Washing Machine Hose Burst: What Now?
- Turn off the two valves behind the washer, hot and cold. If you cannot reach them, shut off the main water.
- Unplug the washer only if the plug and outlet are dry and you are standing on dry ground. Otherwise switch off the breaker.
- Do not open a front loader full of water onto a wet floor; drain it later.
- Photograph the hose, the machine and the water before cleanup. Keep the failed hose for your insurer.
- Call (239) 356-5803. A burst hose can release a lot of water fast, and it spreads under baseboards within hours.
Why Is There Water Under My Washing Machine?
| What you see | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Water spraying or a steady stream behind the washer | Burst or split supply hose |
| Water only during the drain cycle | Clogged standpipe or drain hose, or a kinked drain hose |
| Water at the front of a front loader | Door seal or gasket leak |
| A slow puddle under the machine | Pump, internal hose or tub seal leak |
| Suds coming up from the drain | Too much detergent or a slow drain line |
Washer Leaked Into the Garage: Is the House Wall Wet?
Often, yes. Many Cape Coral homes have the laundry in the garage, and the garage slab slopes so water runs toward the door into the house. The garage floor dries fast, but the drywall and baseboards on the house side of that door, and the tile or carpet just inside, usually do not. We check that wall and the floors inside with moisture meters even when the garage looks dry.
Is Washing Machine Water Dirty?
Water from a burst supply hose starts clean. Water from an overflow or the drain cycle carries detergent, lint, skin cells and whatever was in the load, so it is grey water (Category 2). Grey water needs extraction, an antimicrobial treatment and full drying. Any carpet pad it soaks usually has to be replaced.
How We Clean Up a Washer Flood
- Confirm the valves are closed and the area is safe
- Extract water from the laundry room, garage and every room it reached
- Pull baseboards and check wall cavities with moisture meters and thermal imaging
- Remove wet carpet pad and swollen baseboards
- Treat grey water areas with an antimicrobial
- Dry with dehumidifiers and air movers, with readings every day; see structural drying
- Send photos and moisture logs for your claim
Keep It From Happening Again
- Replace rubber supply hoses with braided stainless steel and replace them every few years
- Turn the washer valves off when you leave for a long trip
- Use a washer drain pan where the laundry is inside the home
- Install a water leak sensor or automatic shut-off valve behind the machine
- Leave a few inches between the washer and the wall so hoses do not kink
Does Insurance Cover Washing Machine Flooding?
Sudden water damage from a burst hose or a malfunction is often covered; the washer and the hose usually are not. Damage from a slow leak under the machine that went on for a long time may be excluded. Keep the failed hose and take photos before cleanup. See help with a washer flood claim. This is general information, not insurance advice.
Washing Machine Flood Questions
Why is there water under my washing machine?
Common causes are a split supply hose, a clogged drain, a door seal leak on a front loader, or a pump or internal hose leak. Turn off the valves and call (239) 356-5803 if the water spread.
My washer leaked into the garage. Is the house wet too?
Often. Water runs toward the door into the house and wets the bottom of that wall and the floors just inside, even when the garage dries quickly.
A washing machine hose burst. What now?
Turn off the washer valves or the main water, cut power safely, photograph the hose and water, and call for extraction and drying.
Is washing machine water dirty?
Overflow and drain water is grey water (Category 2) and needs cleaning and antimicrobial treatment, not just drying.
Washer Flooded the Laundry Room?
Call (239) 356-5803. We answer 24/7 for washing machine flood cleanup across Cape Coral, plus North Fort Myers and Fort Myers. When the water has already crossed into other rooms, start with our emergency extraction for flooded floors.