technician
- Don't run the cycle repeatedly to "force" it through — a jammed pump can burn out its winding.
- Drain-pump replacement and check-valve work mean disconnecting power and water and tipping the unit — technician job.
Related: Leaking water · Error code flashing
Ready to get it fixed?
Call now — (647) 490-7878 90-day warranty · flat $149.95 diagnostic credited 100% toward your repairDishwasher not draining / standing water by brand
Brand-specific patterns we see
- LG: LG dishwashers (QuadWash, TrueSteam) run an inverter direct-drive wash motor and a readable code set: OE (drain), AE/E1 (leak in base), IE (inlet/fill), HE (heater), LE/CE (motor/comms), nE (vario/wash-motor), tE (thermistor), FE (overfill), bE (suds). Condensation drying is honest physics — plastics come out damp by design, which we explain rather than chase. LG also built Kenmore 795/796 tall-tubs on this platform, so the same pumps and valves cross over.
- GE: GE dishwashers (GDF/GDT front- and tall-tub, PDT Profile, CDT Café — all one Louisville platform in different trim) serve a huge GTA installed base. The service profile is drain-path dominant: the C1/C2/C3 drain codes and the WD26X drain-pump are the most-replaced items, alongside door-latch/interlock micro-switch wear (no-start), water-temperature/fill faults (C5/C6/C7), and a flood-float "LEAK DETECTED" lockout on newer units. Economical WD-prefix parts (WD26X pump, WD13X latch, WD15X valve, WD21X board, WD05X element) keep most repairs cost-effective; boards and pumps interchange by model code across GE/Profile/Café, never by badge.
- Maytag: Maytag dishwashers split at one verified event: the June 3, 2010 CPSC recall of ~1.7M plastic-tub units (Maytag, Amana, Jenn-Air, Admiral, Magic Chef, Performa, Crosley; sold Feb 2006-Apr 2010) for heating-element electrical failures with fire reports, so any unit from that window gets a serial-check before we touch the heat circuit. Everything modern is a Whirlpool tall-tub (MDB stainless platform) sharing the same service signatures as Whirlpool/KitchenAid/Kenmore 665 sister badges (the Whirlpool-prefixed WDT/WDF consoles ride this same platform): drain-pump faults, diverter-disc wash failures, door-latch wear, and a readable Clean-light blink-code language (function flash, 2-second pause, problem flash) entered via the keypress sequence.
- Kenmore: "Kenmore" is a Sears retail badge, not a factory: the real maker is decoded from the FIRST 3 DIGITS of the model number (the prefix before the dot on the data-plate). We read the full model/serial before the visit, then diagnose as the actual donor. The dominant dishwasher prefixes are web-confirmed: 665. = WHIRLPOOL-built tall-tubs — fixed with the same chopper/diverter/thermal-fuse/door-latch and clean-light blink-code knowledge as Whirlpool/KitchenAid/Maytag; 587. = FRIGIDAIRE/Electrolux-built — i-code dialect (i10/i20/i30/i40) and cheap 154-prefix parts; 630. = BOSCH/BSH-built (E-code logic); 795. = LG-built (QuadWash platform, shares LG OE/AE codes and ABQ-prefix pumps); 363./364. = GE-built. For dishwashers the LG prefix is 795. ONLY — 796. is the LG LAUNDRY (washer/dryer) prefix and is NOT a dishwasher number, so we never import it into the dishwasher decode. On 665 we go with WHIRLPOOL per the parts-industry authority ApplianceAid and a real Whirlpool model example (665.1574990) — we decode the plate rather than trust the badge (and we ignore the stale '363/364/665=GE' lump-list, which is wrong for dishwashers: 665 dishwashers are Whirlpool, with Whirlpool parts and Whirlpool blink-code diagnostics). Kenmore parts ARE the donor's parts: we never order a "Kenmore" number, we order the donor's OEM number cross-referenced to the 665./587./630./795. prefix.
- GE Profile: GE dishwashers (GDF/GDT front- and tall-tub, PDT Profile, CDT Café — all one Louisville platform in different trim) serve a huge GTA installed base. The service profile is drain-path dominant: the C1/C2/C3 drain codes and the WD26X drain-pump are the most-replaced items, alongside door-latch/interlock micro-switch wear (no-start), water-temperature/fill faults (C5/C6/C7), and a flood-float "LEAK DETECTED" lockout on newer units. Economical WD-prefix parts (WD26X pump, WD13X latch, WD15X valve, WD21X board, WD05X element) keep most repairs cost-effective; boards and pumps interchange by model code across GE/Profile/Café, never by badge.
- Viking: Viking dishwashers are a low-volume luxury line built by ASKO (Sweden) across two generations, so the first move on any call is decoding which platform is in the cabinet. The older ASKO DW20.3-platform units (DFUD/DFB/DDB/VUD, 6-digit-dash part numbers like 039758-000) and the later ASKO-built FDW/RDW/VDW generation share a drain-dominant service profile: the 039758-000 drain pump is the single most-replaced item, alongside flow-through heater failures (poor wash/no-dry), water-inlet-valve fill faults, and overflow/float lockouts that park the machine and run the drain pump to protect the base. Parts are distributor- and dealer-channel (Kimball, AllVikingParts, AppliancePartsGroup) — not GTA shelf stock like GE — and several assemblies (control board, some valves) are model/serial-coded, so honest lead-time counselling is part of every quote. Most independents specialize-or-decline here; we triage same-visit filter/drain/maintenance fixes against sealed-module orders against the serial.
Brand-specific dishwasher repair
Get your dishwasher fixed — not draining / standing water repair near you
We diagnose and repair dishwasher not draining / standing water across the GTA, same-day where possible, with the flat $149.95 diagnostic credited 100% toward your repair.
Why homeowners across the GTA call us
Every repair is led by Anthony, a Red Seal interprovincial journeyman who is 313A Licensed, TSSA Certified, ODP Certified, with his team working under his direct leadership — backed by $2,000,000+ general liability insurance and a 90-day workmanship warranty on every job.
Red Seal-led team
Every job is overseen by Anthony, a certified journeyman, and handled by his own trusted team.
Licensed & gas-certified
313A refrigeration licence and TSSA gas certification for safe, code-correct repairs.
$2,000,000+ insured
Fully insured for general liability, so your home is protected during the repair.
90-day warranty
Parts and workmanship are warrantied — if it's not right, we come back.
OEM parts on the van
Common parts are stocked, so most jobs are completed on the first visit.
Upfront pricing
A flat $149.95 diagnostic, credited 100% toward your repair, and a quote before any work.
What our credentials mean for you
- Red Seal Certified
- The interprovincial standard for skilled trades — a journeyman who passed the national appliance-service exam.
- 313A Licensed
- Ontario's refrigeration & air-conditioning systems mechanic licence — legally required to work on sealed cooling systems.
- TSSA Certified
- Technical Standards & Safety Authority gas certification — qualified to work safely on gas appliances.
- ODP Certified
- Ozone Depletion Prevention certification — licensed to handle refrigerants responsibly and to code.
Repair or replace your dishwasher?
A simple rule of thumb: if the repair costs more than half the price of a comparable new unit and the appliance is near the end of its life, replacement may make more sense.
A dishwasher typically lasts – and costs $600–$1,200 to replace — so most faults under about $450 are worth fixing. We'll always tell you honestly when a repair isn't worth your money.
Keep your dishwasher running
Simple habits that prevent the most common the GTA repairs.
- Clean the bottom filter monthly — twist it out and rinse under warm water; a clogged filter is the #1 cause of poor cleaning and drain faults.
- Pull the spray arms a few times a year and clear the jet holes with a toothpick so water reaches every dish.
- Keep the rinse-aid reservoir topped up — it's what sheets water off so dishes actually dry (essential on modern condensation-dry models).
- Run a dishwasher cleaner (or a cup of white vinegar on a hot cycle) monthly to clear grease and hard-water scale — Toronto/GTA water is moderately hard.
- Use only dishwasher detergent — never dish soap or hand soap, which foams over and leaks past the door seals.
- Wipe the door gasket clean and check it for tears; replace it as soon as it hardens or leaks.
- Scrape plates instead of pre-rinsing them spotless — modern detergents need some food soil to work against, and heavy debris clogs the filter.
- Run the kitchen hot tap before starting a cycle so the dishwasher fills with already-hot water for better cleaning and drying.
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Frequently asked questions
Why is my dishwasher not draining?
Do you charge for the diagnostic?
How soon can you come out?
Are you licensed and insured?
Do you use genuine parts?
Need your dishwasher fixed in the GTA?
Same-day & next-day appointments available. Flat $149.95 diagnostic, credited 100% toward your repair, and a 90-day warranty on every repair.
Call (647) 490-7878