Washtub clogged Almere
You know the feeling, from when you’re washing your clothes and trying to get them all decent and clean, you look down towards the end of your drain and there it is. Your clothes sitting in filthy machine water. Sort of gross.
Consider this before reacting, your washtub drain ought to EASILY have the capacity to deal with the 2 gallons per minute (or whatever) that your machine puts out. On the off chance that you find yourself ankle deep in water after washing your clothes, you have something blocking the stream down the wash tube. It’s most probably lint from clothes and other gunk that has gone down the wash tube so it’s not totally disturbing, just mostly. This lint build-up and gunk can over time cause a wash tube to block the stream, resulting in standing water moving slowly or not at all. You may need to shift your machine over, in order to have a look at the wash tube.
Washtub issues can be categorized as one of two kinds:
- Either the water is not draining out of the washing machine on its own, or
- Water is draining out of the machine but isn’t able to flow smoothly through the washtub pipes.
A lot of specific issues can give birth to these general issues, but diagnosing them is the trickiest part of all. We’ll learn about that later in this article. But keep in mind, in the event that you are unable to unclog a wash tube after a couple of DIY tries, turn the job over to our licensed plumbers in Almere. Applying excessive power can leave you with a permanently damaged pipe or a hefty bill.
So now what?
This may unnecessary to remind, but don’t go all wonky and start panicking about all of the possible worst case scenarios. There might not even be a pipe broken nor will you have to replace the whole plumbing system. Calmly try to identify the cause of the blockage, and try to fix it. If you cannot, call our handymen at Almere and they’ll unclog it for you. Let’s see what you can do yourself:
We’ve established that there is a blockage.
Option 1: You can reach into the wash tube and pull a sizeable build up that was possibly slowing down the water and WHOOSH, the water will start draining in a second. But maybe, if it doesn’t in your case, try next.
Option 2: The plunger.
I want to mention, before you do it, that the experience of having to use a plunger for a washtub filled with soapy water will be WAY different, then if you were using it for what it was made – a toilet. Particularly, the splash. Be that as it may, again, the plunger might not be of any help in all situations.
Now that you’ve done everything in your power that is safe, let the water slowly drain out and when it’s feasible, check the p-trap. It’s not a big deal with a washroom or kitchen sink, you unscrewed it, clean it, and it back in its place. However, in the case of a wash tube, only try to attempt it if you have enough time to replace the whole pipe if it were to break down because of you, or if you were to break off the base of a 50-year-old sink in the basement, or worse, if you someone are able to damage the pipe that goes underground. What I’m basically trying to say is, BE CAREFUL. There are only some clogs that you can fix without help, while for most of the others you would be much safer calling our experienced plumbers in Almere.
What could be the possible causes?
Before you start diagnosing the problem, keep the washing machine’s manual handy. You may just be able to find your likely culprits in the troubleshooting section itself. If your manual has a section for error codes you may be able to further identify and pinpoint the cause of the problem. If you haven’t reached anywhere yet, run a wash cycle and observe your machine as it functions through it. While you’re watching, you will be able to put a finger on an issue like:
- Defective lid switch
- Blockage in the rubber wash tube
- Water pump failure
- Something clogging the filters of the water pump
- Blockage in the drain system
Identifying Specific Causes
Problems with the Pump
In the event that you hear the pump working but it seems like it’s struggling, there might be something jammed in the pump, like a piece of cloth or something else left in the pockets. Covers of most pumps today can be removed. Once inside, you will discover that there is a filter screen on the pump. If you see that the screen has gunk on it, clean it and put the pump back together.
Let’s also assume that your pump makes no noise at all, or that you’re unable to find any kind of debris in the hose or the pump filter. In that case, maybe the water has had a mechanical failure and need to be replaced entirely. Only very skilled people will know the right part to order and be able to replace it perfectly, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Just call our experienced plumbers in Almere who do this on a daily basis.
Problems with the Drive Belt
There is a drive belt that fits around pulleys on the base of the machine’s motor that helps run the water pump we were talking about. The water in the machine may drain slowly or not at all if this belt is either isn’t tight enough on the pulleys or if it’s broken. In order to fix this, you will have to turn the machine to its side to be able to see the belt. Although observing and finding out if it’s broken or not is something you can do at home yourselves, but for a repair of this delicate manner should only be handled by trained professionals like us in Almere.
Problems with the Lid Switch
There is a small plastic switch placed just under the door or the lid of the machine that helps the machine start by identifying that the door has been closed properly. In the event that this little switch becomes distorted, the machine will not be able to drain the water properly from the wash tube. To check whether this switch is functioning properly or not, leave the machine door open and while it’s running, press the switch and check if you hear a clicking sound. If it makes no sound, it may be broken and need replacing by our trained handymen in Almere.
Problems with the Drain Hose
If you hear no issues with the pump, but the water isn’t draining, then either the rubber drain hose or the wash tube is blocked due to lint from the clothes. This usually happens in case your drain hose gets worn out or if you’ve just washed a load of heavy clothing that sheds a lot of lint and fibers. When this tube clogs, the water cannot be pumped out from the machine and must be manually removed.
Problems in the Drain System
It may happen that the pump works fine in draining the water from the machine but it then the water starts draining from the stand tube or backing up in the machine. In that case, it might just be the good old pipe clogging. The lint and fibers get flushed through the pipes on a regular basis and it makes sense that the pipes in which the washing machine drains get blocked with the same fibers and lint. When the pipes get clogged, it will obstruct the stream of water, causing it to back up and spill out.
The machine drain pipe can be as far as to feet into the draining system. After the pipe, the water passes through the drain trap. It’s best to call our experts in Almere as the clog can either be in the trap or further in the drain pipe.
Precautionary Tips
- If you have an overflow in the middle of the room and do try it yourself, don’t disconnect the wash tube. Just use any tool to take out the cover plate to be able to see the drain and use the snake.
- However if the problem still persists, which it will in 80% of the cases, your pipe may have caved in or broken prior to or because of unnecessary poking. Consult our professionals in Almere to fix the issue in under a day.
- If the sink, dishwasher, shower, toilet drains are not working as well, there could be a possible damage to the junction at the main line. Only an expert will be able to estimate the damage, in that case, and there may or may not be a need to dig in.
Now it may happen that you are able to unclog wash tubs without the assistance of experts. Obviously, it will depend on the extent of the blockage. But it is almost always recommended to call the professionals as they can fix all issues as you may leave something behind that can possibly aggravate an issue over time and end up costing you a LOT more. Our plumbing services in Almere can solve all plumbing issues and clear all your drains as well as doubts.