Washer not draining
easy 30–60 min
Tools: shallow tray and towels, bucket, pliers, flashlight, screwdriver · Materials: none usually — a replacement drain pump if the impeller is broken
Steps
- Switch the machine off at the wall. On a front-loader, open the small hatch at the bottom front, put a shallow tray under it, and unscrew the filter slowly to let the water out.
- Pull the filter out and clear the coins, hair grips and lint; spin the pump impeller behind it with a finger — it should turn freely with a slight ratchet feel.
- Check the drain hose behind the machine for a kink or a crushed section, and that it is not pushed more than 15 cm (6 inches) into the standpipe.
- Detach the hose from the standpipe and run a bucket of water down the pipe; if it backs up, the house drain is blocked, not the washer.
- On a top-loader, the pump filter is usually inside behind the front panel — tilt the machine back and look for the pump at the bottom.
- Refit the filter hand-tight, run a rinse-and-spin cycle empty, and check the hatch for drips.
Stop and call a pro if
- the pump hums but the impeller is jammed solid or its blades are broken
- the drain error returns with a clean filter and a clear hose — the pump or the control board has failed
- water is leaking from the pump housing
What a pro does that you can't
An appliance technician replaces a failed drain pump or a stretched belt on a top-loader, and clears a blocked house standpipe that a bucket test reveals.
DIY cost: $0 for a filter clean; $25–60 for a drain pump