This past year, everyone has been struck by the oil and gas price surge. The good news is that many energy experts believe these prices should level off by 2023. There’s nothing wrong with buying green appliances, even though they can be easily delayed if things aren’t right.
Your Maytag washer might be taking too long to wash because of too much clothing and improper loading, clogged or broken drain pipes, or because of water flow issues (pressure). Proper care and maintenance are essential for getting the best out of every wash.
I will help you understand why your machine is so slow and provide the best solutions. Keep reading to understand better how to fix these issues and stop wasting time!
1. Too Much Clothing and Improper Loading
An imbalance in the washing machine is caused by something offsetting the built-in balancing mechanism. This device, sometimes a scale in Maytag machines, helps ensure the washing machine doesn’t shake or move around while operating. An imbalance in the machine could cause the clothes to be poorly washed or slow the wash and rinse cycle down.
Washing machines often have built-in balancing devices that help save time, energy, and money. This cuts back on utility prices and meets the green standards of many appliances.
Too many clothes could throw off this balancing mechanism. It can be difficult to tell how much is too much, but some washing machines come with a “fill line.”
This is not always enough, though, because the weight of the clothes can also impact the balance mechanism. If the machine shakes excessively while in the wash cycle, it’s a good sign that your machine is off balance and there are too many clothes inside.
When off-balance, it’s harder for your machine to weigh the clothes properly. This can lead to your machine taking excessive amounts of time to finish washing clothes.
How to Fix
The best way to save time with each load is to load your machine with a more balanced quantity. This means ensuring you do not load large objects such as sheets or pillows together in one wash cycle.
Instead, you should load only 2-3 sheets at a time per load. Pillows, such as bed or couch cushions, should be loaded two at a time. Pillows get very heavy when wet, and the machine may mistake this weight for a large load of clothing.
The weight could lead to the machine running a cycle for an extra-large load for no reason. Only put moderately-sized loads in the wash to maintain Maytag’s usual 45-minute run cycles to save time.
2. Clogged or Broken Drain Pipe
A clogged or broken pipe might result in the machine filling slowly or draining improperly. The machine may load slower than it should and delay the washing cycle. Additionally, the slow draining could delay the cycle completion.
Drain pipe disruptions are usually caused by the pipes getting clogged or broken. Common causes include sand, dirt, and small clothes getting jammed in the pipe drain and preventing the water flow.
Broken pipes could be caused by abrasion, clogging, breaking the pipe seals, or impact from an external object. If people or pets consistently bang up against your pipes, they could get damaged or weakened. However, the most common cause of this issue is clogged pipes.
How to Fix
One of the quickest ways to fix this issue is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Avoid loading small clothing articles in the wash without a laundry bag.
The best laundry bags are mesh and can hold several pairs of socks or undergarments. This is not only a great way to prevent your small garments from getting lost, but it will also save your drains.
Even though these garments rarely go down the drain, they are more likely to get stuck at the drain entrance than larger pieces of clothing. This could slow water flow and delay your wash and rinse cycles.
Or, if the clogs result from dirt or sand build-up, ensure you properly rinse your clothes before loading. We would recommend that you rinse them outside with a garden hose. This will allow you to get any caked-on debris off without damaging any of your home pipes.
If you believe your pipes are badly clogged, you might need to call an expert to fix them. Unlike other plumbing issues, these drains are harder to fix correctly, so you’ll need more than a plunger.
When the water flow is weak, it could cause the washing cycle to be delayed. This is usually the result of poor water pressure in your home.
There are several reasons why your water pressure might be weak. A good way to figure it out is if you notice the issue throughout your home or only with your washing machine.
If it is isolated to your washing machine, it’s probably because the standpipe is not installed correctly. This causes the water to get stuck flowing through it and then falling back into the wash basin.
This could cause your clothing to get dirty and need to be rewashed. However, even if this doesn’t happen, the water pressure will be disrupted and slowly fill up the washer.
If you notice the water pressure is low throughout your house, it’s probably an issue with your home or city systems. This could be anything from:
corroded, broken pipes
broken pressure valves
city-wide disruptions
How to Fix
A laundry standpipe is usually located at the back of your washing machine. It typically consists of a drainage hose connected to the drainage pipe. This drainage pipe leads down into the other plumbing of the house and typically follows the same drain as the shower and other wastewater.
If the drainage pipe is too short, the drain hose will never experience the appropriate pressure. The standpipe is a tall pipe jutting upwards from the ground or back wall to use gravity to create water pressure. This is important for both the draining of the basin and the filling of the basin.
If this standpipe is too low or too high, it could upset the washing machine’s water pressure. The best way to fix this is to purchase and install a new standpipe better suited to the length of your drain hose. Alternatively, hire a professional to reinstall a standpipe for you.
Remember that the standpipe does not always cause low water pressure. It could also be a clogged valve screen or an issue with your water lines. Check your operator’s manual to find where you can access these for cleaning or maintenance.
Conclusion
Maytag washing machines are meant to clean heavily-soiled clothing. They specialize in removing stains and other impurities from your clothing with a gentle touch. They are also energy star certified and focus on reducing the carbon footprint.
There’s no reason to compromise your washing machine’s performance, though. Make sure you know the average wait time for every load type. If you notice it’s taking a while, don’t hesitate to get it fixed.
