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Detroit washing machine repair
Washing Machine Repair in Detroit
Standing water, no spin, leaks or loud banging? We fix top-load and front-load washers, often the same day.
A broken washer in a Detroit basement means wet laundry, a puddle on the floor and trips to the laundromat. We send a vetted local technician, tell you the diagnostic fee on the phone, and give you a written price before any repair starts.
Symptoms
Common Washer Problems and What Causes Them
| What you notice | Likely cause | Safe check before you call |
|---|---|---|
| Water left in the drum | Clogged or failed drain pump, kinked drain hose, blocked pump filter | On many front-loaders, the pump filter sits behind a small panel at the bottom front. Have towels ready |
| Won’t spin or agitate | Lid switch or door lock, worn drive belt, motor coupler, or an unbalanced load | Redistribute the load and run a drain and spin cycle |
| Leaking from the bottom | Drain pump, loose or cracked hoses, torn door boot seal, or a tub seal | Check the fill hoses behind the machine and the rubber door seal for tears |
| Front-loader smells musty | Mold and detergent residue in the door seal and drum | Wipe the seal, leave the door open between loads, run a cleaning cycle |
| Won’t fill or fills slowly | Water valves turned off, kinked supply hoses, clogged inlet screens or a failed inlet valve | Make sure both supply valves are fully open |
| Loud roaring or grinding on spin | Worn tub bearings | Stop using it. Bearing failure gets worse and can damage the tub |
| Banging or walking across the floor | Worn shock absorbers or suspension rods, or the machine is not level | Check that all four feet sit firmly on the floor |
| Won’t start at all | Door lock, lid switch, control board or power supply | Check the breaker and the outlet |
Detroit factors
What Detroit Basements Do to Washers
Basement floods and sewer backups
In June 2021, about 6.5 inches of rain fell over 12 hours and more than 30,000 Detroit basements backed up. Floodwater ruins washer motors, pumps and control boards. Do not run a washer that has sat in water until it has been checked.
Heavy rain and the sewer system
During big storms, DWSD has asked residents to skip the washer and dishwasher to leave room in the sewer system. Running a load during a storm adds water to a system that may already be backing up.
Moderately hard water
Detroit tap water averaged 100 ppm of hardness in DWSD’s 2024 report. Mineral scale builds up in inlet valves and screens, which leads to slow fills over the years.
Older drains and tight spaces
Many Detroit homes were built before 1956, with narrow basement stairs and old drain standpipes. A modern front-loader can overwhelm an old standpipe or barely fit down the stairs.
Repair or replace
Is Your Washer Worth Fixing?
Drain pumps, lid switches, door locks, belts, couplers, hoses, shock absorbers and door seals are usually worth repairing. Worn tub bearings on an older front-loader often are not, because the job can involve taking the whole tub apart. If the repair costs more than half the price of a comparable new washer, replacing usually makes more sense. Read the repair or replace guide.
We repair top-load, front-load, stacked and compact washers from Whirlpool, Maytag, Samsung, LG, GE, Frigidaire, Electrolux, Kenmore, Speed Queen and more. See all brands.
We cover every Detroit neighborhood, plus Hamtramck and Highland Park: Downtown, Midtown and Corktown, Central Detroit, the Lower East Side and Far East Side, the West Side, Northwest Detroit, Southwest Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park.
FAQ
Questions Detroit customers ask
Why won’t my washer drain?
The usual causes are a clogged pump filter, a sock or coin stuck in the drain pump, a kinked drain hose, or a failed pump. If cleaning the filter does not fix it, the pump likely needs to be replaced.
Why does my front-load washer smell?
Front-loaders seal tight, so moisture and detergent residue stay in the door seal and drum and grow mold. Wipe the seal after washing, leave the door open, use HE detergent and run a cleaning cycle monthly.
Why is my washer leaking from the bottom?
Most bottom leaks come from the drain pump, a hose connection, a torn door seal on a front-loader, or a worn tub seal. Turn off the water supply valves and call before running another load.
Is my washer safe to use after a basement flood?
Not until it has been checked. Floodwater can damage the motor, pump, wiring and control board. A technician can test it and tell you whether it is worth repairing.
Do you repair stacked washer and dryer units?
Yes. Stacked units take longer because they often have to be pulled out of a closet and partly separated to reach the part.
Get your washer fixed
Tell us the appliance, the brand and what it is doing. We will give you the diagnostic fee and a likely price range on the phone.