Water Damage Guides · Water Damage Basics

Appliance Leak: What to Do First

Appliance leaks are among the most common water losses in a home, and they are also among the easiest to miss. A washing machine supply hose, a dishwasher connection, or a refrigerator water line can release a slow, steady flow that soaks into the floor and the wall behind the appliance for days before anyone notices. By the time the water appears on the open floor, the damage behind the appliance is often well under way.

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This guide covers the first steps for the three most common appliance leaks: washing machines, dishwashers and refrigerators. It explains how to shut the water off if it is safe to do so, how to protect your belongings, and when to call a professional. Homes in Baton Rouge and New Orleans see the same three culprits, and the water damage restoration page explains what a professional visit generally covers.

Washing machine leaks

Washing machine leaks usually come from one of three places: the supply hoses at the back, the drain hose, or the machine itself. A supply hose that has split or come loose can release a large amount of water quickly, while a drain hose that has slipped out of the standpipe will send wash water across the floor. The first step is to stop the machine and shut off the water to it, using the valves on the wall behind the machine if you can reach them safely from a dry position. Do not reach behind a machine while standing in water.

Once the water is off, move laundry, boxes and anything else on the floor away from the wet area, working from dry ground. Do not pull the machine out across a wet floor by yourself, and do not tip it to look underneath. Water from a washing machine can carry detergent and dirt, and the floor beneath it may be soaked even if the visible water is shallow. A professional inspection can check the moisture in the floor and the wall behind the machine, which is where the real damage usually sits. The emergency water removal page describes the removal step that follows an inspection.

Dishwasher leaks

Dishwasher leaks often start small: a worn door seal, a loose connection under the sink, or a drain hose that has come free. The water runs down behind the kick plate and under the flooring, so the first sign is often a damp patch on the floor in front of the dishwasher, a musty smell, or a floorboard that has started to cup. If you find water, stop the dishwasher, shut off the water supply to it if you can do so safely, and keep the area clear. Do not run the dishwasher again to see if it still leaks.

Dishwasher water is grey water, which means it carries food and detergent, and it should be treated with more caution than clean water from a supply line. Keep children and pets away from it, and do not mop it up with a towel you then use elsewhere. Move rugs and anything stored under the sink away from the wet area if you can do so safely. The floor under a dishwasher is often the last place to dry, because the water has been trapped beneath it, and a professional check of the subfloor is worth doing even when the surface looks dry.

Appliance Leak: What to Do First — Louisiana water damage guide

Refrigerator leaks

Refrigerator leaks usually come from the water line that feeds an ice maker or a water dispenser, or from a blocked defrost drain. The water line is a small tube, often plastic, that runs from the wall to the back of the fridge, and a crack in it can release a slow flow that soaks the floor and the wall behind the appliance for a long time before it is noticed. If you find water behind or beside the fridge, shut off the water supply to it if you can do so safely, and pull the fridge forward only if the floor is dry and you can do it without strain.

Do not reach behind a refrigerator while standing in water, and do not unplug it while your feet are wet. If the water has spread across the kitchen floor, keep everyone out of the wet area and call a professional. The floor beneath a refrigerator is hard to inspect without moving the appliance, and the wall behind it is often the first place moisture hides. Note when you first saw the water and whether the ice maker or dispenser has been acting up, because that helps the professional trace the source.

When to call a professional

Call a professional when the water has spread beyond the appliance, when the floor or the wall behind it is wet, when the water keeps coming after you have shut the supply off, or when you cannot find the source. A small drip from a visible connection that you can stop by closing a valve can be a planned visit, but water that has soaked into flooring or a wall is a restoration job, not a mop-up. The inspection will establish how far the water has travelled and whether drying, rather than just removal, is needed.

When you call, describe the appliance, where the water is, how far it has spread, and what you have already done. Take photographs from a safe position, and keep damaged items where they can be inspected. For homes in Lafayette and Shreveport, as across Louisiana, the first steps are the same: stop the water if you safely can, keep clear of electrics in standing water, protect what you can reach from dry ground, and call for help before the water has time to soak deeper.

Preventing the next appliance leak

An appliance leak is often preventable, or at least catchable early, with a few simple habits. Check the supply hoses behind the washing machine every few months, and look for bulging, cracking or damp at the connections. Look under the kitchen sink for damp around the dishwasher connection, and check the floor in front of the dishwasher for damp patches. Look behind the refrigerator for damp on the floor and the wall, and check whether the ice maker or the water dispenser has been acting up. A quick look every few months is worth the minute it takes.

It also helps to know where the shut-off valves are for each appliance, and to check that they turn. A valve that has seized up from years of sitting still is no use when a hose fails. If a hose looks worn, or a connection looks damp, have it looked at before it fails, rather than after. For homes in Lake Charles and Monroe, the water damage restoration page explains what a professional inspection generally covers, and a habit of looking is what turns a leak that would have run for days into one that is caught in an afternoon.

Key Takeaways

Washing machine leaks usually come from one of three places: the supply hoses at the back, the drain hose, or the machine itself.
Dishwasher leaks often start small: a worn door seal, a loose connection under the sink, or a drain hose that has come free.
Refrigerator leaks usually come from the water line that feeds an ice maker or a water dispenser, or from a blocked defrost drain.
Call a professional when the water has spread beyond the appliance, when the floor or the wall behind it is wet, when the water keeps coming after you have shut the supply off, or when you cannot find the source.
An appliance leak is often preventable, or at least catchable early, with a few simple habits.

Questions About Appliance Leak: What to Do First

What should I do first when an appliance leaks?

Stop the appliance, shut off its water supply if you can do so safely from a dry place, and keep clear of electrical items in standing water. Move belongings away from the water if you can do so safely, take photographs, and call a professional, especially if the water has spread into flooring or walls.

Which appliance leaks are the most common?

Washing machines, dishwashers and refrigerators cause most appliance leaks. Washing machine supply hoses and drain hoses, dishwasher door seals and connections, and refrigerator ice-maker water lines are the usual sources. All three can leak slowly for days before the water becomes visible.

Can I run the appliance again to see if it still leaks?

No. Do not run a leaking appliance again to test it. Shut off its water supply, keep the area clear, and let a professional find the source. Running it again only adds more water to a floor and wall that may already be soaked.

Is dishwasher water safe to mop up myself?

Dishwasher water is grey water and carries food and detergent, so treat it with caution. Keep children and pets away, do not use the same cloth elsewhere, and call a professional if the water has spread into flooring or walls.

Your Next Step

If this guide matches what you found at home, the next step is a visit — not a guess. Call and describe what you found, and the visit is arranged from what you describe. The Emergency Water Removal page explains what that service covers, and the water damage restoration page explains how the full sequence works when water has reached more than one room.

Do not enter flooded rooms while you wait, and if water is leaking, turn off the shut-off valve for that fixture where you can reach it safely from dry ground.

Keep the guides on this site bookmarked: the first guide, the signs guide, and the preparation guide cover the checks worth repeating — after moving in, and after bringing used fixtures home.

Water damage help is available across Louisiana. See water damage restoration in Woodmere, LA for one local example, or find your town on the service areas page.