WARNING: PLEASE BE SURE TO UNPLUG YOUR MACHINE FROM THE MAINS BEFORE YOU START TROUBLESHOOTING.  THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.

A washing machine does leak for a variety of reasons. If your machine leaks even when it is not running, most likely this has something to do with the hose(s). However, after you have removed the plugs from the mains, do ensure that your machine is leveled and not tilting in any direction. Also be sure that the manufacturer’s drain plug has been removed. A tilt, as well as the presence of the drain plug can cause a leakage.

LOOSENED HOSES

A very common reason why washing machines do leak, is because of a lose connection between a water hose and the machine. Sometimes the grip of the hose(s), due to the constant movement of the machine during its operation, does loosen over time.

To repair this,

w Unplug the washing machine from the mains.

w Pull out the machine until the hoses can be accessed freely.

w then tighten all the hoses manually.

THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK

It is recommended that the source of the leak be determined, before you start any form of repair. This can be done by placing a piece of cardboard under the machine, and then letting the machine run for a bit. The water stains on the cardboard, if any, would be a good indication of where the leak is coming from.

However, if the source of the leak is still unknown, then the machine could be troubleshooted as follows.

Unplug the washing machine from the mains.

CHECK THE DETERGENT DRAWER

If water does leak from the detergent drawer.

Ensure that detergent is being fed into the machine as is required, and that there are no caked detergent(s) or conditioner within the drawer. If there is, removed the drawer and give it a thorough clean. Do note that the wrong detergent for your machine, or excess detergent use can cause the machine to foam excessively thereby causing a leak.

Before you put the drawer back in,

CHECK THE WATER DISPENSER

When mouldy, the dispensers could leak and cause water to trickle out of the detergent or dispenser drawer, around the edge of the machine door (for front facing doors) and down to the floor. If your dispenser is mouldy, get rid of the mould by cleaning the dispenser with a brush. On completion, turn on the machine and when the dispenser starts running again, line its bottom with some dry cloth and then check if the leak is still coming from the dispenser.

If not…

Unplug the washing machine from the mains.

CHECK THE DOOR SEAL

If water is coming from the door of the machine, examine the door seal to see if it is damaged. Do inspect the outer lip of the door seal for any rips or tears. The lip of the door seal can be damaged by pulling instead of lifting heavy washing out of the washing machine. If the door seal is damaged, then it must be replaced.

If not…

Check if the leak is coming from underneath the machine, it is possible that the door seal itself has become damaged. To thoroughly inspect the door seal, do pull back the door bellow (gently) and inspect for any tears or holes throughout its circumference. If the door seal is damaged, then it would need to be replaced.

If not…

Unplug the washing machine from the mains.

CHECK THE FILTER!

Be mindful that the filter might contain some water so do ensure that you have some towel or a shallow tray to catch the water if it spills. Remove the filter’s cover, and then remove the filter from the washing machine. If you have noticed a leak from the filter area, most probably the seal on the filter has been soiled with grit or fine particles. Give the filter a good clean and rinse also. Additionally, do clean the area where the filter’s seal meets the machine. This ensures that the seal on the filter will work properly.

Now plug back the machine to the mains and check if the leak has been resolved by running the washing.

If not…

Unplug the washing machine from the mains.

CHECK THE HOSES AGAIN!

If you notice that the leak is coming from the back of the machine, it may well be from the hoses. To confirm if this is the case, wrap a piece of cloth around the water supply hose and then run the washing machine to see if the cloth becomes wet. If the cloth becomes wet during the cycle, check the seal between the hose and the washing machine, to see if it is in good condition. Also do check to see if there is any corrosion within the hose. If the seal and hose are both fine, do repeat the same process for the other hoses too.

For the drain hose, do ensure that it does not exceed 6 inches in the standpipe

That it is stable and will not slide further into the slide pipe.

Now turn on the machine and check if the leak has been rectified

If not

Unplug the washing machine from the mains.

CHECK INSIDE THE MACHINE

Undo the screws and remove the back of the machine.

Once done, a few areas can be checked for leaks. Place the machine on a cycle and check all the hoses inside the machine. If there are none, do unplug the washing machine from the mains.

Fill the tub with water (about 1.5 litres) and check for any leaks from the tub. The tub can be damaged by a piece of metal (coin, screw, key). If the tube is damaged, it needs to be replaced.

If you have done all these and the leak persists, do seek help from a plumbing professional.

 

For more information on plumbing and washing machine leaks, contact Vinny’s Jersey Plumbing, located in Wayne, New Jersey.  We also service other cities in New Jersey, such as West Orange, Livingston and Verona.