One of the most common appliance malfunctions we encounter in our rounds across the GTA is a leaking washing machine. Part of the luxury of having a modern electronic washer is that it does the hard work of laundering your clothes for you, allowing you to work, leave the house, or otherwise relax while the machine is in use. When your washer leaks, it means spending time cleaning up huge pools of water in your laundry room, or it means having to re-set the spin cycle several times to prevent clothes from becoming sodden. Often, users with leaky machines have to pause the drain cycle continually so that water doesn’t overflow from the bin or the standpipe.
Not all leaking washing machines need our expert repairs, however. There may be an easy fix for your particular predicament. Many times, washers leak simply because users aren’t familiar with how to load and use them. Remember that clothing should be unrolled and untangled and placed carefully into the drum (and remember to check your pockets for tissue, lighters, paper, and other leftovers). Always load the clothing and the detergent before you turn on the washer—adding clothes during or after the fill cycle will surely cause an overflow. Also, it’s best to remember to always use HE (High Efficiency) low-sudsing detergents. If you add too much soap, or a poor quality detergent, you can create an over-abundance of suds, causing leaks and clothing that doesn’t rinse properly.
Now, if you’re loading and running the washer properly, there are a host of other more insidious problems that could be causing your leak. Where — and when — the leak is occurring is fundamental to assessing the problem and making the repair. If the water is overflowing at the very beginning of the wash cycle, it means the pressure switch (or activating tube) is allowing too much water to fill before the wash begins. The fill valve could also be the problem; unplug your machine while it’s filling — if it keeps right on filling, then bingo; you’ve found the issue. If you’ve got a machine that retains water even when not in use, the fill valve is also likely acting up.
The water inlet tubing, water injection, or the tub outlet hose might be malfunctioning if the inner washer overflows while filling up. If you have a front-loading model that leaks during the wash cycle (or continuously), you could have cracks or tears in the glass, tub seals, or gaskets. Leaks during spin cycles are usually repaired after investigating the connections in the tub-to-pump hose or the drain pump. If water is coming out of the hose or the standpipe, you might have a blockage in your corrugated drain hose, which may need snaking or a total replacement.
Not everyone has the ability or interest in discovering and amending these problems, so if you’re eager to get your washing machine back in working order, remember that we’re here to help! Whether it’s to refasten connections, install new parts, or tweak what’s already there, we’ve got washing machine repair down to a science. Give us a call and let’s get to work!
