Why Does Your Washer Take So Long To Wash?

Modern washers usher convenience into your home, with a wide selection of powerful wash cycles and advanced features that eliminate stains and odors with ease. Today’s machines wash clothes faster than ever before, which makes it particularly frustrating when your washer takes too long to wash.

There are many common washer repair problems, and a unit that takes longer than it should can completely disrupt the laundry process. However, there are some easy ways to fix a washer that takes too long to wash. By understanding the potential causes of this problem, you’ll be in the perfect position to adjust your laundry process or enlist assistance from a laundry appliance repair expert.

Image of a washer

Washing Machine Load Sense Systems

Most modern washing machines feature something called “load sense,” which is a system that automatically senses how much laundry is in each load and makes specific adjustments to boost efficiency. Most load sense systems work by weighing your laundry before a cycle begins, altering the cycle time in order to save water.

However, as your cycle begins, other conditions can impact the load sense system and add time. For example, if your load features a mix of light and bulky items, the variations in weight as they are soaked in water can force your washer to automatically change its settings, extending the length of your wash cycle. This can be a big problem for top load units, which may automatically rebalance themselves by filling up with water to redistribute laundry. While this separates clothes and promotes effective washing, it takes up a ton of time and makes the machine take too long to wash.

How To Fix Wash Cycles That Take Too Long

There are several easy steps you can take to ensure that your wash cycles do not take too long. First, be sure to only wash items with other items of a similar density. This should prevent irregularities with the load sense system, resulting in accurate wash time calculations when the machine initially senses your items.

You should also be sure not to overload your washer. When you overload the appliance, there is a greater chance that it will become unbalanced during the cycle, and your unit may undergo the automatic process of redistributing laundry. Depending on the washer, your appliance may forgo this process in favor of automatically shutting down if it senses it is too unbalanced — forcing you to start your wash cycle over from the start.

If you are loading your washing machine properly and it still takes too long to wash, you may be facing bigger issues in need of repair. A washer that continuously takes too long to wash may have a malfunctioning load sense system, or greater problems with its control panel. There may also be issues with your water inlet valve, which pulls water into the appliance for each cycle. This problem can be particularly difficult to diagnose, as any number of minor faults can be the cause. To ensure your washer is working properly, you should consult with a professional washer repair service.

Repair Your Washer That Takes Too Long Today

Wash cycles should be fast and efficient, providing the exact level of care your laundry requires. While you shouldn’t be worried about wash cycles that occasionally take longer than expected, a washer that repeatedly takes too long to wash can be cause for concern. Adjusting how you load your machine may solve the issue, but if it persists, you’ll likely need to repair your appliance.

For assistance with all your washer repair projects, be sure to contact a professional appliance repair service.