How Long Are the Seals in a Dishwasher Good For?

Estimate for the Lifespan of a Door Seal

• How long a seal lasts on your dishwasher partly depends on how often you use your dishwasher and the water quality of your home’s water supply. The more you use your dishwasher, the faster components will wear, including the seal. Additionally, hard water is harsher on appliances than soft water, thus if you have hard water, you might find that you have to replace the seal more frequently than if you had soft water. In general, you should inspect the seal once a year if your dishwasher is less than five years old and more frequently about once every six months for older dishwashers to verify that it’s in good condition.

Signs of Wear

• Replace the seal at any point of your dishwasher’s life if water is leaking from the seal, regardless of how old or new the seal might be. You can’t repair a leaky seal; it must be replaced to stop your dishwasher from leaking. Once a seal hardens or cracks, it’s lost its ability to properly seal the door shut.

Loose Seal

• If the seal starts to pull away from the dishwasher or gets caught on the cabinet when you open the door, replace it. Although sometimes you can reattach a newer seal that was recently installed, generally once they come out they’re no longer effective and leaks are possible, according to the website Manage My Life.

Considerations

• If you have recently replaced the seal on your dishwasher and are now having problems closing the dishwasher door so that it locks, run your dishwasher on a high temperature heat setting. The heat will help the seal conform to the door frame. Additionally, the seal will reduce in size over time with regular use of your dishwasher.