When home appliances go wrong, it’s tempting to hit the shops and buy replacements. However, you can save yourself cash and help the planet if you get stuck into some DIY and fix the items instead. For example, if you have a noisy washing machine that seems to be on its last legs, you may be able to get it working like new by following these simple steps.
Safety first
Before you attempt anyappliance repair, it’s really important that you think about safety. This means you should turn your washing machine off and unplug it to avoid any danger of electrocution. If the appliance is in the middle of a cycle, stop and drain it according to the instructions provided by your manufacturer.
Unbalanced loads
Rather than being a technical fault, the alarming or annoying noises being made by your washer may be the result of the way you load it. Putting one heavy item, like a large bath towel, into the drum by itself or with light garments can cause issues. When items such as towels are soaking wet, they are much weightier than they are when dry. When they stick to the drum during the spin cycle, they can therefore unbalance the machine and cause it to shake.
To avoid this, make sure you always put balanced loads into the drum. Placing several heavy items like towels or bedding into the machine at the same time should achieve this.
A firm footing
If it’s not the load causing the problems, it may be the feet of your washer. All of the feet should be in firm contact with the floor. If they’re not, you might have to adjust them. You can usually do this by unlocking the nuts and then unscrewing the feet. Always remember to tighten them properly after you’ve made any adjustments.
Ideally, your washer should be completely level. To check if it is, use a spirit level. Simply alter the feet until you’ve achieved the desired result.
Bearing failures
If the previous steps don’t address the issue, your appliance might have a failure of its bearings. To check this, turn the drum while it’s empty. If you feel resistance, it’s likely that bearings will need to be replaced. Another indication that your bearings have gone is that the drum has fallen slightly and isn’t in line with the rubber seal around the door any more.
Unless you really know your stuff when it comes to DIY, you’ll probably need to get an expert in to fix this problem.
Use the web
If you’re ever unsure of anything when it comes to appliance repair, it’s worth taking a look on the internet. There’s plenty of advice and information available online and technical problems are often easy to resolve yourself. You can order any spare parts you need and follow simple procedures to fix your appliances.
If this fails, you can always get a professional in to take a look at your machines instead. Unless your appliances are past the point of no return, this is much better than simply purchasing brand new versions.
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