Check washer hoses
What’s one of the easiest ways to prevent becoming one of the 1 in 50 homeowners each year that has major water damage? Check your washer hoses!
In most homes, 650 gallons of water can spill out of a burst hose per hour. If your washer hose bursts while you’re at work, asleep, or on vacation, this could lead to a water-soaked mess and an insurance headache.
Save yourself the nightmare by taking 5 now to check your hoses! Here’s how…
All that you need to complete this task is a bucket.
Check out the hoses
Unplug your washer and then carefully move the machine away from the wall so that you can take a good look around. Your washing machine has three hoses: a cold water hose, a hot water hose, and a drain. Turn off the hot and cold water sources.
Take a look at your hot and cold water hoses. Are they rubber or older than 5 years old? If so, it might be a good idea to replace them with a stainless steel braided hose. Rubber hoses can get pinhole leaks that can lead to major problems and 80% of hoses fail within 10 years. Replacement hoses typically cost less than $25 for the pair.
Next, inspect the area for any water, mold, or rust. If you spot any of these issues, you may have a leaking hose or drain and it’s time to replace.
Now check the hoses for blisters, bulges, cracks, unraveling, discoloration, or crimps or kinks. These are all signs that it might be time to replace your hoses or adjust your machine’s placement.
If your hoses are relatively new and look like they’re still in good shape, it’s time to check the rubber seals. Unscrew the hoses and let any water drain into a bucket. Check the rubber seal to make sure that it’s not smooshed or damaged. If so, replacement seals can be purchased at your local hardware store for less than $5 for a pack.
Next, screw your hoses in and make sure they’re tightly in place. Loose hoses can cause water leaks and an already loose hose can come unscrewed due to the movement of the wash cycle.
Down the drain
Now take a minute to check out the connection from your washer to the drain pipe. Does the drain hose seem to be undamaged and in good shape? Are there any kinks or twists in the hose that may prevent water from fully draining? If so, you might want to replace or remedy these issues to prevent a flooded laundry area.
When water issues occur due to the drain, it’s often because of clogs either in the drain itself or in your sewage system. One way to prevent this from happening is to clean out your washing machine filter regularly. The filter is usually located in the back of top loading machines and in the front of front loaders.
Check by running a load
Now that you’ve identified that your hoses are in good shape, turn the hot and cold water back on and plug in the machine. Before you push it back into place, run a quick wash cycle on empty to make sure that the connections are tight and there are no leaks. If your machine runs properly and is leak free, celebrate by pushing it back in place and tackling that ever growing pile of laundry!
Troubleshooting
If your machine does leak any water, turn it off by flipping the breaker for the outlet. If the water is coming from the hoses, replace them before testing again. If the water is coming from the drain and occurs in the first 30 seconds of the machine emptying, it might be due to a clog that you can unblock using a homeowner grade plumbing snake. If it occurs more than 30 seconds after the machine emptying or it comes from the washer itself, you may need to call in a professional for help.
Unplug the machine while the breaker is off, mop up the water, and then give us a call and we can help you find a professional who can diagnose and fix your washer issue.
