Washers and dryers fail loudly but warn quietly. A slightly longer spin, a faint burning smell, a machine that creeps across the floor — each is an early signal. Catch them and the fix is small; ignore them and bearings, belts and heaters pay the price.
Load it like you mean it
Chronic underloading bangs the drum; chronic overloading strains bearings and the motor. Fill to about three-quarters, balance heavy items opposite each other, and use the right cycle — delicates on a cotton spin is a classic bearing-killer.
Lint is a fire risk, not just fluff
- Clean the dryer lint filter after every single load.
- Vacuum the vent hose route twice a year.
- If drying takes two cycles, the vent is choking — book a clean.
Level, hoses and smells
A rocking washer destroys its own shock absorbers — level it and lock the feet. Replace inlet hoses every five years. And leave the door ajar after washes; a sealed damp drum grows the mildew behind that musty smell.
