It is quite normal for any machine to act up from time to time after years of service. Washers or household washing machines are no exception. The most common washing machine problem that occurs from home to home is puddles caused by it.
Troubleshooting a leaky washing machine or finding out the source of the leakages can be quite a headache sometimes. That’s considering the fact that a washing machine has several potential leakage areas.
If you are wondering about the question “Why is my washer leaking part of the time?” then this is the right place for you. In this article, we will discuss the probable reasons behind any washing machine leakage along with some effective fixes.
How To: Troubleshoot a Leaky Washing Machine
I find it very disgusting when one puts tons of clothes on the washing machine only to find out later that the machine has leaked water from the bottom. I am sure you will feel the same if you ever had to start your day with water spills in your laundry room caused by a leaky Washing Machine.
Before we move on to troubleshooting, you should get clear on the question, why is your washer leaking part of the time. As mentioned earlier, a washing machine has multiple leakage areas.
As a result, to find out the exact source, we sometimes have to check underneath the washer by removing the metal case. Some probable leaking areas of a washer are drain pump, door seals and clamps, hoses, tub seals, water inlet valve, detergent dispenser, etc.
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Drain Pump
This is (checking the drain pump) considered to be the very first thing that has to be checked while troubleshooting a leaky washing machine. A drain pump is used to remove water from the tub (where clothes are put) both during the spin and drain cycles.
Most of the time drain pump leaks due to a bad seal. It also occurs when the pump body develops a crack. LG, Samsung, or other famous washing machines have drain pumps mounted on the bottom of the washer but they can sometimes be mounted on the motor too.
So, in case of any water underneath the pump area, it is indeed a sign that it is leaking. Sometimes you will see a dry white residue on the pump itself where the soapy water has been leaking; it’s an indication that the pump has been leaking for quite a while.
Solution: There is no other alternative but to replace the pump in case of the drain pump is leaking.
Door Seals & Clamps
If the door seal of a front door washer is leaking, most of the time it is probably because it has been punctured by something sharp or pointy things that are gotten into the laundry. It can sometimes also be caused by a loose or rusted seal clamp that’s come off, eventually making the seal slip off the front panel or tub.
So, what we have to do is –
- Inspect the seal. If any damage is noticed then we have to replace the seal.
- Then have to check the clamps whether they are rusted or damaged and replace them accordingly. But if found okay then it is fine to reuse those.
Water Hoses
The next things that have to be inspected are the water hoses. Normally these water hoses carry water through different parts of the washing machine. Multiple types of hoses are found in typical washers. Some of those are dispenser hoses, tub-to-pump hoses, tub hoses, internal & external drain hoses, water fill hoses, etc.
Normally the fill hoses are located on the back of any washing machine. But on the top loaders, the location is different. That should explain your question about the washer leakage a bit better.
Detergent Dispenser
A detergent dispenser is the last thing to be checked in any leaky washing machine. In a typical washer, the detergent dispenser’s work is to regulate the soap, cloth whitener, softener, or other types of additives that go into the machine during the washing cycles. It has all types of hoses attached to it for different types of additives.
In case of any clogging or cracking in the detergent dispenser body, water overflowing or leakage occurs. If you want to inspect this type of damage then opening the top of the washer is a must. And as usual, if any damage or crack is noticed then you have no other choice but to replace it with a new one.
Tub Seals
The tub seal’s job is to keep the tub from leaking when it’s full of water. For both types of washers whether it be front load or top load, tub seals are used to seal the driveshaft to prevent water from leaking out of the tub. But the exception is- the front load washers have an additional seal that goes in between the two halves of the outer tub. Whereas, for top load washers, the seal is located on the bottom of the tub.
Whatever the case, if the seal is leaking then there will be watermarks on the inside of the washer cabinet. Because seal leakage causes the water to drain down onto the gearcase.
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Precaution of Troubleshooting:
You should follow some precautions before fixing the errors causing the leakage of your washer. I have mentioned two below:
- Turning off your hot and cold water supply is a must.
- Unplugging the machine/ appliances from the socket or making sure the circuit breakers are off is another must thing to do. This is to avoid any electrocution accident or electrical shock.
Conclusion
You just went through a lot of information through our article. And now you should have a clear answer to your question “Why is my washer leaking part of the time?”
Also, we covered a few tips on how you can fix such issues as well, and those can really come in handy. Just make sure that you follow the instructions properly, and that’ll take care of it pretty well. However, if you’re not feeling confident enough to do any of it by yourself, you can always hire a plumber to do the job for you.
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