# Water leaking from the back of washing machine



## debodun (Jul 11, 2021)

It was embarrassing when I was showing my house to my real state agent. When we went down in the cellar, she gasped and exclaimed "There's standing water down here." I was right behind her and I couldn't believe it, either. When we walked into the laundry alcove, water was spraying out from the back of the washing machine and I could hear water running in the pipe that went over to it. It was the hot water, so I closed the valves to both feed lines that went to the washer. I thought that would take care of it. I hadn't been in the cellar for a few weeks and it wasn't like that back then. All that dampness disintegrated the plasterboard walls in the laundry room. Last evening, I thought I'd check on it and while the water wasn't spraying out, it was still dripping vigorously where the rubber hose connects to the back of the washer. The valves are as tightly closed as I can make them. What's the likely cause of this?


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## win231 (Jul 11, 2021)

It could be the hose.  Washers that are indoors should have braided steel hoses, not just bare rubber.  The stainless steel braiding will contain the leak if the rubber fails.  They aren't expensive.
Other possibilities:  The connections at the back of the washer and at the valves may be too tight.  That squashes the rubber seal & can cause leaking.  When screwing them on, as soon as resistance is felt, they should only be turned another 1/4 turn.  If they were over tightened, the rubber seal should be replaced. 
The valve may need replacing.


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## Pappy (Jul 11, 2021)

Might need a new washer in the hose. Or, I had a small crack where the hose goes into washer on mine. Replaced hoses.


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## debodun (Jul 11, 2021)

Here are photos of the shut-off valves and where the hoses go into the back of the washer:


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## Judycat (Jul 11, 2021)

Corroded fittings ugh. Good luck getting them off. You'll need vise-grips to start. I can tell by looking at the corrosion which valve is the hot water too.


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## Don M. (Jul 11, 2021)

I replace the hoses on our washing machine, every 5 years.  These hoses look like they haven't received any attention in decades.


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## debodun (Jul 11, 2021)

Same hoses as when my parents bought the house in 1975 and who knows how long they were there before that.


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## win231 (Jul 11, 2021)

debodun said:


> Same hoses as when my parents bought the house in 1975 and who knows how long they were there before that.


Uh......I'd say you got your money's worth outta those antique hoses.  And also the antique valves.    
If you replace them, get the newer ones with the lever you just turn 1/4 turn.


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## StarSong (Jul 11, 2021)

This is the washing machine that you don't use, you go to the laundromat instead, correct?


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## debodun (Jul 11, 2021)

Yep


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## StarSong (Jul 11, 2021)

debodun said:


> Yep


It hardly seems fair that an appliance you don't use should be causing such a mess.


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## Murrmurr (Jul 11, 2021)

If you don't use the washer, the water to it should have been turned off. The water was applying constant pressure, so ....refer back to Win's first post (#2) - that's what happened.


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## Chet (Jul 11, 2021)

When my water heater started leaking I shut off the valve going to it but the water kept leaking. I had to go to the main shutoff where water enters the house to stop the leaking. The plumber replaced the valve with a quarter turn valve.


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## debodun (Jul 11, 2021)

Murrmurr said:


> If you don't use the washer, the water to it should have been turned off. The water was applying constant pressure, so ....refer back to Win's first post (#2) - that's what happened.


I didn't realize that. One disadvantage of being an old lady living alone.


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## Aunt Bea (Jul 11, 2021)

Murrmurr said:


> If you don't use the washer, the water to it should have been turned off. The water was applying constant pressure, so ....refer back to Win's first post (#2) - that's what happened.


My stepfather used to harp at us to turn off the water ever time we finished using the machine to relieve pressure on the hoses.

It is one of several little speeches that still play in the back of my mind half a century later.


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## Jules (Jul 11, 2021)

If the leak has stopped, just leave things as they are.  The house may not be yours soon.  

Did your real estate agent give you an estimate of it’s value?


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## debodun (Jul 11, 2021)

Jules said:


> If the leak has stopped, just leave things as they are.  The house may not be yours soon.
> 
> Did your real estate agent give you an estimate of it’s value?


I looked at the leak today and didn't see any water dripping anywhere, but it is moist around where the valve stem goes into the pipe. I am holding my breath (figuratively).

She did a quick walk-through and said it is far from a tear-down, but we didn't touch on price. It is a moot issue since my purchase of the other house is tenuous now after seeing the inspection report. I've noticed when male realtors look at it, the consensus is it's a train wreck. When female agents look it's, "Oh it just needs a few renovations here and there." Who an I gonna believe?


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## Aunt Bea (Jul 11, 2021)

debodun said:


> I looked at the leak today and didn't see any water dripping anywhere, but it is moist around where the valve stem goes into the pipe. I am holding my breath (figuratively).
> 
> She did a quick walk-through and said it is far from a tear-down, but we didn't touch on price. It is a moot issue since my purchase of the other house is tenuous now after seeing the inspection report. I've noticed when male realtors look at it, the consensus is it's a train wreck. When female agents look it's, "Oh it just needs a few renovations here and there." *Who an I gonna believe?*


Believe the one that brings home the bacon! 

I would list the house and move forward with selling while rates are low and demand is high.

I would rather be homeless with the money in the bank and my treasures in storage than continue with the current situation.

Good luck with your decision.


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## StarSong (Jul 12, 2021)

debodun said:


> It is a moot issue since my purchase of the other house is tenuous now after seeing the inspection report. I've noticed when male realtors look at it, the consensus is it's a train wreck. When female agents look it's, "Oh it just needs a few renovations here and there." Who an I gonna believe?


What (serious) problems were uncovered at the new house, besides the roof?


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## debodun (Jul 12, 2021)

The HI got in a wad because the drain stop didn't work smoothly - to me that's a VERY minor problem. 

What bothered me was the leak in the plumbing in the cellar which he didn't seem to think was very important. 

Sump pump needs new motor, but he said since it was dry, probably not a problem right now.

Haven't received the radon report yet. He said it would take several days.


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## Jules (Jul 12, 2021)

debodun said:


> The HI got in a wad because the drain stop didn't work smoothly - to me that's a VERY minor problem.
> 
> What bothered me was the *leak in the plumbing in the cellar *which he didn't seem to think was very important.
> 
> ...


Those would bother me.  When it becomes a problem, how much? 

He also pointed out the water stain on the ceiling in the garage. 

That fan that isn’t working would be concerning too.  My DD had this in her reno‘d room and none her knowledgeable friends could figure out the problem.  Finally brought in an electrician and found the wire was cut part way along.


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## StarSong (Jul 12, 2021)

debodun said:


> What bothered me was the leak in the plumbing in the cellar which he didn't seem to think was very important.


He may think it's a very simple fix, in which case you might want to require ti be fixed before you sign on the dotted line.  

Since sump pumps are only a couple of hundred dollars, that doesn't seem to be a big deal unless I'm missing something.


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## debodun (Jul 12, 2021)

If it was simple and the owner knew about it, which I think she did since a rag was wrapped around it, why didn't she have it repaired?


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## StarSong (Jul 12, 2021)

debodun said:


> If it was simple and the owner knew about it, which I think she did since a rag was wrapped around it, why didn't she have it repaired?


Why haven't you get repairs done on all the simple things that have gone awry in your house?  Why have most of us followed that pattern?   Human nature - after a while we acclimate to little issues that don't cause us problems and stop noticing them....


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## Knight (Jul 12, 2021)

StarSong said:


> He may think it's a very simple fix, in which case you might want to require ti be fixed before you sign on the dotted line.
> 
> Since sump pumps are only a couple of hundred dollars, that doesn't seem to be a big deal unless I'm missing something.


The need for a sump pump I'd want to know.  Obviously it removes water so how much water enters & from what source would be great to know.  Routine upkeep doesn't seem to be Deb's strong suit, so a sump pump failure could go unnoticed.  Water has a nasty way of ruining things that are not supposed to get wet.


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## fmdog44 (Jul 12, 2021)

debodun said:


> Same hoses as when my parents bought the house in 1975 and who knows how long they were there before that.


And imagine the reason they are leaking!! Replace the valves and hoses. Then run the water and replace the rubber hoses with braided steel. When you close the valves snug them only, don't torque them.


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## StarSong (Jul 13, 2021)

I know a number of NY and NJ people who have sump pumps because of seepage into their basements.  Needing a basement sump pump isn't a rarity in that part of the country.


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