Tips to Help You Troubleshoot Your Washing Machine

Having a washing machine on the fritz will cause complications in your everyday life. You may not realize just how much you depend on that one machine, but when things go wrong, it won't take long to figure it out. If you're having washing machine problems, there could be a number of things causing the issue. Here, you'll find a few tips to help you troubleshoot the machine to figure out what's wrong. Grab your owner's manual, and read on to get started.

Won't Drain

If the washing machine won't drain, the first thing to check is the drain and the drain pump. There is a small filter inside the pump that can become clogged. When that happens, it cannot drain.

The pump is typically located near the bottom of the wash tub. Refer to your owner's manual to find out exactly where the pump is located on your model.

Once you've located the pump, remove it, clean it, and inspect it for clogs and wear. If anything appears to be damaged, replace it—if everything looks good, put it back in place and test the machine. If this didn't get it draining, you'll need to call a washer repair service for help.

Won't Spin

If the machine doesn't spin, it could be that you're overloading it and causing the load to become unbalanced. When this happens, the machine will not spin, and if it does, it will be very stressful on the bearings and other parts.

Check to see if the machine is level. If it's not level, it will continue to act as if the load is unbalanced. Adjust the feet until you have achieved a perfectly level machine.

Test the unit and see if this helped—if not, contact a repairman. 

Overflowing Water

If the water overflows as the machine is filling, the problem probably lies within the water inlet valve or pressure switch. Another possibility is that you just have low water pressure in your home.

The inlet valve can become caked with residue that prevents it from working as it should. This valve works with the pressure switch to stop the flow of water when the tub is full. The pressure switch is located on the side of the wash tub and tells the valve when it's time to shut the water off. So, if either one of these parts are damaged, the washer will not work properly.

If none of the tips above have helped, talk with your local appliance repair professional for assistance figuring out what's wrong with your washing machine.