washing machine is leaking water

**Incognito** · 07-25-2009, 07:06 PM

It started today during laundry. The washer is leaking water below the tub onto the floor. I think it might be that the tub is loosening from the seal, because when I hand-turn the tub a quarter turn, it tightens it somewhat, and doesn't leak for a cycle, but the agitation process causes it to loosen again, and then it leaks again. What to do?

**miss_thrifty** · 07-26-2009, 12:13 AM

well id call one of those guys who fix it ans ask what to look for and certain questions first to him . sometimes thsi helps and theyre really good about it and can tell u over the phone what they think it might be and how much it would cost. wont hurt trying to call a few repairmen.

**frugalfranny** · 07-26-2009, 04:09 AM

Have any 'handy' friends that can take a look at it.

I agree with missthrifty but would guess that they will be rather vague about the answer without seeing it.......since the repair call is their 'bread and butter'..........

Good luck........appliance problems are second only to CAR problems on my hate list!

**homemaker66** · 07-26-2009, 07:46 AM

Our washer was leaking a couple of weeks ago and it was the pump. This is located at the bottom of the washer a little plastic device where the hoses are attach too. We orderd one $70.00 and replaced it ourselves and we are good to go now. Could this be your problem? Good luck..

**frugalwarrior** · 07-26-2009, 08:38 AM

Go up on the internet and trouble shoot the prob. Hopefully the tub isn't cracked. Sounds like a seal. Maybe a new water pump is in order.

**Incognito** · 07-26-2009, 10:08 AM

My sincere thanks to everyone for your replies. It feels good to be comforted and advised by those who understand.

Lately, lots of my stuff has been breaking down:
1. The shower knob on the tub (I fixed that by tightening the screw again, but there's a spring inside it, and now the water comes out full force both ways whenever I pull out the shower button).
2. My medical walker lost a complex nut and bolt combination from the bottom part of the frame (I looked everywhere outside but couldn't find it; I fixed that with several replacement nuts, washers & bolt)
3. My dryer cut off during half the normal cycle & flipped the breaker switch (so I'm using the perma-press cycle on my dryer, and it's working so far); the problem is probably a glitch in a certain spot on the timer dial.
4. Yesterday the washer started leaking. I can't get into the back, because not of my tools will take off those types of nuts. (I'm so broke I'm not sure what I can do about repairing it if it's expensive, so I'm thinking just to hand-wash or plunger/pail wash & drain over the tub for now.)
5. Lately my old computer won't activate when started, so I suppose that means it's days are numbered. I'd be sorry to lose the internet, and the computer as well, but I do have an electric typewriter in my closet which could suffice for business correspondence, and maybe I could pick up a used computer again sometime at a yard sale)
6. My kitchen fan hasn't worked since last August, and my landlord maintenance guy is delaying fixing it until there are enough repairs on his list to justify hiring someone from the city to come out and do repairs
7. My eavestrough downspouts are plugged, and rainwater is discharging into my basement onto a wall heater and next to my freezer, and the landlord maintenance guy won't deal with that. He sent someone to blow out the eavestroughs, but it looks like stuff in the downspouts was just left there, and now they're completely plugged right to the top of the second story of my townhouse.
8. My VCR quit working a couple of months ago, but I think it was a bug inside it; I cleaned it with VCR tape cleaner several times and after much aggravation for a few weeks, and many tapes flipping and snowy, it seems to have returned to almost normal now.

So far, my solutions have been to repair what I can afford, make things last as long as possible, do without things, adjust to having less, so this last thing (the washer) is just one more thing to take in stride. It's like homestead living, only without the advantages of country garden-space.

Aside from the money and the aggravation of having to deal with the things that break down, the other thing I don't like to deal with is loss of my peace of mind through worry and fretting.

So, I think I'll just take a deep breath with all of these problems, and see if I can simplify somehow, as I figure out what to do next, and make decisions.
I do have my EF, but that's designated for rent, food, medical emergency, and since the next few years look rocky for me, I'm not going to spend a dollar of it if I can help it.

I WISH I KNEW HOW TO FIX THINGS !!!!!!!!!!
I do my best, but I'm just not very good at knowing how to handle this kind of stuff. The same thing happened to my car, and after getting ripped off by mechanics many times, I finally gave it up and sold it.

PS: If you don't hear from me again, my computer's bust, so let me just say right now that I've loved this site, and interacting with the people here...and I'll be out there somewhere in non-computer-land(God willing), with fond remembrances of my time here.
Gaaaaahhhhhh!!!!
--Incognito

**miss_thrifty** · 07-26-2009, 06:23 PM

Incognito hugggs right off the bat and tell murphy to go away. seriously u have enough!!!
as far as the landlord sounds scummy!!!
My eavestrough downspouts are plugged, and rainwater is discharging into my basement onto a wall heater and next to my freezer, --
Id be fuming and be complaining alot more, there must be atole free number where u can complaibn to the rental board commission and they can come out and look at what needs to be done. Ull get major mold in your basement. and as far as your dryer the breaker flippin means that youir breaker isnt strong enough to handle your dryer. 220 amps is needed. It could be too many things on the same breaker.

**Momto2Boyz** · 07-27-2009, 10:25 AM

Check out ehow.com. Dh (who is not at all handy with appliances) used ehow to fix our washing machine twice! Saved us a bundle and made us both happy! At one point, it was leaking at the bottom, too and he was able to trouble shoot with their guide and figure out what it was!

You might also try craigslist. Our neighbor was having car trouble and found an out of work mechanic on craigslist, who comes to your house and fixes your car for half the price of a garage. We used him last week for DH's brake line that blew. He saved us at least $250! So maybe you could luck out and find an out of work appliance repair man!

**Incognito** · 07-27-2009, 11:54 PM

Thanks so much for recommending that website.
I've been checking out the www.ehow.com site, and have found some information there. I think it might be a problem in the tub seal. Will keep reading to get as much info as possible, because it all helps when doing the check-up on the machine and discussing it with a repairman. There are even places on this site where the actual repair parts are listed and priced, so that will help too in repair parts-ordering & negotiations.

With this kind of thing, I first of all have to give myself time to get past the initial dismay, panic & depression phase of appliance break-downs.
I'm trying to work on a plan of action now, but not rushing anything until I'm more self-informed. Have to figure out a budget-plan to deal with the cost; I started doing this yesterday with my calculator, and up-coming monthly budgets.
I need to spend the next few days becoming more informed, then try to assess the problem better, check out everything I can on the washer that I can do by myself, then prepare some notes before phoning a repairman.

It really was quite a relief to check out that website. I want to spend a lot of time on it in the next while, just becoming more informed about so many of the machines that have given me trouble and cost me money over the years. I really wish I'd found this kind of knowledge before this. It would have saved me a lot of worry and stress, and money too.

**Momto2Boyz** · 07-28-2009, 11:02 AM

Glad ehow helped! Dh loves it and checks it out before he has to mess around with anything. And I agree, even if you are having a repair man come, it'll help you sound very informed, if you can tell him what you think is wrong with it...then you don't have to worry about being taken advantage of! I hope you find a cheap and easy fix to get it working again!!

**TigerGirl1226** · 07-28-2009, 11:10 AM

ehow.com is great. so is youtube.com. sometimes you can find instructional videos there. I searched "washer repair" and they had over 800 videos. hope everything goes well.

**Incognito** · 07-28-2009, 03:57 PM

Thanks; I'll check out YouTube also. My computer has some trouble loading their videos, but it would sure help.
I've checked my owner's papers, and so I've got the diagram of the transmission, and the possible leaking seal. I've also found a little appliance repair book in my book collection; it's got a few pages with info about trouble-shooting, but is mainly about the top works of the machine (dials & testers).

Right now, I'm still trying to figure out how to open the machine; apparently, some machines open in the front, not the back.

Also, I found the Brand Name Model on the ehow.com site, and it's got some info. Knowledge is power, eh? I just feel like I've got a huge weight on my mind these days with this problem, but at least I'm becoming better informed, and that should help somewhat when I have to deal with a repairman.

Guess what? In our town I've learned that we have NO repairmen for appliances, only 1 plumber, not sure about an electrician.
We have to call the city which is 30 miles away. Just think...if someone was capable of dealing with this stuff, that person would have a job here, and for the surrounding area too.