If your washing machine is constantly filling with water then you might be quite worried, especially if it’s leaking from the machine.
We will be taking a look at all of the reasons a washing machine will overfill and what you can do to fix them.
It’s important to note that you should always isolate your machine from the electrical supply before trying to fix it so that you can work safely.
This is everything that you should do to fix a washing machine that’s constantly filling with water:
Make sure the pressure switch pipe is connected
A washing machine regulates the amount of water inside the drum by using a pressure switch and a rubber pipe that fills up with air.
As the water rises inside the machine the air gets pushed up the pipe which eventually switches the diaphragm inside the pressure switch letting the control board know it’s time to stop filling up.
If the pipe has come away from the drum or the switch, then the machine will think that the drum is empty and will continue to fill with water.
You should make sure that the pipe is securely fixed to the pressure switch and that it hasn’t pulled off of the drum. You might have to lean the machine back to access the part of the drum where the pipe connects.
It is also a good idea to look out for any holes or slices in the pipe which would allow air to escape.
Luckily replacing a pressure switch on a washing machine doesn’t cost too much and is usually an economical repair that’s worth doing.
Test and replace the water inlet valve
The water inlet valve is what the water fill pipe connects to and is responsible for opening and closing to let water into the machine.
Washing machines use solenoid valves that open and close when powered and it’s possible for them to get stuck in the open position.
A good indication that a water valve is stuck open is that it will fill with water even when it’s not turned on.
You might even have an error code on the front of the machine that indicates a problem with the water supply.
It’s also possible that the valve has become open circuit in the open position which means that power can’t travel to the valve to close it after the drum has filled with water.
If you find the valve to be faulty then you can replace it by taking the lid off and disconnecting the pipes that go to the machine and then unscrewing the valve from the back.
Fitting the new valve is a case of swapping the power cable over and then screwing the valve into the cabinet and then refitting the pipes back onto the valve.
Replace the pressure switch
If you have made sure that the pressure switch pipe is connected, and the water inlet valve is working then you should move on to replacing the pressure switch.
The inside of a pressure switch on a washing machine has a diaphragm which looks like a hair clip and springs in and out depending on if it’s pressured by the air in the pressure switch pipe.
Sometimes the diaphragm gets stuck in the open position which makes the control boar think that the drum doesn’t have enough water inside.
Swapping a washing machine pressure switch is one of the easier repairs to carry out and it can usually be done from the top of the machine.
On some models of washing machines, it’s possible to split the switch in half and repair the diaphragm but this is rare, and the cost of a new switch often outweighs the time it takes to repair the old one.
Replace the printed circuit board
The last thing that you should look out for if your washing machine is constantly filling up with water is the printed circuit board.
If the control board has failed, then it could be constantly powering the water inlet valve which allows too much water to go into the machine.
Sometimes you can diagnose a faulty PCB by looking at it and looking for burn or scorch marks on the electrical tracks.
Sometimes you might even find a faulty capacitor bulging, which is another indication that the circuit board has failed.
Repairing a faulty washing machine circuit board is a viable option if you have access to the components and the knowledge of how to diagnose the faulty parts and replace them.
There are also services that offer to repair circuit boards, but they are often specific to each make and model due to the complexity of faults that can occur on a washing machine circuit board.
Most of the time it will be quite expensive to replace the PCB and you should consider the cost of the repair against replacing the machine. Sometimes it actually costs more to replace the part than it would to replace the machine like for like.
Summary
That’s everything that you can do if your washing machine is constantly filling with water. Here’s a summary of everything that we have discussed:
- Start off by making sure that the pressure switch pipe is still attached to the switch and the drum – Washing machines use air to check how full the drum is and if the pipe that carries the air comes off it will think that the drum is empty
- Test and replace the water inlet valve – If the valve is stuck in the open position, then it will let too much water into the machine
- Try replacing the pressure switch – Although it is quite rare for a pressure switch to fail on a washing machine it does happen from time to time, and they are usually quite economical to replace
- The final fault that causes a washing machine to endlessly fill with water is a faulty printed circuit board – The PCB on your washing machine controls when the machine should stop filling and when the water inlet valve stops receiving power
Hopefully, you have found this guide helpful and if you need any more help with washing machine faults you might want to check out our guide on how to unblock a washing machine or how to clean a washing machine door seal.
