Where your washer sits changes what can go wrong with it. In an older Philadelphia rowhouse, it's probably in the basement next to a laundry tub, draining into a standpipe or the tub itself, on a concrete floor that isn't quite level. In a newer rowhome in Fishtown or Point Breeze, it's more likely in a second-floor closet, stacked or side by side, with finished ceiling directly underneath. Condos tend to have compact or stacked units tucked behind louvered doors.
The monthly routine below works for all three, with notes on where the stakes differ.
The monthly list
| Task | Takes | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Look at both fill hoses at the valves and the back of the washer | 2 minutes | Bulges, cracks and rusty crimp ends are the early signs of a burst hose |
| Wipe the door gasket (front-loaders) | 3 minutes | Lint and soap sludge in the folds cause odor and mildew |
| Leave the door or lid open after the last load | None | Lets the drum dry out between washes |
| Clean the detergent drawer | 5 minutes | Built-up softener and detergent can block the dispenser and drip |
| Run an empty hot or cleaning cycle | 1 hour, hands-off | Clears residue from the tub and outer drum |
| Check the drain path | 2 minutes | The drain hose should be secured in the standpipe or tub and not kinked |
| Rock the washer by its corners | 1 minute | A machine that rocks will walk, bang and wear its suspension |
Every few months
- Clean the drain pump filter. Most front-loaders have a small access door at the bottom front. Put down a towel and a shallow pan, because water will come out. Coins, hair ties and sock lint collect here, and a clogged filter is a leading reason a washer won't drain or stops mid-cycle with an error code.
- Clean the inlet screens. Turn off the water, unscrew the hoses at the washer and look at the small screens inside the inlet ports. With Philadelphia's moderately hard water, mineral grit can build up here and slow filling. The hard water scale checklist covers other places minerals collect.
- Test the shutoff valves. In a house that's been in the same family for decades, the laundry valves may not have been turned in years. Turn each one off and on gently. If one is frozen or weeps at the stem, have it replaced before you need it in an emergency.
Location-specific checks
Basement washers
Basement laundry is forgiving about small leaks because there's a concrete floor and often a floor drain, but that also means leaks go unnoticed. Once a month, look under the machine with a flashlight for rust stains or a damp ring. Make sure the drain hose can't pop out of the laundry tub during the spin; a zip tie or a hose clip keeps it in place.
After a heavy storm, check that the floor drain and laundry tub aren't backing up. Much of older Philadelphia is on a combined sewer system, and in a big rain the basement can take water. If your washer sat in water, don't run it until it has been checked; our basement flooding checklist explains why.
Second-floor closet laundry
Upstairs, a small leak becomes a ceiling repair. Three habits help:
- Keep a drain pan under the washer if the closet was built with room for one, and check it monthly.
- Consider a battery water alarm on the floor beside the machine.
- Turn the water valves off when you leave for more than a couple of days.
Stacked units also need the door gasket and pump filter attention described above. The filter door may be low and awkward to reach, but it's still there.
Condo and compact units
Compact washers often use smaller drain pumps that clog sooner, and closets with no ventilation trap humidity that makes gasket mildew worse. Leave the closet door open after laundry day when you can.
Balance and noise
Old rowhouse floors and basement slabs are rarely level. A washer that thumps during spin, moves across the floor, or stops with an unbalance code may simply need its feet adjusted and the lock nuts tightened. If it's level and still bangs, the shocks or suspension springs may be worn. Overloading with heavy comforters or bath mats makes it worse; wash big items alone.
Signs it's more than maintenance
- Water on the floor that isn't coming from the hoses or the drain hose.
- The drum doesn't spin, or spins without draining.
- Burning smell, or a loud grinding during spin that suggests a bearing.
- The washer fills slowly even with clean inlet screens and fully open valves.
- Repeated error codes after you've cleaned the pump filter.
Detergent: less than you think
High-efficiency washers use very little water, so they need very little detergent. Too much leaves residue in the outer tub, feeds odor, and can cause oversudsing that slows the spin or trips a sensor. Use HE detergent, measure to the first line on the cap or less for lightly soiled loads, and skip the extra softener. If you see suds still in the drum at the end of a rinse, cut back further.
When to call a technician
If your routine checks don't explain the problem, our washer repair technicians will diagnose it and give you a written estimate before doing any work. We service front-loaders, top-loaders and stacked units from most brands, including LG and Samsung. If you're thinking about replacing an aging pair instead, we'll give you honest repair-versus-replace advice. Call us or use the booking form.