Failure to drain your hotpoint washing machine could result from a blocked drain hose, faulty control board, excessive sud, pump impeller blockage, clogged air gap, or a defective lid switch.
This article interrogates the potential reasons why your Hotpoint washing machine is not draining and provides possible solutions to these problems.
Why Is The Hotpoint Washing Machine Not Draining?
Blocked Drain Hose
A blocked drain hose is one of the main reasons your Hotpoint washing machine won’t drain water. You know the drain hose is significant in carrying dirty water out of the machines during the wash and rinse cycles.
If your washer was not appropriately drained from day one, your plumber must have installed it incorrectly. Especially if it is kinked, it will create areas of resistance that will prevent water from flowing out efficiently.
Also, if an incorrect installation is done, the hose drain might suffer from gravity and siphoning. Remember, your washing machine relies on gravity to drain water.
If your plumber positioned the washer drain hose too high or too low relative to the machine, it would disrupt water flow, leading to a slow or no drain. Similarly, if the drain is positioned too far into the drain, it will create a siphoning effect that will curb proper drainage.
External obstructions can also block your washing machine drain hose. Although the blockage doesn’t always have to be within the hose itself, it can be at the end at the point where the hose drains into a standpipe.
Fix- Reinstall Drain Hose Correctly
To repair a kinked drain hose, you first need to switch OFF the machine or unplug it from the main power source. The Hotpoint washing machine hose drain is located at the bottom of the machine on the rear end. The hose is flexible, made of plastic and rubber, then connected to the drain pump.
So, to access the drain pump, you must lay the machine down on a blanket or rug to avoid scratches. Now that the backside is facing up, you can access the drain hose.
At this point, check the kink or bend in the hose causing the water drainage problem. Carefully straighten out the kink by gently pulling and flexing the hose. Take caution not to use excessive force to avoid damaging the hose.
Don’t stop there after working on the kink; inspect the hose clamp also. If it is damaged, you need to replace it. If it is still in good condition, you can reuse it. Once you’ve ensured the kink and the hose clamp are fine, you can reattach the hose back. Secure it with the clamp.
If it has screws, use a screwdriver to tighten the screws to tighten them until the hose is snugly secured to the drain pipe. If it’s a spring-type clamp, use pliers to squeeze it closed. Ensure you firmly attach the hose without overly tightening it, which could damage the hose.
After the drain hose pipe is all good, you can put the machine ON, then run a short cycle and test if it will drain water. If it doesn’t work, you can call a technician to solve the issue or return the machine to the manufacturer.
Faulty Control Board
Although rare, a faulty control board can cause your Hotpoint washing machine not to drain water properly. Remember, the control board is the brain of your washing machine. It receives input from all the sensors and the settings you feed it with to control the components of your machine, including the motor, pump, and valves.
When your washing machine control board is faulty, it sends the wrong signals to the drain pump. It may sometimes command the pump to turn on when it shouldn’t or fail to activate it when you need it to. This results in your washing machine not draining.
At times, the control board can also suffer from power supply problems, which lead to intermittent power loss to the drain pump, preventing it from functioning correctly during the drainage cycle.
Fix – Replace Blown Fuse and Repair the Circuit Breaker
In the case of power loss, you should check the power outlet and ensure it functions correctly. If not, check the circuit breaker or fuse box for any tripped breakers or blown fuses. Replace the blown fuses or the circuit breaker. Also, check the power cord for any visible damage and replace it for better functioning of the drain pump.
Unplug the washing machine from the main switch and access the control board for a faulty control board. That is, remove the machine’s top to access the control board and then start examining the control board for any damage signs such as corrosion, burnt components or loose wires. If you find any issues, replace the damaged parts or the entire control board.
Once you replace the faulty control board and fix the power issues, your washing machine should be able to communicate effectively in all cycles and cause it to drain normally.
Excessive Suds
If you use a lot of detergent or the wrong type of detergent for the Hotpoint washing machine, then you may experience excessive suds. What happens is that much detergent during a wash cycle creates excessive soap bubbles in your washing machine.
As your washer agitates and circulates water during the washing cycle, the excess suds accumulate within the drum, around the clothes, and in the drainage system.
Remember, your washing machine relies on gravity and a pump to remove water from the drum. Therefore, the excessive sud interferes with the gravitation process. The sud creates a barrier between the water and the drain, preventing a smooth flow.
The excess foam may sometimes go back into the drum, preventing the machine from draining properly.
Fix – Give The Sud Time To Dissipate
Most Hotpoint washing machines always have a cycle interruption that pauses the cycle when it detects that it’s not draining properly because of excessive suds. This safety feature prevents potential damage to the machine and ensures it doesn’t continue running with a blocked drainage system.
Having the sud in your machine, you must cancel an ongoing cycle to prevent further issues. Allow the excess suds to dissipate naturally over time, which may take some time, depending on the severity of the suds buildup.
Initiate a rinse and spin cycle without adding detergent. This will aid in removing the remaining suds and any detergent residue from your clothes. After clearing the sud, ensure you use the recommended amount of detergent according to the manufacturer. Also, the machine should now drain properly in all cycles.
Pump Impeller Blockage
Sometimes, foreign objects like buttons or small articles of your clothes can get trapped in the washer’s pump impeller, impeding its ability to pump out water.
During your washing machine cycle, the pump gets activated to remove the dirty water from the drum. The pump impeller (small, rotating blade) generates the needed suction to pull water out of the drum and into the drain hose.
When your washer pump function blocks, its rotating stops, making it unable to efficiently generate the necessary suction to pump water out of the drum.
Clear the Pump Impeller Blockage
Before You access the pump impeller, drain any remaining in the washer and access the drain pump as explained earlier. You will find the pump filter near the drain pump, which you should remove to access the pump impeller.
The impeller resembles a fan-like structure inside the pump. Inspect the pump impeller and the surrounding area for any debris, lint, or foreign objects blocking it. Use pliers or your fingers (gloves on) to remove any obstructions carefully.
After removing the obstructions, reassemble the pump filter cover. Once you reassemble everything back to normal, you can test your machine and see if the drainage issue has faded away.
Faulty Lid Switch
Just like all other washing machines, you must engage your Hotpoint washing machine lid switch for it to drain. If the switch is faulty and fails to recognize that the lid is closed, the machine may not proceed with the drain cycle.
If the washing machine lid is malfunctioning, it will interrupt the regular operation of your washing machine. When it’s time for the machine to drain water from the tub after the wash cycle, it won’t initiate this process if it thinks the lid is open, even if it is closed.
Keep The Lid Closed
Fixing the faulty lid switch problem is to keep it engaged during the wash cycle. Keep the lid closed, and your washing machine will drain normally.
Clogged Air Gap
If your Hotpoint machine is connected to a drain through an air gap, it risks blockage with debris. The debris, in turn, blocks water drainage from the machine.
Fix- Clean the Air Gap
Go to your Hotpoint washing machine countertop and look for something that looks like conical metal. Gently twist and remove the cap from the top of the air gap. You will find a small cylindrical piece called the diverter, where clogs typically occur.
Check for debris, soap scum, or any dirt causing the clog. Use a soft brush to clean and remove the clog. Use a pipe cleaner to clean the inside of the air gap and clear all the debris.
After removing the debris, flush the air gap with warm water and ensure it is clear. Replace the cap, reassemble the machine, and run a quick wash to see if it will drain properly.
