Appliance Repair in 19149 · Mayfair, Tacony & Oxford Circle

When the washer sits a few steps from a garage door that opens to January air, its water supply is more exposed than the rest of the plumbing. Lines that run along an outside wall or through an unheated garage can get cold enough to freeze on the worst nights. The first sign is often a washer that fills slowly, shows a water-supply error or will not fill at all.

The washer's inlet valve has small screens that also clog with sediment, and a valve that has been near-frozen may crack. Either can cause a slow fill or a drip into the drum when the washer is off. A cold, stiff hose can also split at its fitting.

In very cold weather, keep the garage door closed as much as possible and let warm air reach the laundry area. Do not use an open flame to thaw pipes. If a line did freeze, check it carefully once it thaws, because cracks often show only after water flows again. If the house plumbing is fine and the washer still fills slowly, we can test the inlet valve, clean the screens and check the hoses. The dryer vent in these lower levels often exits near the garage too, so we look at it as well.

The rear driveway is usually the easiest way in; let us know if the technician can park there or whether to use the front. Clear a path through the garage to the laundry area. Tell us whether the problem started during a cold snap.