Water damage caused by the dishwasher: What to watch out for.

When a dishwasher suddenly stops working properly, it’s very annoying. However, the situation is much worse if it is no longer leak-proof. How best to react in case of water damage caused by the dishwasher under £300, you will learn in this article.

What are the possible causes that the dishwasher leaks?

In order to quickly determine how you should act properly, the cause must be found as soon as possible. It is especially common that the hose is cracked or has a small defect that you can not see with the naked eye. In addition, the leaking moisture may be due to a clogged filter or a leaky door.

In some cases, the connection of the siphon is defective or the circulation pump stops working properly. If the sensors in the dishwasher are broken, the inflow and outflow of water can also no longer be regulated. The result: water escapes uncontrollably and can cause great damage to other objects in the household.

Also of interest: Why kitchen knives should not be put in the dishwasher

What should you do if the dishwasher leaks?

If you notice water spreading on the floor or elsewhere near the dishwasher under £400, you should act quickly.

• Immediately turn off the dishwasher and turn off the water!
• If it is a delicate hardwood floor, you must immediately absorb the water with dry cloths and a bucket as best you can to avoid water damage.
• If it is a carpeted floor, it should also be dried as well as possible.
• Also turn off the power supply, because if moisture and electricity meet, there is an acute danger to life!
• Only then secure all objects that you can easily carry out of the damp room and dry off.
• Once you have secured both the floors and objects, you should document the damage directly. Take photos from different angles in good light.
• Once you are done with this, you need to open all the windows so that the apartment is well ventilated. Otherwise, the risk of mold forming and moisture not escaping as quickly as possible increases.

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Who bears the costs in case of water damage caused by the dishwasher?

The water damage should be reported immediately – both to the landlord and to the insurance company. As a tenant, you are only liable if you have acted negligently. For example, if the dishwasher under £500 was not installed properly, you and not your landlord are liable.

If the damage is to a building, it is covered by the building insurance, which is paid for by you as the tenant through the service charges. If the premiums or the own contribution to be paid subsequently increase, the costs can be passed on to the tenant again. Under certain circumstances, water damage may also entitle the tenant to a rent reduction, provided that the damage was caused by tap water from another party and is significant. In this case, it is always important to inform the landlord about the damage beforehand.

If damage occurs in the neighboring apartment below, the liability insurance will pay for it. This also applies if it is not a rented apartment but your own.

Water damage	Who pays?
on the building	Landlord’s building insurance
in the neighboring apartment	Liability insurance
to furniture or household effects	Homeowner’s insurance

Also of interest: Why glasses tarnish in the dishwasher

What do I have to consider if I want to get compensation for the damage?

You must immediately document the damage and report it to both the insurance company and the landlord. If other tenants could be affected, you must also inform the liability insurance company immediately so that the damage outside your own or rented apartment can also be settled.

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What safety mechanisms are there to prevent the dishwasher from leaking?

1st tip: First and foremost, you should only trust a dishwasher that is equipped with sufficient safety mechanisms against water damage, such as an aquastop.

2nd tip: In addition, you should regularly inspect both the dishwasher itself, as well as all hoses, sifons and the door. Before turning on the dishwasher, make sure that the door closes properly. There should be no small parts in the seal, because they could cause the dishwasher to leak and the water to leak accordingly. If you do not check the dishwasher regularly or use a defective or outdated device, you can be held responsible for the damage in the worst case.

Tip 3: To make sure that the dishwasher does not cause any damage, you should only turn it on when you are at home. In the meantime, check regularly to make sure that water is not leaking out and that the machine is working properly. In this case, if there is water on the floor in front of the dishwasher, you can immediately intervene and minimize the damage.

Tip 4: If you lay out a protection directly under or in the area around the dishwasher with a waterproof carpet pad, you can effectively avoid the damage to the parquet, for example. Here come into question underlays made of plastic, which intercept leaking water.

Tip 5: Also make sure that sensitive objects and power connections or sockets near the floor are not in the vicinity of the dishwasher in the first place.