Standing water at the end of a cycle usually means a clogged filter, a kinked drain hose, a blocked air gap, or a knockout plug left in the garbage disposal when it was installed. Two of those take minutes to rule out yourself. If the water still stands, the drain pump or check valve is the likely culprit — call or text 225-327-2120 and we'll take it from there.
Food scraps and grease collect in the removable filter at the bottom of the tub. Twist it out, rinse it under hot water, and you've fixed the most common cause without spending a dime.
If your dishwasher drains through the disposal and the problem started right after a disposal replacement, a plastic knockout plug is probably still sealing the dishwasher inlet. It has to be punched out — a short technician visit.
The hose running from the dishwasher to the sink drain can kink when the machine shifts, or clog with grease over the years. Check behind and under the sink for kinks first.
If your sink has a small cylinder next to the faucet, that's the air gap. Remove its cap and clear any debris — backups here push water back into the tub.
The pump pushes water out; the check valve keeps it from flowing back. When either fails, water drains slowly or returns to the tub. Both are routine technician repairs.
A cycle stopped mid-drain — power blip, door opened — can leave water behind. Run a rinse-only cycle with nothing in the machine and see whether it clears.
Drain pumps sit behind water and wiring inside the machine's base. We don't recommend pulling the tub apart yourself — it's a wet, cramped job that's quick for a stocked technician.
That's fine too. The free Quick Check covers simple checks in plain English, or you can go straight to booking a technician. Our appliance repair answers page has more on diagnostic fees and the 90-day warranty.
Yes. Most dishwashers intentionally leave a shallow pool — an inch or less — in the sump to keep the seals from drying out. Water deep enough to cover the heating element or reach the door is not normal and points to a drainage problem.
Very likely. Dishwasher drain hoses connect to the disposal, and new disposals ship with a knockout plug inside that inlet. If the plug was never removed, the dishwasher has nowhere to drain. It's a common, quick fix for a technician.
You can, but it won't clean well and the dirty water will just recirculate. Clear the simple causes first — filter, disposal, hose — and if the water still stands, book service before the drain pump is stressed any further.
It starts with a diagnostic — $99 on weekdays, starting at $149 on weekends, holidays, and after hours — applied toward the repair when it's completed the same visit. Drain pumps and check valves are common parts we stock, and every quote is flat-rate and approved before work begins.
That's by design in many kitchens — the drain hose loops up to the sink drain or an air gap so dirty water can't flow back into the dishwasher. The loop can also become a clog point: grease and debris collect there, which is why the air gap and hose are on our checklist.
We're ready when you are. Call or text for a real arrival window, or book online in about a minute.
Prefer to text? Send a message to 225-327-2120 and we'll respond during business hours.