Washer Not Draining? Here’s How to Troubleshoot

Most of us have experienced the frustration of reaching into your washer to grab your clothes only to come away with a big, sopping mess. If a washer doesn’t drain, all of that left-over water is stuck to your clothes and may even be spilling onto your floor. Now you have a mess to clean up because you probably have water on your floor, and you also have to wring all of your clothes dry before throwing them into a dryer.

But why isn’t your washer draining properly? Check out these simple troubleshooting tips to help you identify the problem:

Faulty Drain Hose: The large hose that is attached to your washer typically drains water into a drainage area such as a laundry sink. If the hose is old, kinked, or obstructed, the water won’t be able to drain properly. Depending on how comfortable you feel with your washer, you may try detaching the hose and running water through it in order to dislodge any debris.

Broken Lid Switch: This isn’t super intuitive but if your lid switch is broken, this may stop your machine from draining properly. Your lid should make a clicking noise when you press it or open the washing machine. If not, the broken lid may be the cause of your problems.

Blocked Drain: While we all know that we should empty our pockets before we wash our clothes, we occasionally forget. Coins and other debris can block your drain causing the water to build up. Sounds like jingling is a clue that you have extra things in your washer drain. You can use a plumber’s snake to poke at your drain to dislodge the blockage.

Bad Belt: If you’re comfortable doing small repairs, consider checking your belt before calling a repairman. Use your owner’s manual to locate your belt and if you can tell what’s broken, go ahead and try replacing the part. Remember, however, that you’ll need to purchase the correct part.

If you’ve tried these troubleshooting tips and they aren’t working, or if you don’t feel comfortable messing around with your washer, the best thing you can do is call a professional. Best Price Appliance Repair provides services to customers in the OC and LA County areas. Our professionals are able to handle a variety of appliances including washers and dishwashers. Call us today for a consultation so we can help you get your washer draining correctly as soon as possible.