How long should a washing machine ideally work?
Manufacturers give a guarantee, as a rule, no more than three years, depending on the brand of the product. Someone has time to say goodbye to their equipment even before the end of the warranty period. For some, a washing machine lasts much longer. Repair specialists, based on their experience, say that the first failures in the operation of a washing machine begin to occur on average after five years of its service, but timely repairs extend its life, although usually people have a misconception that the older the equipment, the less sense in its repair.
Well, some of the owners of household appliances are incredibly lucky: having regularly used a washing machine for ten years, some people never encounter problems in its operation. Today we will talk about the main and most common causes of breakdowns in washing machines, as well as how to prevent them.
The most common causes of damage to washing machines
1. Wear of parts and elements. According to experts, the first failures begin due to wear and tear on functional parts, which are often expensive. Can you somehow influence this? Yes. The main preventive measure is to avoid excessive vibrations of the washing machine. All washing machines vibrate, but you should try to reduce the vibration level.
To do this, it is necessary to correctly position the automatic machine on a flat, solid surface. If you doubt your own abilities, it is better to invite specialists who will set the machine according to the level, due to which the vibrations will be minimal.
However, strong vibrations can also occur due to improper operation of the washing machine: you cannot fill the drum tightly with things - this will affect the quality of washing and the vibrations will increase. However, you cannot wash too few things - it will be difficult for the machine to distribute the load, which will also lead to prolonged increased vibrations. For the same reason, you cannot wash one heavy and several light things at the same time - load distribution will become a problem even for the smartest washing machine.
2. There is a blockage in the washing machine. More than once I have heard stories that after washing women's underwear, it became necessary to take the washing machine for repair. And the reason for this was the metal "bones" from the bra, which left their usual place of deployment during washing and slipped through the holes in the drum. Coins, paper clips, buttons, pins, keys, etc. can do the same harm. Before loading things into the car, they need to be carefully checked: unscrew the pockets, see if the buttons and zippers hold well. By the way, clothes should be washed buttoned.
3. Breakdown of the heating element of the washing machine. There is a persistent rumor among the people that the combustion of a heating element is the most common cause of breakdowns in washing machines. Apparently, this was greatly facilitated by the advertising of powders that protect the elements of the washing machine from scale. In fact, the failure of the heating element is the third most frequent reason for the inoperative state of the washing machine. Rather, the machine works, but it washes only in cold water. This, of course, is not the case - you need to install a new heating element. It is inexpensive, and the work to replace it is simple. By the way, according to the statistics of some service centers, the heating element fails on average in the eighth year of the machine's service.
In any case, we have named the main reasons for the probable breakdown. We recommend not to diagnose your washing machine according to the articles, but to use the services of a qualified master who will solve all problems with your household appliances in a high-class manner.