If you reach into your washer expecting to take out damp clothes and instead find sopping wet clothes, you have a problem. When your washer won’t drain properly, something needs to be done quickly. We all know how fast dirty laundry can pile up! Let’s look at some of the most common reasons why a washer won’t drain and how to deal with them.
Before doing anything to your washing machine, it is vital that you turn off the electricity to the machine, either by unplugging it or flipping the appropriate circuit breaker. Obviously, if there is standing water in the tub of the washer, you will need to bail that out as well.
Clogged Hose
The hose that carries the water from the back of the washer to the drain may be clogged. It could be as simple as a kink in the hose; sometimes when the washer is pushed too close to the wall, the exterior hose becomes jammed or kinked and the water cannot flow out freely. In that case, the solution is simple: move the washer away from the wall and make sure the water can move through the hose. If there are no apparent kinks in the hose, there may be a clog somewhere. In that case, you will need to disconnect the hose, find the obstruction, and remove it. Have a bucket handy when you disconnect the hose for excess water. Then shine a flashlight into the hose to determine where the clog is. If it is beyond easy reach, use tongs, and if it is too deep for that to work, take the hose outside and try using a garden hose. The force of the water may dislodge the obstruction. Then reconnect the hose to the machine, and run a quick cycle to determine if the problem is completely eliminated.
Clogged Drain
If the hose is not the problem, then the reason a washer won’t drain may be the drain. This would also be a relatively simple repair. The drain is the likely culprit is there is water on the floor, or remaining in the tub. Use a plumber’s snake to clean out the drain. Hopefully, that will clear any obstruction. Again, run a short cycle to see if the problem is fixed.
Damaged Pump
When a washer won’t drain, there may well be an issue with the pump. If so, that is a more difficult repair to do on your own. You may want to call one of the experts at Dave’s Appliance. Different washing machine manufacturers have different kinds of pumps located in different places in the machine. Perhaps the screen on the pump is just too full of debris. In that case, the screen can be removed, cleaned, and replaced, and that will solve the problem. It may be a problem with the fan blades, or with the casing of the pump; if so, you may need a new pump.
One of the best ways to avoid a washer that won’t drain is to be vigilant about emptying pockets before washing. Coins and other small objects can get caught in the pump or other washer components, causing draining difficulties. If you hear unusual noises during a wash cycle, it may be a forgotten item banging around in the tub. If you have a top-loading machine, interrupt the cycle and take out the object before it can create any draining problems.
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