Washers are something we take for granted...
until they breakdown.
Here are a few tips and things to look out for…

• Check all hoses regularly. Any lumps in the hose? Change at once.
• Check fittings for rust. This indicates a leak. Replacing ten dollars worth of hoses is a lot cheaper than having a flooded house!
• Look around the base of the machine for black residue or oil. In most cases this is normal, but may be signs of a more serious problem.
• Listen for any different noise that is new to you. If you catch a problem early it's normally cheaper to repair.
• Watch out for bleach coming in contact with metal parts. Bleach will cause rust and corrosion on your washer top and lid.
• The black rubber fill hoses commonly used on washers will eventually burst and can create a messy flood in your house. Install steel-braided fill hoses that are guaranteed for life against bursting.
• If your washer is not pumping out the water, check the lid switch first. A good lid switch will make a clicking noise when you open and close the lid. A bad lid switch will prevent the washer from spinning.
• Washer valves cause two main problems: no water coming into the washer (either hot or cold, usually not both at the same time), or the water won't stop coming into your washer.
• Any questions about your machine - just contact us

Before you call for help…

1.Make sure BOTH water supply faucets are turned on a washing machine - even if it filled for agitate cycle it may call for water from the other faucet in rinse cycle and wait forever to fill while doing nothing in the meantime.

2.Kenmore and Whirlpool washers must have the lid closed to spin. Maytags will do nothing unless lid is closed.

3.Kinked drain hoses, (most common after moving a washer) will result in slow pumping leaving wet clothes in tub at end of cycle.

4.Tangled clothes twisted around agitator in Kenmore and Whirlpool washers result from a simple broken pin, which causes the tub to spin whenever the motor runs, even while agitating. Call to find out how to fix this common problem – it’s very inexpensive.

5.Load clothes in your washer after a little water and the soap have been added - don't wait till the tub is full of water or you will raise the water above the proper level when the clothes go in, overloading the machine. It helps to pre-dissolve the dry detergents in a container of warm water and add the soapy mixture to your washer, rather than adding dry soap to the washer, especially if you do a cold-water wash.                            

Warning! To avoid personal injury or even death, always disconnect your appliance from its power source--that is, unplug it or break the connection at the circuit breaker or fuse box--before you do any troubleshooting or repair work on your appliance. Also, because some components may have sharp edges, use caution while working on your appliance. It blows fuses or trips the circuit breaker: Some appliances use 220 volts or two power lines of 110 volts each. Do not touch any power sources – 220V is DEADLY – in seconds! Please contact us to correct the problem!

Please read our legal Disclaimer first!!!

What is wrong with my washer?

• No power:
• Lid switch:
• It spins, but doesn't pump:
• It pumps, but the water returns:
• It doesn't agitate:
• It's noisy:
• It leaks:
• It's off balance:
• There's no hot water:
• There's no cold water:
• It's slow to fill:

Basic drawing of a simple washmaschine:

No power:

• Check to see whether power is getting to the washing machine. Is it plugged in? Has a fuse blown or is a circuit breaker tripped?

Lid switch:

• If the lid switch is defective, your washer can't spin and may not function at all. The switch is inside the washing machine main housing near the doorframe. Often you have to rise or open the top or front of the washer to get to the switch. If it's defective, we need to replace it.

It spins, but doesn't pump:

1. If your washer spins but doesn't pump the water out, the drain line is probably clogged. In many washers, a small sock or other piece of clothing can get between the clothes tub and the outer tub that holds the water. If the clothing gets between the tubs, it may then get into the drain hose that's attached to the pump--or even into the pump itself. If it's in the pump, you need to remove the hoses from the pump and pull the item out.
2. To remove the sock from the outer tub port, open the washer's main access panel and remove the large-diameter rubber hose that connects the pump to the bottom of the outer tub. Then, using needle-nose pliers, try to grab and remove the clothing through the port.
3. Sometimes you can't remove the stuck clothing from below. Then you have to remove the agitator, top of the outer drum shield, and inner clothes tub. This isn't easy to do, you need special tools - you might need help to do the job, please contact me.
4. If the drain line isn't plugged, the problem may be with your pump. Even if the pump appears to be turning, the internal impeller may be broken. If so, we need to replace the pump.

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It pumps, but the water returns:

• If the water that pumps out of the machine goes back into the machine after the spin cycle, your washer may be siphoning the water from a laundry tub that has a slow drain, back into the washer. The usual remedy for this is to improve the draining of the laundry tub. (Is something stuck in the drain?)

It doesn't agitate:

1. Lid switch: If the lid switch is defective, the washing machine may not agitate or function at all. The switch is inside the washing machine main housing near the doorframe. Often you have to open the top or front of the washing machine to get to the switch. If it's defective, we need to replace it.
2. Motor coupler: Many washers produced by Whirlpool® use a small, relatively inexpensive motor coupling. It's plastic and rubber and is mounted to the shaft of the motor on one side, and to the transmission on the other. Over time, the coupler wears out and fails. If this happens, we need to completely replace it.
3. Belts: Many washing machines have one or two belts. If a belt is broken or badly worn, we need to replace it with a genuine belt from the manufacturer. (Some washing machine belts are designed with special characteristics not found in automotive belts.)
4. Clutch: If your washer was made by GE®, it may use a clutch for agitating the clothes. As the clutch wears out, it may prevent the washer from agitating well or at all. If the clutch is worn, we need to replace it.
5. Drive motor: Many washer brands use a reversing motor. For agitation the motor runs in one direction, for spinning and draining, the other. It's possible for a motor to burn out in one direction and continue to operate in the other. If this happens, we need to replace the entire motor.
6. Drive pulleys: The motor or transmission drive pulley may be worn and unable to turn the drive belt. If so, we need to replace this part.
7. The transmission could have either of these problems: Older washers produced by Whirlpool® have a transmission with an electro-mechanical shifter. If the shifter becomes defective, the unit may not agitate properly or at all.
8. The transmission may have a worn or broken gear, or some other internal problem.
9. If you suspect a transmission problem, you may need to contact me for help.
10. Agitator: The inside of the agitator - where the transmission shaft attaches - can become worn, and strip out the spline that allows the agitator to properly grip the shaft. Then the transmission shaft rotates back and forth as it should, but the agitator doesn't move properly. If this happens, we may need to replace the agitator and/or the transmission spline.

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It's noisy:

• Most noises from a washing machine occur during the spin cycle. If you hear loud thumping during the spin, the load of clothes may have become unbalanced. Stop the washer and redistribute the clothes, then re-start it. Repeat these steps if necessary.

It leaks:
Your washer can develop several types of leaks. You can track down a leak based on when it occurs:

If the washer leaks only during the fill cycle, check these:
 

1. Air-gap device -The air gap is a small device found on most washers that prevents the wash water from being siphoned into the household water supply. It's located either mid-way along or at the end of the black rubber hose that comes from the water-inlet valve. If one of the air-gap components deforms or cracks, we may need to replace it.
2. The tube -There's a rubber tube that runs between the water-inlet valve and either the air-gap or the inlet spout. If it cracks or breaks, it can cause a leak.

The washer leaks during drain and spin only:

1. A washer that leaks only during the spin cycle often has a leak in the main drain hose.
2. Inspect the entire hose and correct any problem you find. Alternatively, the steel or plastic outer tubs can rust, split, or be punctured. This may be most visible during large loads and high water levels. If this happens, you may have to replace the entire outer tub – but that may not be an economical repair to make. Please contact us for further details.

If the washer leaks all the time, check these:

1. Hot and cold-water fill hoses - Check the hot and cold-water hoses from the household plumbing. If either hose is leaking, tighten it or replace it, as appropriate.
2. Main tub seal - The main tub seal is located between the transmission and the outer tub. It's the primary water seal in the outer tub for the transmission-shaft entry point. If this seal leaks, you can see the leak by opening up the machine's main access panel while the machine is full of water with a small amount of detergent in it. The leak appears at the underside of the outer tub, at or near the center. This seal is difficult to replace. You probably may need to contact us for help.
3. Pump - If the pump leaks, you can probably spot the leak when the tub is full of water. The pump has two or more black rubber or plastic hoses attached to it and usually has a drive belt that spins the pump. If the pump is leaking, we need to replace it.
4. Outer tub - Over time, the steel or plastic outer tubs can rust, split, or be punctured. If this happens, you may have to replace the entire outer tub - but that may not be an economical repair to make. Please contact us for further details.

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It's off balance:

• If there's a loud thumping noise during the spin cycle, the load of clothes has probably gotten unbalanced. Open the lid, redistribute the clothes in the washer, then re-start it. Repeat these steps if necessary.

There's no hot water:

• Some washing machines allow hot water to enter only during certain cycles. Others intermittently allow hot and cold to enter, to temper the temperature of the water.

If you're sure the machine isn't working the way it should - try these tests:

1. Is the hot water turned on?
2. Is the washer getting cold water but no hot water? If so, check to see if the control panel settings are correct.
3. Is the hot water coming through the proper hose? If not, check to see if the screen inside the water-inlet valve is clean. If it's clean, you probably have a defective water-inlet valve. If so, we need to replace it.

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There's no cold water:

1. Some washing machines allow cold water to enter only during certain cycles. Others intermittently allow hot and cold to enter, to temper the temperature of the water. If you're sure the machine is not working the way it should - check the following.
2. Is the cold water turned on?
   Is the washer getting hot water but no cold water? If so, check to see if the control panel settings are correct.
3. Is cold water coming through the proper hose? If not, check to see if the screen inside the water-inlet valve is clean. If it's clean, you probably have a defective water-inlet valve. If so, you need to replace the valve.

It's slow to fill:

• Check to see if there's good water volume coming through the hoses attached to the washing machine. If there is, check to see if the screens inside the water-inlet valve are clean. If they're clean, you probably have a defective water-inlet valve. If so, you should completely replace the valve.

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