Washer repair
Top-load and front-load machines, including stacked laundry centers. Most washer faults come down to a handful of parts, and the symptom usually points straight at one of them.
What usually goes wrong
A washer that stops mid-cycle with a tub full of water is the call we get most. In the majority of cases the machine is not finished: the drain pump is blocked by a sock, a coin or a hair tie, or the pump motor itself has worn out. Both are quick repairs on the first visit.
Front-load washers bring their own set of problems. The door boot collects water and lint, the door lock tells the control board the door is shut, and the drum spins on a pair of bearings that announce their failure with a rising roar during the spin cycle. Catching bearings early matters, because a worn bearing eventually lets water reach the spider arm and the repair stops making sense.
Washer problems and causes
| Symptom | Likely cause | What the technician does |
|---|---|---|
| Won’t drain or spin | Blocked drain pump filter, failed pump, kinked hose, faulty lid switch | Clear the pump and hose, test the pump motor and lid or door switch |
| Leaking on the floor | Torn door boot, loose hose, cracked tub, failing pump seal | Trace the leak with the cabinet open and replace the failed seal or hose |
| Loud banging on spin | Unbalanced load, worn shock absorbers or suspension rods | Replace shocks or rods as a set and level the machine |
| Roaring during spin | Worn tub bearings | Inspect the bearings and tub, quote the bearing job before any work |
| Door won’t unlock | Water still in the drum, failed door lock assembly | Drain the drum, test and replace the lock |
| Won’t start at all | Lid switch, door lock, control board, power supply | Check power, test the safety switches, read the fault codes |
Try this first
- Open the small door at the bottom front of a front-loader and clean the pump filter. Have a towel and a shallow tray ready.
- Make sure the drain hose is not pushed too far into the standpipe or kinked behind the machine.
- Redistribute the load and run a drain and spin cycle on its own.
- Check the breaker and the outlet with another appliance.
Keep it running
- Leave the front-loader door ajar between washes so the boot can dry out.
- Use HE detergent and less of it than the cap suggests. Too much soap causes long spin cycles and odor.
- Replace rubber fill hoses every five years, or switch to braided steel.
Questions
- Is it worth repairing an older washer?
- Usually yes when the problem is a pump, a switch, a belt or the door boot. Bearings and control boards on a machine past ten years are the cases where replacing can make more sense, and we will say so before starting.
- Do you need the model number before the visit?
- It helps. The label is usually inside the lid on top-loaders and around the door opening on front-loaders. With it, common parts can be on the van for the first visit.
Washer still acting up? Book a visit.
Request a repair visit