Four common washing machine repair questions: how to troubleshoot before you call a Repairman

Broken washing machine means dirty clothes piling rig. This means inconvenient trips to the laundromat, or animal drop-off and pick-up service. Therefore, is you want to get your washer fixed as soon as possible. What you may not realize is that you can troubleshoot a few washing machine problems on your own before picking up the phone to call a repair professional. Major repairs should, of course, be left to the experts to ensure that you do not harm your device further by taking apart anything you can't put back together.


Washer will not run at all

It may seem like common sense, but the reason why your washing machine not running could be that it is unplugged, or the plug is loose. Check power connection first. If everything is connected correctly, you might want to check that the power is running to the outlet by coupling the washing machine and terminate in another small appliance, e.g. a hairdryer. If the hair dryer works, outlet is fine and washer are broken; If the hair dryer does not work, verify that the GFCI is not been activated and inspect your electrical panel to see if a circuit breaker has been flipped. If all the breakers are on and the output is not giving any power, electrician rather than a washing machine repair technician.

Washer will not fill or drain

You know how when your garden hose has a kink in it, the water can't get? The same goes for your washing machine hoses. If your washing machine is on but does not fill with water, check the inlet hoses for kinks or obstructions. If the washer does not drain after cycle is over, check the drain hose for kinks or clogs. If all the hoses are clear and kink-free, you can have a bigger problem. Contact expert appliance repair to examine your lid switch water level switch, pump, drive belt and other possible culprits.

Washer leaks

Loose hose connections could cause leakage during filling or draining. If you find a puddle on the floor every time you run the washing machine, verify that all of the hose connections are tight and secure. For front loaders, also check the (two-stroke engine door); small holes or tears to let the water escape. If you do not see any problems when washer is turned off, you can try watching it during a cycle to see where the water will come from. Damaged hoses, bad connections and torn door gaskets could be replaced to stop the leaking.

Washer is noisy

An improperly balanced washing machine can throw around and cause all sorts of noise. If your washer stops you at night, make sure the unit is level and insert a small piece of wood under one or more legs, as needed. Overly large or heavy loads can also cause a washing machine to make too much noise. But if you have cut your load size in half and the washer is level, but it still makes horrible sounds, is it time for a washer/dryer repair pro to step in. You may need a new agitator or other component.

Even if you don't have the know-how to solve actually washing machine problems, get to know your device can save you time and money when the repairman shows. If you observe a leaking appliance and can tell the technician where water comes from, it will save him for a time in his assessment and repair process. In the same way you can describe certain voices, or say exactly when in the cycle washer stops working properly. Debugging means looking for the source of the problem and take steps to remedy it, if it means getting out your tool belt, or picking up the phone.

Kelly Robertson is a DIY appliance repair expert and a senior Internet marketing strategist for prospect genius, a leader in local online advertising.