Home Improvement

Determining what causes a washing machine to not drain can be a difficult task when you do not know what to do. There is a simple process of elimination that you can undergo to make sure that the problem is not merely a simple thing that you can fix on your own, thus requiring the extensive and sometimes expensive services of a repairman or an actual replacement washer.

The first thing to check on the washer is the drain hose that leads out of the washer. If there is a bend in it due to washer movement or simply a clog within the hosing, the water will simply not drain. Unbend the hosing or attempt to unclog the hose with the help of a second person to reduce water spills and possible damages to the floor and walls.

If the hosing is not the problem, then the next thing to check is the lid trigger switch. Sometimes it becomes loose or simply does not get depressed far enough by the lid to send the signal to start the draining process. To check this, you must open the lid and depress the switch with your finger or an object small enough to reach the trigger switch. If the machine starts the draining process then this may be the problem and appropriate steps towards fixing the switch should be made. This can be done by yourself if you have the knowledge to disassemble and reassemble the apparatus or by a qualified repair person. If this is not the problem, then the water pump may be damaged or malfunctioning.

Checking the water pump can be very difficult and may require manual emptying of the used water in the washer. This can be tedious and could damage the assembly if done incorrectly, but the problem could simply be a loose or broken pump belt or a clog within the pump due to excessive lint or other small objects that made it past the protected drain outlets. Replacing the belt can be as simple as removing the back panel of your machine and replacing the belt. Removing clogs may be unfeasible as it may require disassembling the pump itself.

Note that newer washing machines do not use pump belts but direct drive motors which could be damaged or have their control board dislocated from the machine. In this case, a repairman will have to replace the control board or do repairs to the motor. Worst case scenario will simply require you to buy a new machine all together.