Oak Flats is mostly brick-and-tile homes built between the sixties and the eighties, many still with the original internal laundry. The washer in there is often the third or fourth to fill that space, and it tends to be mid-life. That's usually the best time to repair: the machine is worth the money and the parts are easy to find.
Working through a machine that won't spin
Go through it in this order.
- Water left in the drum. If it washes and then sits full, it can't drain, so it won't spin. Check the pump filter on a front loader, and look for a kinked or squashed drain hose between the machine and the tub or standpipe.
- Drains, but spin stays slow. A single heavy item, like a bath mat or one pair of jeans, can stop the machine reaching full speed because it can't balance the load. Add a couple of towels and try again.
- Nothing happens at the spin stage. On a front loader, the door lock may not be registering as shut. On a top loader, it is often the lid switch.
- Grinding or rumbling. With the machine empty and switched off, turn the drum by hand. A rough, gritty feel or a dry rumble means bearings.
Bearings and the eight-year line
Bearings are the big one. On many front loaders they're built into a sealed tub that can't be opened, so the whole tub assembly has to be replaced. Once a machine is past about eight years, that job usually costs more than the washer is worth, and we'll say so instead of quoting for it. Top loaders, and front loaders with a split tub, are a different story and can often be rebuilt. Repair or replace sets out how we weigh it.
Top loaders in the original laundries
If your Oak Flats laundry has a top loader, the common faults are a worn drive belt, a broken lid switch and a water level sensor that stops the bowl filling to the right height. One that fills and then just sits there without agitating has its own checklist in the top loader article.
Getting a technician out
Oak Flats falls on our regular run between Albion Park and the lake suburbs, so bookings here slot easily into the day. The callout and fault-finding come to a set $125, and the repair price is given to you before work begins.
Questions from Oak Flats
Why is my washing machine not draining or spinning?
The two usually go together, since most machines refuse to spin until the water has gone. Check the pump filter and the drain hose first. If both are clear, the pump or a level sensor may have failed.
Are washing machine bearings worth replacing?
On a top loader, or a front loader with a split tub, often yes. On a sealed-tub front loader past about eight years old, usually not, because the whole tub assembly has to be replaced. We tell you which type you have before quoting.
Do you fix Fisher & Paykel top loaders?
Yes. We're authorised for Fisher & Paykel along with the other major brands, and top loaders are everyday work for us. Give us the model number when you book so the right part travels with the technician.