Have you ever walked into your laundry room to retrieve a load of freshly cleaned clothes, only to find a big pool of water on the floor near the washing machine? Chances are that you’ve walked in on this unpleasant surprise at some point in your life. Leaking washers are easily one of the top five most common issues we encounter as an appliance repair company. We always recommend using an authorized service company to diagnose and repair any major home appliances, but there are some things that you can look for and do to mend a leaky washer on your own. The first step that you should take is to find the source of the leak, or just what area in general the water is coming from. Water could leak out of the rear of the unit, from underneath, or from the top or front depending on if your washer is a top-load or front-load. If you can’t locate the source of the leak just by glancing over the machine, here are a few things to look for.
If water is leaking out from the top of your top-load washer, the problem could be as simple as too much detergent being used or too many items being washed at once, and is causing your unit to overflow. Watch the machine while it’s running a load, and if water comes out from the top, then you should cut back on the amount of soap or clothes items per load. If water is leaking out from the door of your front-load washer, then the door seal is making insufficient contact with the frame of the unit, and will most likely need to be replaced. Inspect the seal for cracks, breaks, or any damage. If you can’t find a problem with the door seal itself, there may be a problem with the door hinges. If the hinges are corroded or improperly mounted, the door seal will be ineffective.
Another common culprit for leaky washers are the hoses in the rear which bring water into the unit, and then drain the water once a load has cycled. Hoses that are loosely connected, clogged with debris, or punctured will cause water to spew out onto the floor every time you run your washing machine. Start by disconnecting your hoses and cleaning out any debris that can get caught inside. Then when reconnecting them, make sure you tighten all of the fittings so that they are attached snugly and are water-tight. If water is still leaking from the rear of the unit, you should replace both the fill and drain hoses. Always use stainless steel, non-burst mesh hoses when replacing these, as they will last longer and be less likely to fail than rubber hoses.
There can be other causes of washer leaks, such as a broken water pump or defective internal hoses, but unless you are an experienced appliance technician, we strongly advise against opening up your machine and fiddling with the internal components. You should always hire a professional appliance technician who is authorized to work on your brand of appliance when anything more than basic repairs are needed. We at Lake Appliance Repair are authorized to work on almost all major appliance brands, so be sure to give us a ring when your washer decides to turn your laundry room into a small pond!
