Why Isn’t My Washer Draining?

There are many reasons that clothes washers stop draining. Clogs, malfunctions and kinks in hoses can all stop your washer from working properly. Frequently, a confident DIYer can manage this problem on their own, with the proper tools and a little bit of experimentation.

Drain the Water

Before you can fix the problem, you’ll need to empty the washing machine first. Start by unplugging the machine. As you do this, check all hoses in the back of the machine for kinks. If you find a kink, free the hose and turn the machine back on. If the machine drains, your problem is fixed. If you find no kinks in the back of the machine, take out the clothes and use a bucket to drain the water from the unit.

Check the Pump

The water pump is the part of your machine that drains the water out of the tub at the appropriate time. It’s connected to the tub via a hose. Sometimes a small article of clothing will travel through the hose into the pump, causing a clog. Fortunately, this can be an easy fix.

Use a screwdriver to remove the front panel from the machine. You’ll find the pump near the bottom. Frequently washing machine pumps come in a translucent casing that will allow you to see inside. You may see a sock or another small piece of clothing in the pump. If you do, remove the pump from the connecting hoses, and pull out whatever is inside the pump.

If there are no articles of clothing inside the pump, feel around inside the pump with your finger. You may feel broken pieces inside the pump, which means the pump will need to be replaced. Check your machine’s brand and model number to find the right pump for your machine. Contact the manufacturer to order a replacement.

If the pump seems to be in good condition, has no leaks and there are no articles of clothing inside, check inside the connecting hoses for a loose piece of clothing. If you find an article of clothing stuck in the machine, remove it. Then, put everything back together and turn the machine on once again.

Other Potential Reasons the Washing Machine Won’t Drain

There are many problems that can cause washing machines to drain. If there seems to be nothing wrong with the pump and connecting hoses, you may need to do a little more investigating. Check inside your machine for frayed belts, hoses and disconnected wires.

If all looks well, remove the drain hose from the drain pipe, then pour water into the pipe. If the water won’t drain, call a plumber.

Contact Terry’s Plumbing

At Terry’s Plumbing, we help homeowners all over Pittsburgh clear their drain pipes and keep their home’s plumbing working smoothly. If your home’s washing machine has stopped draining and you’ve determined it’s because of a clog in the drain pipe, we can help. To make an appointment, call us any time at (412) 364-9114.