Washer not draining
A washer that stops with the drum full has either decided not to pump, or is pumping against a blockage.
Soon Standing water in a washer isn't dangerous on its own, but a drum that won't empty can overflow at the door or door seal if you keep trying cycles, and wet laundry left for a day starts to smell.
What this symptom usually means
A washer that stops with the drum full has either decided not to pump, or is pumping against a blockage. Manufacturers list the same handful of causes. The drain hose may be kinked, pushed too far into the standpipe, or draining into a pipe that is too high or too low (Whirlpool gives roughly 76 cm to 244 cm for the standpipe). The household drain itself may be slow; GE suggests pouring a litre of water into the standpipe to see whether it goes down. On front loaders, the pump filter behind the small door at the bottom collects coins, hair pins and socks and eventually stops the flow. Too much detergent, or non-HE detergent in an HE machine, can make enough suds to stall draining. And many washers simply pause for a few minutes between fill, wash and pump-out; GE says pauses of up to three minutes are normal, and advancing the dial by hand can skip the drain step.
Past those, the drain pump may have a broken impeller or a seized motor (GE's description of a tub that fills and only hums is the classic sign), the lid or door lock may be preventing the drain-and-spin, or a control fault may never send the pump command. A washer that drains slowly but does eventually drain is usually a restriction; one that never drains is more often a pump or control fault.
Checks you can do yourself
- Wait, then run Drain & SpinGive the cycle a few minutes in case it is only paused. Then select a drain-and-spin or spin-only cycle and start it. Listen: a hum with no water movement is a different finding from silence.
- Drain hosePull the washer out enough to see the hose. Straighten any kink, check it isn't crushed against the wall, and make sure it isn't pushed more than about 10 to 15 cm into the standpipe, which can create a siphon or a seal that traps air.
- Household drainIf you can lift the hose out, pour a litre of water into the standpipe or laundry tub. If it backs up, the house drain is the problem and needs a plumber, not a washer technician.
- Pump filter (front loaders)Unplug the washer. Open the small door at the bottom front, put down towels and a shallow tray, and use the emergency drain hose if there is one. Then unscrew the filter cap slowly, clear lint and objects, and refit it tightly. Only do this if your manual shows it as a user step.
- SudsIf the drum is full of foam, run a rinse-and-spin with no detergent. Use HE detergent in HE machines and measure it; Whirlpool names oversudsing as a cause of failed draining and spinning.
- Lid or doorMake sure the lid or door closes and latches. A washer that doesn't sense a closed door won't drain and spin; see washer door stays locked if it's locked with water inside.
Nothing above involves gas, wiring, refrigerant or removing panels.
What our technician checks
These need panels off, live electrical tests or a licensed trade, so they are left to the technician:
- Removing the back or front panel to reach the pump, hoses or motor
- Any electrical test on the pump, lid switch or control board
- Repairing the household standpipe or drain (a plumber)
Gas appliances, commercial equipment, and Thermador, Miele, Viking, Wolf and Fisher & Paykel appliances: $129 + tax.
Waived when you proceed with the repair. You get the cause, the price and our repair-or-replace verdict in writing before any work.
Repairs a technician may recommend
After inspection, not from the symptom alone.
Drain pump replacement
When the pump hums but doesn't move water, is jammed, or has a broken impeller. One of the most common washer repairs.
Drain hose or internal hose replacement
When a hose is split, crushed or blocked inside the cabinet where you can't reach it.
Lid switch, door lock or strike replacement
When the washer never proceeds to drain because it doesn't see the door closed.
Pump filter housing or seal replacement
When the filter cap leaks or the housing has cracked from a jammed object.
Control board or pressure sensor replacement
When the pump works on command but the control never sends it, or the machine thinks it is already empty.
Foreign-object removal from the pump or tub
When an underwire or sock has reached the pump or lodged between the drums.
Brands we see with this problem
Codes, parts and access differ by brand; the brand pages cover where the model label is and what to expect.
Brand-specific repair and error-code guides
Cost, and whether to fix it
What the repair costs depends on the part, the labour and whether a second visit is needed for an ordered part; the written finding gives the total before any work. Our guides on what drives repair costs, washing machine repair costs and repair versus replacement explain how to weigh it.
Who to call
RepairWell diagnoses and repairs this in homes and businesses across Ottawa and Gatineau; the diagnostic ($89 + tax at home, $129 + tax for a business) is waived when you proceed with the repair. If the washing machine is still under the manufacturer's warranty, contact the manufacturer first: warranty repairs usually have to go through their authorized network.
Have an LG? See the LG error codes for this problem.
When to book
Book if a drain-and-spin cycle still leaves water after you've straightened the hose, cleaned the pump filter and confirmed the house drain takes water, or if the washer hums without moving water. Before we come, bail or drain the machine as far as you safely can and leave the door open; it helps the visit and stops the smell. Tell us whether it's a front or top loader and whether the drum drains slowly or not at all. The visit is $89 + tax with a written finding, waived when you proceed with the repair. Washing machine repair explains what the diagnosis includes.
We handle this across Ottawa and Gatineau
- Downtown Ottawa
- Centretown
- Ottawa (central)
- Orléans
- Gloucester
- Kemptville
- Carleton Place
- Gatineau (secteur Gatineau)
- Hull
- Aylmer
- Rural Ottawa (Carp, Richmond, Greely, Navan, Cumberland)
Related problems
Washer not draining: questions
How do I get the water out of a washer that won't drain?
Front loaders usually have a small emergency drain hose behind the pump filter door; put down towels and a tray, and let it run slowly. Top loaders can be bailed with a jug, or you can lower the drain hose into a bucket below tub level so it siphons. Unplug the washer first.
Is it the pump or the drain?
If you hear the pump humming and nothing moves, it may be the pump or a blockage right at it. If the pump is silent, the control or the door lock may be at fault. If the standpipe backs up when you pour water in, it's the house drain.
My washer drains but the clothes come out soaking wet. Same problem?
Not quite. That's usually a spin problem: an unbalanced load, a gentle cycle, or a drive fault. See washer not spinning.
Can I keep using the washer if it drains slowly?
For a load or two, if it's not leaking. A slow drain usually gets worse as the restriction grows, and a stalled pump can overheat, so it's worth booking before it stops completely.
Sources
Sources checked 2026-09-24.
From the repair blog
Repair stories and guides, with real photos from our work.
Book the diagnostic
Tell us this symptom and your postal code; it helps us bring the right parts.
Pick a preferred day and arrival window online; we confirm by email once a technician is assigned.
- $89 + tax diagnostic$129 + tax for gas or commercial appliances and for Thermador, Miele, Viking, Wolf or Fisher & Paykel; waived when you proceed with the repair
- Written finding on every visitCause, price and our repair-or-replace verdict
- 90-day warrantyOn parts replaced; labour depends on the work done