When your washing machine, a household appliance designed to clean clothes using water and detergent. Also known as a laundry washer, it's one of the most used machines in the home—so when it breaks, life gets messy fast. Most failures aren’t mysterious. They’re predictable. And knowing the usual suspects helps you fix it yourself—or know when to call a pro before you’re stuck with a pile of dirty clothes and a £500 replacement bill.
The biggest culprit? drum bearings, the round components that let the washing machine drum spin smoothly. When they wear out, you hear a loud grinding or rumbling noise, especially during the spin cycle. It’s not just annoying—it’s a sign the drum is wobbling. Left unchecked, it’ll destroy the tub, the motor, even the door seal. Replacing bearings isn’t hard for a handy person, but it’s messy and time-consuming. Most people in Nuneaton opt for a professional because the job takes 2-3 hours and needs special tools.
Another frequent failure is the water inlet valve, the part that controls how much water flows into the machine. If your washer fills too slowly, doesn’t fill at all, or leaks from the back, this valve is often to blame. It’s cheap to replace—under £30—and usually fixes the problem in under an hour. You don’t need to be an electrician. Just unplug the machine, disconnect the hoses, swap the part, and you’re back in business.
Then there’s the belt, the motor, the door lock, and the control board. Each has its own telltale signs. A burnt smell? Could be the motor. The machine starts but won’t spin? Maybe the belt snapped. No power at all? Check the fuse, then the control board. And don’t ignore the drain pump—clogs here cause water to sit in the tub, and that’s a recipe for mildew and stink.
What most people don’t realize is that many of these faults are preventable. Overloading the drum stresses the bearings. Using too much detergent gums up the valves and pipes. Skipping the filter cleanout lets lint and coins clog the pump. A quick monthly check—clean the filter, wipe the drum, check for leaks—can add years to your machine’s life.
And if you’re wondering whether to repair or replace? Age matters. If your washer is under 8 years old and the repair cost is under half the price of a new one, fix it. If it’s older, and you’re paying more than £200 for a part that’s likely to fail again soon? It’s time to think about a new one. But don’t rush. Some fixes are simple. Some aren’t. The posts below show you exactly what’s broken, how to tell, and what it’ll cost to fix—no guesswork, no fluff.
Washing machines commonly fail due to worn drum bearings, leaky door seals, clogged inlet valves, broken drain pumps, snapped drive belts, or faulty control boards. Learn the signs and when to repair or replace.