Enjoying New Appliances

How To Check The Filter Screens On Your Washing Machine

Your washing machine has both cold and hot water input tubes attached to the back side of it. These tubes feed your washing machine the water it needs to wash your clothes with. At the end of both the hot and cold water supply hose there are filters in place to catch any debris that made it that far and to prevent it from entering your washing machine. Here are a few signs that the filters on your water supply hoses need to be checked and a few tips on how to check the filters.

Warning Signs That Something Is Amiss With The Filter Screens

If your filter screens are clogged or need to be replaced, your washing machine should give you a few warning signs or hints that will let you know that something is amiss with your machine. When the filter screens on the water input tubes are not working properly, your washing machine may fail to fill with water when you turn it on or the pressure may be unusually low for no reason. The water temperature may also be incorrect. All three of those signs point to an issue with your filter screens.

Checking Your Filter Screens

The first thing you need to do before you try to access the filter screens is unplug your washer or shut off the main source of power to your washing machine. This step will help you avoid electrical shock while working on your machine. 

Second, the water access to your machine is controlled independently from the power to your machine. Depending on how your water is hooked up to your machine, there should be either one or two master controls that will allow you to turn off the water to your machine. These controls should be located where the water hoses for your machine connect to the wall. 

Third, you need to pull your machine away from the wall so you can access the water intake hoses that are located on the back of your unit. They should be relatively easy to identify. They will look like flexible plumbing or hoses, and are usually a black, grey or white color.

Fourth, once you identity the water intake hoses, you need to set up a bucket under them. Then, you need to disconnect the water hoses from the back of your washer. You should be able to pull them off with a little force. If there is a clamp holding the hoses in place that is secured with a screw, you'll need to remove the screw and loosen the clamp in order to remove the hoses from the back of your washing machine. Place the hoses into the buckets so any water that is in them has a safe place to drain to.

Fifth, you'll need to inspect and clean the screens. They should be visible where the hose attaches to the screen. The screen on the hose should be removable, so you can rinse it off to remove any built up debris. The screen located inside of the inlet valve on the machine may not be removable, so be careful and don't put a lot of pressure on the screen while cleaning it.

All you need to do now is reattach the water intake hoses, turn on the water, push the machine back into place, and turn it back on. If the water pressure and temperature are back to normal, then the issue was just dirty filter screens. To learn more, contact a company like Jerry's Appliance Service