If there are water puddles beneath your washing machine during or after a wash cycle, it is likely that it has been caused by a leaking drain hose.
Not only can it be a nuisance, but it can also lead to major property damage not to mention expensive repairs.
That said, water will keep leaking unless you do something about it.
So in this article, I will take you through why your washer is leaking from the drain hose, how to diagnose the issue, and most importantly, how to fix it.
Washing machine leaking from drain hose – causes and fixes
The water on your floor might be pointing to a leakage or an overflowing drain hose.
Whichever the case, it might be due to one of several reasons as I am about to show you.
Causes and solutions to washing machine drain hose leaking
Since each possible cause has its own solution(s), it’s only right for us to look at them individually…
Loose drain hose connection
From what I have seen in most of my clients’ washers, this is the most common reason for a leaking drain hose.
Now, as you well know, washing machines do vibrate a lot as they run.
With time, this might work the drain hose connection loose thereby providing a potential source for the water to leak through.
Also, it is likely that the hose clamp has corroded and lost its holding strength. This will result in the drain hose slipping out as the washer runs.
That said, gently tug at the hose connection to see if it is loose.
If it is, you just found your culprit…
Possible solution
Simply reinsert the hose and tighten the clamp to hold the hose securely.
Something else: If your clamp has corroded (or it no longer provides a secure hold), you can use a zip tie to hold the hose in place.
The drain might have clogs
Here’s the thing; a clogged drain hose will block water from flowing out.
This will result in the water trying to find an alternative escape route – in this case, through one of the ends of the drain hose.
Bearing that in mind, the hose might be fully or partially clogged.
Now, a common sign of a clogged drain hose is when your washer displays an error code that points to a slow drain (such as Ld code in Whirlpool and Maytag washers).
How you can fix it
Start by disconnecting the drain hose from the washer and from the standpipe.
Next, use a vacuum cleaner to remove any clogs that might be in there.
Alternatively, you can invest in a quality hand-crank snake drain cleaner – you’ll find it useful even for your other home DIY projects.
That said, from my experience, this drain cleaner does a great job of removing clogs that a vac can’t get out.
Drain hose is not properly inserted
For the most part, this is usually the cause of a brand-new washer (or one that has been installed recently) leaking from the drain hose.
You see, when installing your drain hose, the elbow bracket should be within 4 inches of the drain hose’s end.
Bearing that in mind, incorrectly installing the drain hose will result in water sputtering back out.
What you can do to fix the problem
Normally, I advise my clients to make sure that they are following the manufacturer’s drain hose installation instructions.
So, check and confirm from your user manual that you have properly installed the drain hose.
Pro tip: If you cannot locate your user manual, you can search for it online using your washer’s model number.
Generally, you will want to make sure that you haven’t jammed the hose all the way in and it is about 4 inches from the elbow bracket as below:
Also, be sure to hold the hose into position by securing it to the standpipe – you can use a tie strap or safety chain to hold it in place.
Now, for a better visual guide on how to properly insert the drain hose, refer to the video towards the end of this article.
The drain hose might be damaged
This is most common if you notice that the water is leaking along the length of the drain hose.
Normally, this points to a crack or hole along the drain hose.
That being so, run a drain cycle and carefully check to see if the water is coming out along the length of the hose.
If yes, you just found your culprit, and here’s what you can do…
Possible solutions
So, can you patch up a worn-out washer drain hose?
Yes, you can.
However, I recommend it only as a temporary fix – after all, the whole point of DIY is to make things last a little bit longer, right?
That being so, you can easily patch up the leaking part by attaching some rubber using a good rubber adhesive.
Pro tip: Be careful not to get the adhesive on the wrong surface.
Replace the drain hose
At times, the damage to the drain hose might be too much.
This might make you opt to replace the drain hose considering that they come cheap (most are under 20 bucks).
Now, if you opt to take this route, start by getting yourself a recommended drain hose.
Next, follow your manufacturer’s installation instructions to install the hose.
Alternatively, you can use these drain hose installation instructions from LG:
Washing machine leaking from drain hose – final words
Now, you might be tempted to seal the air gap in the standpipe (or in the drain pipe) but it’s not advisable.
You see, sealing this gap will create a siphoning effect that might result in water siphoning out of the drum.
In turn, this might result in a poor wash and rinse performance.
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