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DIY Repair a Leaking Washing Machine

What do you do when you find that your washing machine is leaking? You could call and have us, ArchAngelAppliance Repair, come and fix it for you or you could simply purchasea new machine. Whether you have us come and fix it for you... costing$90 plus parts (unless in our intro period where you would get $30off), or whether you buy another machine... you could end up spendingyour hard earned money.

You could just try and fix it yourselfthough! Below we will give you in layman's terms a quick response onhow to fix your leak yourself! You will find out about hose, pump andtub leaks.

Different machines tend to have differentproblems. It is kind of like buying cars. Some brands produce lemons.And, you would be surprised that it is not always the more affordablebrands that are lemon makers!

Ok, here goes!

First, youwant to make sure that your floor drain is not plugged up with debris.Believe it or not, this could be a simple fix! We go on SOOOO manycalls only to find this easy answer.

Washing machines come in two forms, the belt drive and the direct drive.

Uponopening the back of your machine.. pretty simple, just screws andscrewdriver necessary... if you see belts then you've got a belt drivenmachine. If you don't, well then you've got a direct driven machine.

This picture is a belt driven machine.

Ifyou have a direct drive machine, your owners manual should havepictures of the components in it. I'm sorry I just don't have a nicepic available and besides each looks different. Each one is differentso you will need to refer to your owner's manual for diagrams. Also,there should be a number there to order parts. You may also callArchAngel Appliance Repair and we can order parts for you or give youthe number of our supplier.

Thefirst thing you will want to do is replace any hoses you find that areleaking water. Make sure you emptied the washing machine of allclothing/ washing materials. Ok, now you want to move the machine awayfrom the wall so you can watch what is going on and start a cycle. Lookfor drips around the supply hose from the wall. If you noticecorrosion, cracks, or rusty hoses you definitely want to replace the nomatter if you see leaks or not. Water and Electricity don't mix! Bestto be safe and replace. If your hoses are fine I recommend replacingthe internal washers at least... just another precaution. Since you areback there you might as well nip any bud that needs nipping! You canalso check out your local home appliance part store or order through usspecial hoses. They make numerous types that 'promise' to not burst.Hoses cost anywhere from 6-20 dollars so that is much cheaper than newflooring.

The first step is to locate the source of the leak. Replacing the supply hoses is the easiest fix so we will start there.

Emptythe washing machine, move it away from the wall and start the fillcycle. Look for drips around the water supply hose connection at theback of the machine while it fills with water. Shut off the water andreplace any old, heavily corroded or rusted hoses with new ones. If thehoses are in good shape, replace the internal washers only. Specialno-burst hoses ($10), regular hoses ($6) and new hose washers ($2 per10-pack) are available at home centers and hardware stores. Replacingthem is very easy. They go on just like they come off! You will onlyneed a set of adjustable pliers and a screw driver. Make sure toreplace the gaskets with new ones while your'e at it....

Replacingthe internal hoses would be the next issue if you see no leaks orissues with your supply hoses. Remember earlier we were talking aboutthe two different types of machines? Well here is where that comes intoplay. If you opened your machine earlier when we were figuring thisout, well then you won't need this info. If not... here is how to openyour machine:: The belt drive machines usually have rear access panelsthat simply unscrew. So if this is you, go for it! Open that puppy up!If not, and you have a direct drive machine well then remove the twoscrews on the outside of the control panel and flip up the lid. You canthen pull up the cabinet clips and take off the entire cabinet. Soundstricky, huh? Well, it really isn't just sounds tricky. Next you want tostart a cycle and watch for leaks. If you don't see leaks right awaylook for other clues that tell you there has been a leak. Remember, theweather makes air expand and contract. Your hoses can do the same thingdepending on the temperature. Look for calcium and rust deposits. Wherethere is water, there will be deposits. It's kinda like my kiddos.Where there are children, there will be a long trail of fingerprints!The picture shows where you will find leaks most times too, or signs ofleaks.

Do not touch your machinewhile running water or working a cycle! Simply watch. And, AlwaysAlways Always unplug the machine before making any repairs once youfind the leaky culprit!

Now, most hoses are appliedusing something called a spring clamp. You remove these with yourpliers. Look for leaks around these clamps. I suggest going ahead andnipping more buds by replacing these spring clamps with worm-driveclamps. You can get these at most local part suppliers. If you noticeyour hose is indeed cracked you will need a new one of those as well.You can order one through us if you need. Just get your model numberand give us a call. If you have trouble finding your model number lookon our website at http://www.archangelappliancerepair.com or clickhere: Visit My Website It looks like alot of reading but there are pictures below the intro info.

Now here is a tip.If you go to www.searspartsdirect.com. you will be able to finddiagrams for your specific appliance. We never recommend actuallypurchasing from them though as the prices are a little steep. We use asupplier out of Spartanburg and Greenville and have software linkedwith them where we can see this information, but as an individual ifyou need diagrams and part numers using the Sears site works perfect.All you need is your model number and brand!

Another tip isif you are going to make face to face contact with a parts dealer, copyall your info on your model number plate. You never know what you mayneed and this can save you a trip. Some appliances require extra digitsthat others do not.

The next thing that may be leaking is yourpump. Now, there isn't an easy way for me to tell you to replacethis... we appliance guys just look at it and know. Now, this can be avery very challenging repair to do yourself and I only recommend forthe true Do It Yourselfers with a good amount of tool experience.Depending on your brand and model you will need to study the drawingsyou have in your owners manual or by going to the Sears site Irecommended earlier. You WILL NOT receive directions when you orderparts. Remember that! The best advice I can give you is pay attentionto how you take it apart and write notes. Then, just do the reverse onputting on the new pump. So, in the event you order parts and find youcan't put the parts on, we can help you if you need. Just call us.

Thelast thing that could be causing your leak is worn out tub fittings.Again, this is not an easy repair. This is in my opinion the mostchallenging repair. You may need a new air dome seal, center postgasket, or tub seal itself. Each of these parts range in the $5 to $30range.

If you have drips coming from around your tub, thetub seals are the issue and must be replaced. If the leaking occursonly when the machine is agitating, a bad center post gasket(“doughnut”) is causing your leak. Remove the outer tub to replace thecenter post gasket. While you’re at it, replace the air dome seal aswell. Reassemble the washing machine and run a test cycle. If you stillhave leaks the last thing to do is...

Again, you will needdrawings and info from your parts supplier. You will also need aspecial wrench to complete the task of replacing these parts. You canget one for a bout $20. This is called a Spanner Wrench. You'll needthe top of your machine open....You can open the top of many machinesby releasing the spring catches. However, on others you have to unscrewseveral screws and lift off the entire cabinet. Look in your owner’smanual or at a parts diagram. (See the manufacturer’s Website ) You’llhave to unscrew the water inlet and the tub snubber before unclippingthe ring. Fastening systems for these vary by brand, as do attachmentmethods for the agitator and inner tub.

There are four tub sealswhich secure the outer tub to the cabinet itself. Each one has a boltwith a rubber and metal washer. Sometimes rust collects around one ofthese seals and causes a leak. You can get a new tub seal kit and itwill contain four new bolts along with a oversized rubber and metalwasher for each that will seal small leaks. If you see only oneleaking, fine, but go ahead and replace all four to be careful andagain, nip those buds! You may also find that the tub is completelyrusted through which would mean you need a new tub or machine. This isa decision based mainly on price of the tub versus price of a newmachine. Each brand is different. We promote fixing your machine andkeeping them out of landfills..... but the choice in the end is yours.

WELL!I don't know about your but I'm just about beat after all that writing!If you wanna give it a go and fix your own washer leak I hope this infohelps. If you have any other questions just give me a holler at my blogor on my website and as always,

OH, one last thought......if youare looking into buying a new machine, I strongly advise a simple toploader. Those darned new confangled front loaders are much more troublethan they are worth. You can't go wrong with the simple versions.

Food for Thought,

ArchAngel