Washing machine leaking water? Causes and solutions

Where is the machine leaking? What you can check yourself first 🛠️

Before you call in a professional, you can often determine the cause based on the location of the leak:

1. Water at the front (Under the door)

• The rubber door seal (Gasket): Check the thick, grey rubber edge around the opening of the drum. Is there a crack in it? Or is there hair, a sock, or dirt wedged between the glass of the door and the rubber preventing it from sealing properly? Clean the rubber thoroughly. Is it really torn?Then it needs to be replaced by a technician.

• The lint filter: Have you recently cleaned the filter (bottom right behind the flap)? There’s a good chance you’ve not screwed it in straight or tight enough. Unscrew it, check if the rubber O-ring is still in good condition, and screw it in tightly.

2. Water at the back

• The inlet hose and drain hose: Gently slide the machine forward a bit. Is it leaking at the tap? Then the rubber seal in the supply hose is likely worn out, or the hose is loose. Also check if the ribbed drain hose is still deep enough in the drain pipe in the wall and is not torn.

3. Water from the detergent drawer (Front top)

• Blockage: If you use too much or too thick fabric softener, the pipe from the detergent drawer to the drum can become blocked with a thick layer of soap residue. The incoming water may then not drain quickly enough and flows out through the front of the drawer. Remove the drawer and clean everything thoroughly with warm water.

When do you need a We.repair technician? 🔧

Have you checked the hoses, the filter, and the door seals, but water continues to flow from under the machine? Then the leak is inside the appliance. Since you need to open the casing, this is a job for an expert.

• Replacing torn door seal (Gasket): Replacing this stiff rubber is a tricky job that often requires the entire front panel of the machine to be disassembled. Our technicians do this daily.

• Leaking drain pump: The pump that expels the water can leak due to wear or a sharp object (such as a screw from a pocket).

• Torn internal hoses:Inside the washing machine, there are several thick rubber hoses (for example, from the detergent drawer to the tub). Due to constant vibrations, these can come loose or tear after years of use.

• Leak in the wash tub: In rare cases, there may be a hairline crack in the plastic outer tub, often caused by washing something too heavy or a stray piece of metal (such as a bra wire).

Can't you find or fix the leak? Save yourself a lot of mopping and water damage. Our local We.repair technicians quickly locate the leak and have the most common hoses, pumps, and seals with them. Schedule a repair with We.repair now

Behind the scenes: How does your washing machine 'know' it is leaking? 💡

Have you ever wondered how your machine can stop a programme within a second as soon as a leak occurs?

This is the magic of the base plate with float switch. Almost all modern washing machines have a closed plastic tray right at the bottom of the machine (just above the floor). In this tray, there is a small piece of polystyrene with a switch above it.

As soon as a hose or pump leaks somewhere inside the machine, water drips into that base tray. The polystyrene floats up, hits the switch, and BAM: the machine immediately shuts off the water supply (via the AquaStop on the tap) and starts pumping the drum empty like crazy to prevent worse. A brilliant piece of security!

What does the error code on your display mean? (AquaStop) ⚠️

Modern washing machines protect themselves against leaks. As soon as they detect water in a place where it shouldn't be, they immediately stop washing, pump the drum empty, and display an error code.

• Bosch & Siemens: E23 or F23. This means that the AquaStop has been activated. There is water on the base plate of the machine.

• AEG, Electrolux & Zanussi: E30, EF0 or C3. The anti-overflow system has intervened.

• Miele: F138 or "Waterproof". Water has been detected in the drip tray under the drum.

• Samsung: LE, LE1 or LC (Leakage Error). Check hoses and filter.

• Whirlpool & Bauknecht: F02 or FA (Fault Aquastop). Water leakage detected.

Repair or replace? (Honest advice) 💰

A puddle of water in your laundry area often causes blind panic and the immediate thought:"I need to buy a new one". But is that really necessary? Fortunately, with leaks, the damage (and repair cost) is often not as bad as it seems. Here is our honest advice:

When repairing is the smartest choice (In 80% of cases): A leak may look dramatic, but the cause is often a small, affordable part. A torn rubber door seal (gasket), a porous water hose, or a faulty drain pump are typical wear parts. The spare parts are relatively cheap, and a We.repair technician can usually replace this for you within an hour. Especially if your machine is less than 10 years old, repairing is the most logical, cheapest, and ecological choice.

When replacement is better (The exceptions): There are actually only two scenarios where a leak means the end of your washing machine:

1. A cracked outer drum: If the large plastic drum that holds the water is cracked, the entire washing machine must be taken apart to replace this expensive part. For a machine that is 8 years old or older, this is no longer economically viable.

2. Short circuit on the circuit board: If the leaking water has dripped onto the expensive electronic control module (the 'brain' of the machine) and it has burned out, the costs can escalate.

Are you unsure what to do? > Let an expert determine the exact cause of the leak before you spend hundreds of euros on a new appliance. A quick diagnosis from our technician often saves you a lot of money!

Prevention is better than cure: 4 tips against leaks 🛡️

Rubbers dry out and hoses wear, but you can drastically reduce the chance of a leak by following these simple rules:

1. Zips closed and pockets empty A sharp zip, a forgotten screw, or a loose bra wire can be deadly for the soft rubber seal (gasket) or the plastic tub. Always close zips before washing and use a laundry bag for clothes with hard, metal parts.

2. Always leave the door ajar Never close the door of your washing machine completely when it is not running! If you seal the wet drum, mould will develop on the rubber edge. This mould 'eats' away at the rubber, making it porous and causing it to tear more quickly.

3. Beware of 'Oversudsing' (Too much foam) Are you using too much detergent? Then a gigantic mountain of foam forms in the drum. This foam looks for an escape and forces its way past the rubbers, through the detergent drawer or via the vent hose. It looks like a serious leak, but it's just an overdose of soap.

4. Replace the inlet hose every 5 to 10 years The water hose between your tap and the machine is constantly under high pressure. Even if it still looks good, the material can weaken over the years. Consider replacing it preventively, preferably with a hose that has a built-in AquaStop valve.