Common Problems with Washing Machines
If your washing machine is going bump, beep, grind, or smelling of hot rubber, check these common washing machine problems to find the cause of your machine's illness.
Damaged Clothes
Many problems occur at the clothes sorting stage. Separate whites from colors. Use recommended water temperatures. Don’t mix items that shed with those that attract lint. Turn items with puffy decorations, studs, rhinestones, and screen-printing inside out to prevent scraping against other clothes and losing the decorations. Zip zippers. Close Velcro closures. Cracked or broken vanes on the agitator, rough surfaces on the inside of the tub, and low water levels can also lead to torn clothes.
It Smells
If the machine smells bad, remove scum that may have accumulated from fabric softeners using a Teflon scratch pad or a plastic putty knife. Run the machine on a high level load without clothes with hot water and bleach.
The Water Temperature is Wrong
If the water temperature is incorrect, make sure the hot and cold-water hoses aren’t switched. You may be exceeding your water heater’s capacity, especially if there have been other recent uses of hot water. Check a hot water faucet.
It Won’t Fill
If the machine doesn’t fill, make sure the hoses aren’t kinked and screens in the faucets aren’t clogged. If the water supply to the house is not robust, filling may be poor if there are other heavy uses of water occurring at the same time (showers, lawn sprinkling). This could be a problem with the reservoir such as insufficient air pressure or a problem with the well itself such as a clogged screen.
It’s so Loud
If the machine vibrates noisily or walks across the floor, check the leveling legs to make sure the machine is level. The load could be distributed unevenly or overly full. Don’t fill above the agitator vanes with dry clothes.
The Tub Won’t Move
If the tub doesn’t turn or turns without vigor, check the bolt(s) securing the tub to make sure the tub can be driven by the shaft. If the shaft turns, then the transmission or motor isn’t seized. A transmission or coupler could be broken. The drive belt or tensionser could be stretched or worn. A tensioner spring could be sprung, allowing slack in the belt.
It’s Leaking
If water leaks on the floor, it could be a clogged drain, a leak in the hose connection, or a kink or leak in the hose. The pump housing could be leaking. There may be a hole in the tub or a leak around a seal for the tub. The machine could be overflowing upon fill if the level switch is not operating correctly. If the suds level is too high, use less detergent (especially if you have softened water) and check the correct detergent fill instructions for your washer.
Call a professional immediately for hot rubber or oil odors.
A washer is one of the best money and timesavings investments a family can have. Keep your washer in good operating conditioner and fix problems promptly to get the most from this asset.
