Washing Machine

I am not sure when this all really started, maybe sometime this fall when the pecans started falling and the Squirrels started hoarding them for the winter.  At any rate, the story for me started on Saturday January 9th, 2010 when Margaret called me and said that Mom had called her and told her that she had water on the floor in the utility room.  My first thought was that a pipe had burst since we had had temperatures down in the 20s (F) (or           –6 (C) for my European and Thailand readers). 

Margaret told me that Darren was going over to check it out and that I was to stand by in case I was needed.  Darren went over and called me later telling me that he had found where the drain hose had been eaten up by some Squirrels.  He turned off the water and un-plugged the washer.  We decided that was good for the weekend and that I would go over on Monday when it was supposed to warm up and replace the hose.

How can something this cute be so bad????

Margaret and Jack went over on Sunday and took a drain hose and the hot and cold hoses so I could replace them on Monday.  I got over on Monday thinking this was going to be a easy fix.  I found out that nothing comes easy.

I replaced the hoses and pushed the machine back in place and ran a cycle.  Water came running out the bottom so I shut it off and pulled it out from the wall and disconnected the hoses and turned the machine over on its side to find where the water was coming from.  The cute little Squirrels had decided that since the drain hose tasted so good, they would eat another rubber hose.

This little hose was way up under the washer where I had to take the back off to get to it.  I wasn’t able to get the back totally off but I got it off enough to remove the hose.  Naturally I had to go to Sears to get the replacement hose and naturally they didn’t have it in stock.  They ordered it and shipped it to me and I got it in about three days which wasn’t to bad.

I went back to Mom’s and replaced the hose and then hooked up all the other hoses and pushed it back in place and ran a test cycle.  Once again water came running out on the floor so I shut it down again and pulled it away from the wall and disconnected all the hoses.  I put the machine on it side and got a flash light and tried to find out where the water was coming from.   Way far up under the washer, buried way far up under the washer was another rubber hose that the Squirrels had for dinner.

This time I had to remove the back from the washer in order to get to it.  Once I had it out, I thought that I might be able to go to a auto parts house and get a piece of hose to use but upon closer inspection, I found where the two ends were different sizes.  Just a little trick to make sure you have to get the replacement hose from Sears.

I went back to Sears and naturally they didn’t have it in stock and they would order it and ship it to me.  I am expecting it this week and hopefully will have Mom’s washing machine up and running soon.  Margaret has been picking up Mom’s laundry and doing it for her so at least Mom has clean clothes to wear in case anyone was wondering.