Is your dishwasher making noise even when it is off? It can be a bit scary to hear your dishwasher making strange noises when it is not even on. Fortunately, it is fairly easy to troubleshoot most issues that cause your dishwasher to make noise when it is off.
If your dishwasher is making noises when off, the anti-flood device might be on due to a leaky valve or a drain valve that is routed wrong. The off button or switch might also not be working properly. Consider that the noises might be coming from a nearby appliance as well.
In this article, you will learn how to figure out the cause of your dishwasher’s strange noises. You will also learn how to fix your dishwasher so that the noises stop. Let’s get into it!
The Main Reason Dishwashers Make Noise When Off
While there can be several reasons dishwashers make strange noises when they are operating, if it is making noise when it is off, it is usually because of the drain pump running when it is not supposed to run.
The drain pump might run if the anti-flood device is working. To understand why that might happen, you need to understand what the anti-flood device is and what it does.
The anti-flood device can vary based on the model of dishwasher you have. You might have a simple anti-flood device or a complicated anti-flood device. In either case, the anti-flood device’s goal is to make sure the dishwasher does not overflow.
How does the anti-flood device ensure that the dishwasher does not overflow? First, it will clear the dishwasher of any water that is in it. It will also stop new water from coming in by disabling the valves and pipes that are supplying new water to the dishwasher.
The anti-flood device can be working even when the dishwasher is powered off. As such, it might be emptying the dishwashing machine of water even while the dishwashing machine is not turned on. That is the sound you hear—the drain pump. The anti-flood device is draining the dishwasher of water.
Why Is the Anti-Flood Device Activated?
Why would the anti-flood device be activated if there is no water supposed to be coming into the dishwasher machine? If the dishwasher is not even running, why is water coming in?
If you want your dishwasher to stop making noise when it is turned off, you will have to figure out what is causing water to come into the dishwasher machine. There can be several things wrong with the dishwasher, causing water to come in even while the machine is not operating.
You might have a leaky valve that is causing water to leak into the dishwashing machine. Another common reason is that the drain line is not routed properly.
A drain line that is not routed properly might be causing water to get back into the dishwashing machine instead of draining it out. As such, the drain pump will be continually busy. It will never be able to get rid of the water it is trying to drain.
Causes of Rattling Noises Coming From a Dishwasher When Off
If you hear rattling or booming noises when the dishwasher is off, you might want to look into the plumbing connected to your dishwasher. While the dishwasher might not have any problems itself, it is possible that the plumbing around it is broken. If that is indeed the case, you might hear noises coming from that direction.
For example, you might hear a booming noise. A booming noise might be due to a water pressure problem in the pipes. The noise might not even be coming right from the dishwasher but the wall near it. This scenario is especially possible if you have a sink near the dishwasher.
Other Reasons Your Dishwasher Is Making Noise
There can be other reasons your dishwasher is making noise even while it is off. One reason might be that the off switch is broken. As such, you might think you are turning off your dishwasher, but you aren’t. That is why it will continue to make noises even after turning off the switch or pressing the off button.
Whether the off button does not work altogether or there is some kind of electrical problem causing the motor to run even after you turn off the machine is up to a professional to decide. A technician might be able to figure out what is wrong.
If your dishwasher door is not closing properly, you might hear a clicking noise. The door might be trying to lock, if there is a lock feature, and is unable to. That might be something worth checking, too.
One possibility that you might not have thought of is that there may be problems with other appliances in your house. If the dishwasher is situated right next to the oven and the sink, the noise might not even be coming from the dishwasher or the plumbing connected to it. It might be coming from the oven or the gas pipes.
Another reason you might not have thought of is that there may be rats or mice in the walls. That would explain scurrying and scratching noises. Again, these noises might sound like they are coming from the dishwasher’s direction, but the dishwasher might not be the culprit here.
After all, you hear the noises while the dishwasher is turned off, so you might want to think of other causes.
How to Fix Noises From a Dishwasher
While you might be able to replace a leaky valve yourself, most people will not be able to. We recommend calling a technician so they can figure out what is going on with your dishwasher and whether the noise might have a different underlying cause.
Another thing you could try is to cover your dishwasher with insulation blankets. They will reduce some of the noise by stopping your dishwasher from rattling. Here is a list of the best dishwasher insulation products.
This Youtube video explains what to do about noises coming from your dishwasher:
Conclusion
There are several reasons the dishwasher might be making noises while turned off. Fortunately, it should not be too hard to figure out the cause. If you can’t figure it out yourself, a technician should figure out the cause of the noises rather quickly.
