You may need to slide the washer out from against the wall first to access the supply lines.
When identifying where the drain is, you will need to differentiate it from the hot and cold water lines coming into the washer. The hot and cold water lines should be half the size of the drain pipes. They’ll also have valves on them, which won’t be true of the drain pipe and hose.
You should be able to look inside of the hose with a flashlight now to see if there’s a blockage. If there isn’t, the problem is either your filter or the drain pipe. If the hose drains directly into a sink, the problem is almost certainly the hose. You’ll snake or use drain cleaner on the hose, not the pipe.
If the hose drains into a pipe in the wall, the blockage may be in either the hose or the drain pipe. Snake and use drain cleaner on both. If, after cleaning the drain hose and/or the drain pipe, you still have drainage issues, the problem is likely in the drain filter.
The average snake is about 50 to 75 feet (15 to 23 m) long. They work well for a variety of clogs, since they can clear clogs that sit far down in a pipe. For this job, you shouldn’t need to go more than 4–5 feet (1. 2–1. 5 m) if you’re snaking the drain in the wall. Blockages almost always occur at the J-trap, which is pretty close to the opening in the wall.
If you get a lot of resistance from the blockage, it’s okay to use a good bit of force. The snake shouldn’t damage your pipes.
Look at the connection point between the machine and the drainage hose for any leaks.
If you run your washer on hot most of the time, then this may not work for your drainage problem, as you have been doing this repeatedly. However, if you only run cold cycles, then pouring hot water down the drain may be worth a try. In areas that freeze during the winter, drainage pipes can freeze and get blocked up with ice. If your area is frozen and you think you have a clogged drain, try pouring hot water down the drain to get rid of any ice that may have accumulated.
This probably won’t work with larger blockages, but it’ll certainly get soap buildup and scum out!
Go easy with the drain cleaner. Using it every now and then is fine, but excessive use can damage your pipes.
On some machines, the filter compartment is on the inside of the machine.
You can replace the filter entirely if you prefer, but you can get by with a simple cleaning if the filter isn’t broken.
If this doesn’t work, you almost certainly need to replace your filter’s pump. This isn’t a DIY job, so contact an appliance repair person near you.
