In a busy household, your daily routine can be quickly disrupted if your washing machine starts to malfunction. From bad odors and excessive noise to failing to properly spin, there are a number of common issues that can compromise the performance of your washing machine. So, here we’ll explore how to deal with the most common washing machine problems.
It can be a little panic-inducing if you start to hear the sound of your washer banging into the dryer or starting to jump across your laundry room floor. This can be alarming and you may find yourself dropping what you’re doing and dashing into the laundry room to see what has happened.
The typical cause of a noisy or shaking washer is an unbalanced load. If you load heavier clothes into one side of the drum when you load the machine or the items have shifted during the cycle, the load will become unbalanced. This is particularly common if you have larger or bulkier items or a particularly small load.
Fortunately, if you have a top loading machine, there is a simple solution as you can just open the washer and redistribute the items. For front loading machines, the door is likely to have locked when the machine started to fill with water, so there is very little you can do. You will simply need to remember this situation and consider how you load the items in your future laundry loads.
Your washer may also have an issue with the leveling legs that need to be adjusted. All four of the leveling legs need to have full contact with your floor, but your floor may not be 100% even, so you need to adjust, particularly if you’ve recently moved the washer.
To check if the legs are level, you should place your hands on the corners of your washer when it is empty and slightly rock it side to side. If there is movement, you will need to adjust the legs.
You will find instructions for how to adjust the legs on your specific model in your owner’s manual.
If the flooring under your washer is weak, it can cause issues for your appliance. An above ground floor installation or a pier and beam foundation may not provide sufficient support for your washing machine, particularly if it has a large capacity or high speed spin. It may be possible to resolve the excessive vibration issue by securing a sheet of plywood to the floor under your washer base. 3/4 inch plywood should be sufficient.
The final common cause of shaking washers is that something may have broken inside the washer. There are components inside the washer that stabilize the appliance, such as balance rings, suspension springs, shock absorbers, snubber pads and more. If you’re DIY savvy, you can inspect these parts and replace any that are damaged, but you can call in a technician to help you.
If your washer is receiving power but won’t start, the switch that senses if the lid is locked or should could have failed. A failed main electronic control board, motor control board, user interface board or timer can also prevent your washer from starting.
If your washer has an electronic control system, you may see an error code on the display. You can find explanations for these codes in your owner’s manual, as they can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Often, you’ll find instructions to correct the underlying issue in your owner’s manual, but you may be referred to contact a repair technician.
If you have a vertical modular top loader model, it is likely to have a lid lock indicator. This is because the basket spins at a high rate of speed, so the lid needs to lock during the cycle. Rather than seeing an error code, you may see a blinking light which indicates a lid lock issue.
If the water won’t drain from your washer, it can prevent the cycle from finishing. In a front load machine, this can prevent you from opening the door and getting your clothes out. The first thing to check is if there is a clog or kink in your washer’s drain hose or if there is a backup in your house drain system. If the drain path is clear, your washer may have a drain pump issue or a damaged water level pressure switch that is not sensing how much water is in your washer.
You can also have drainage problems if the lid switch has failed, which is preventing the washer from advancing in the cycle and progressing to spinning.
This is a more common issue with front loading machines, but if you notice a musty smell around your washer, you’re not alone. This is one of the leading front load washing machine problems due to the tight seal around the door that is designed to prevent water leaks. This creates a moist environment around the door, which can encourage mold and mildew to form, which can cause an unpleasant odor in your laundry room.
Fortunately, this has some easy DIY fixes.
Empty all of the items from your washer and mix 3/4 cup of chlorine bleach into one gallon of slightly warm tap water. Wearing protective gloves, use a soft cloth to wipe this solution around the door seal area. Take care to wipe between the folds of the seal and the outer edge of the door. Allow the solution to remain for approximately five minutes before rinsing the area with clean, warm water.
You can also use a clean cycle or hot, normal wash cycle with a washer cleaning tablet to freshen up the machine.
If the smell is not related to the door seal, you may need to clean out your drain pump filter. You should find the details on this process in your owner’s manual.
You should leave the washer door slightly open when it is not in use and check for small items trapped in the door seal regularly. Small items can be easy to overlook and have the potential to become moldy.
If your washer fails to spin, there could be a number of underlying causes. Many components are required to drive the spin cycle of your washer and an issue with any of these could prevent spinning.
There are a few obvious signs that your washer is not spinning properly including your clothes coming out of the washer wet, a musty smell, or loads that are not properly clean. You may also fail to hear or see the washer spinning as usual.
If you have a direct drive, top load washer, a bad clutch, broken drive block or worn clutch band could prevent spinning. You could also have a failed lid switch, broken motor coupler or a bad timer.
The first thing you should check is if the washer has fully drained. The washer may not be able to start spinning, due to standing water inside the machine. Check the drain hose for damage or a blockage that could be preventing draining.
If the machine has drained, but won’t spin, it could be due to a faulty or displaced spin switch. This is a small switch that is pressed when the door is closed. If the switch is not down, it is a standard safety measure that the spin cycle will not initiate.
If your washer is spinning, but not at full speed, it could be due to the load being too heavy or unbalanced. This type of laundry load can cause the washer to spin slowly or stutter. Try taking out some of the load and respinning, washing smaller loads in future.
If the washer spins for a short time and then stops, it could be due to a drive motor issue. This is a complicated repair issue, so you will need to call in an experienced, professional repair technician.
If your washing machine has an issue and is not working properly, you will need to assess whether it is better to call in a repair technician or start shopping for a new appliance. While you can rely on an experienced professional technician, if your appliance is over 10 years old and regularly has problems, it could be time to upgrade your washer.
A good rule of thumb is if the repair will cost 50 percent or more of the cost of a new washing machine, it may be better to replace your washer. So, think about how much you’ve spent on repairs for your washing machine in recent years and the frequency of breakdown issues to help you to make your final decision.
If you’re having issues with your washing machine, an experienced and professional repair technician has the knowledge and skills to determine the underlying problem and offer effective solutions.