Using Warm Water setting on washing machine

Make sure the hot water valve is all the way open. Check the hoses, sometimes they have screen washers in them that can be plugged. Hook up a garden hose and verify that water is indeed flowing. If all that works, and you are getting at least some hot water in, it's likely the solenoid/valve for the hot water. They don't cost too much, if you can DIY. Otherwise, I'd either put up with it or get a new machine, as at

17 years, I doubt it's worth the cost of a repair call. I'd bet it would be min of $100 to fix.
Reply to
trader4
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My washing machine is about 17 years old and seems to work just fine....BUT

Noticed that when I have it set on warm, there is almost no mix of water coming in. My workaround has been to start it on hot, let it fill a bit and then switch to warm.

Is this a problem for the plumber or appliance repair person? I have used very reputable professionals of each. My plumber does not usually charge a call out charge, but would hate to waste his time.

Thanks

Reply to
Rex's Mom

Sounds more like an appliance problem. Disconnect the water supply hoses and check the water flow.

Reply to
FDR

More detail needed about checking water flow. But...I have noticed that when using hot, the flow is very low, but when switching to warm or using cold it is quite strong.

Reply to
Rex's Mom

Also check the machine specs and see if anything along the lines of "energy saver" is mentioned. The lack of hot water flow may be by design (e.g. a flow restrictor on the hot water line).

Reply to
Rick

Thank you all for the thoughts/suggestions. I am pretty good at DIY, but sometimes I JUST DON'T WANT TO.

Will probably live with it for the time being, but it has been annoying and I kept wondering who I should contact.

Don't think the machine is ready for replacement and my appliance repair guy and I have an agreement - he will tell me when it is no longer worth spending money on my laundry appliances. Since I live in a fairly small town and he depends on good reputation, have found that the majority of tradesmen are honest and fair.

Reply to
Rex's Mom

simple suggestion, try swapping the hot and cold water connections at the wall. will give you an idea if there just wasn't any water there to start with, or that there is a problem in the machine. other than "hot" is now cold and "cold" is now hot, you might end up with the blend you were looking for without repairing anything.

-larry

Joseph Meehan wrote:

Reply to
larry

My bet is you will find a strainer on the hot water intake hose (either where it attaches to the washer or the wall) and you will find it is partly blocked. Normally the hot water one would be blocked first.

Note If those hoses are 17 years old, it is time to replace them. This is a DIY job. The hardware store can sell you top quality new ones and you will likely fix the problem and prevent a future serious leak.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

That makes a lot of sense and narrows down the problem

If the water is flowing properly, it could be the switch. The water flows when valves are opened by a solenoid. Depending on the setting, either the hot, the cold, or both are opened. It is possible that the switch is not opening the hot valve when needed. Poor contact, broken wire, etc.

You probably realize that at 17 years you don't want to spend a bunch to fix it but if it is working well otherwise, keep it going.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

Happens to mine every two years. The machine's hot water connector has a filter insert that can be blocked with preciptated lime granules. Unscrew hot water hose to expose insert and rinse the granules out.

Reply to
PaPaPeng

Apparently, this was enough of a problem that the manufacturers did something about it years ago. My Sears Kenmore washer has both an equal mix "warm water" setting and a "temperature controlled" warm water setting that gives you more control over what you consider to be a "warm water" wash or rinse.

Without this, when you set to "warm water wash" both solenoids open up and you get whatever temperature results from the mix and relative water pressures hot and cold at that location in your house. This may not be the "warm water" you desire.

I wash only in cold (or hot for towels and underwear), always rinse in cold, and never use the warm water setting anyway. I've never seen the benefits of washing with warm water over cold water. It's just a lot of wasted energy (to heat the hot water) if you ask me. Of course YMMV.

Beachcomber

Reply to
Beachcomber

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