There’s nothing quite like the sinking feeling you get when you walk into your laundry and find water spilling across the floor. An overflowing washing machine can turn a routine load of washing into a stressful emergency, potentially causing water damage to your flooring, walls and belongings.
Luckily most washing machine drain overflow issues can be sorted quickly once you understand what’s causing them. Whether you’re dealing with a drain pipe backing up, bubbles pouring over the top, or water pooling around your machine, we’re here to help you get things back under control.
Tunnel Vision has been helping Perth homeowners tackle plumbing emergencies for over 20 years, and we’ve seen our fair share of laundry floods. Let’s walk through what causes these problems and what you can do about them.
If you’re seeing your washing machine overflowing with bubbles, you’ve probably used too much detergent. It’s an easy mistake to make, as Perth’s moderately hard water often leads people to use more detergent than necessary, which can result in excessive suds, particularly in high-efficiency machines.
Front-loaders are especially sensitive to this. They’re designed to use high-efficiency (HE) detergent in small amounts. Chuck in a regular detergent or overdose on the HE stuff, and you’ll end up with a laundry room full of foam. The excess suds can’t drain properly and end up spilling over the drum.
Your washing machine drain hose empties into a standpipe, which connects to your home’s plumbing system. Over time, this pipe collects lint, fabric fibres, soap residue and sometimes even small items like socks. When the buildup gets bad enough, water can’t drain fast enough and backs up.
A kinked discharge hose or one that’s been pushed too far down the standpipe (more than 150 mm) can create problems. Over-insertion can eliminate the air gap, restricting flow and allowing wastewater to back up into the standpipe.
Sometimes the problem isn’t about what’s going in or out, it’s about where the water’s escaping.
A hairline crack in your toilet bowl can leak slowly, causing water to seep out over time. You might not see puddles, but you’ll notice the water level dropping, especially overnight when the toilet sits unused.
The wax seal (or wax ring) creates a watertight connection between your toilet base and the floor drain. After about 15 years, these seals wear out. A worn wax ring allows water to seep beneath the toilet.
If your washer keeps filling with water even when it shouldn’t, you might have a dodgy pressure switch or water-level sensor. This fault causes the machine to overfill, and when it tries to drain during the cycle, there’s simply too much water for the system to handle. The result? Water spilling onto your laundry room floor.
Before you ring a professional plumber, there are a few simple steps you can take to tackle a washer overflowing:
1. Turn Off Power
Switch off the power and water supply to your washing machine immediately to prevent further flooding.
2. Drain the Drum
Drain the drum by running a short spin/drain cycle if possible, or bail the water out manually with a bucket.
3. Drain Hose Checks
Check your drain hose for kinks or twists. Straighten it out and make sure it’s inserted no more than 150 mm into the standpipe, creating an air break.
4. Test Your Standpipe
Test the standpipe by pouring a 10-litre bucket of water down it. If it backs up within seconds, you’ve got a clog in your household drain rather than a machine problem.
5. Use a Plumber Snake
Try a plumber’s snake if you suspect a blockage. A 6-10 mm snake about 3 metres long should reach most clogs in residential laundry drains.
6. Run a Test Cycle
Run a test cycle with less water and detergent to see if the problem persists.
Some drainage problems need more than a DIY approach. At Tunnel Vision, we use advanced technology to diagnose and fix machine drain issues properly.
Our CCTV drain cameras let us see exactly what’s happening inside your pipes. We can spot tree roots, collapsed sections, or severe buildup that’s causing your washing machine drain pipe to back up. Once we’ve identified the problem, we’ve got the tools to fix it.
For stubborn blockages, our high-pressure drain jetting service uses water at 2500-4000 psi to blast through lint, soap residue and other debris. It’s far more effective than chemical cleaners, and when used by trained professionals with the correct settings, high-pressure jetting is safe.
If the inspection reveals cracks, breaks or root damage, we can reline your pipes from the inside using Nuflow technology. This trenchless solution means we can repair your plumbing system without digging up your yard or laundry room floor. We also offer a 50-year product warranty and a 10-year workmanship warranty on pipe relining.
Sometimes the issue is that your standpipe simply isn’t up to code or can’t handle the flow from your modern washing machine. We can upsize it to the required 50 mm diameter and ensure it’s properly vented, which prevents future drain overflow problems.
Tunnel Vision’s team of experienced Perth plumbers is available 24/7 for plumbing emergencies, and we’ll get to you as fast as humanly possible to limit any water damage to your home.
We’ve built our reputation on providing professional, efficient service to domestic and commercial customers across Perth Metro and beyond. Whether it’s a simple blockage or a more complex plumbing issue requiring pipe relining, we’ve got the expertise and technology to get your laundry back in working order.
Don’t let a flooded laundry room ruin your day. Call us on 1800 631 799 or book online, and we’ll have your washing machine draining properly in no time.
Your washing machine has likely flooded because the drain pipe is blocked, the drain hose is kinked, you’ve used too much detergent, or there’s a fault with the machine’s water-level sensor. The blockage prevents water from draining quickly enough during the drain cycle, causing it to overflow.
Flood mode typically activates when the machine detects too much water in the drum, often due to a faulty water inlet valve, pressure switch, or drainage problem. The machine stops filling and tries to drain to prevent overflow.
Most washing machines have a drain cycle you can select manually. If that doesn’t work, locate the drain pump filter (usually at the front bottom of front-loaders) and manually drain using a shallow container. Some machines also have an emergency drain hose.
Stop the machine immediately and switch off the power. You’ve used too much detergent or the wrong type. Scoop out excess suds, run a rinse cycle with no detergent, and use less detergent (preferably HE type) for future loads.
Check if the overflow was caused by a blockage or too much detergent. Clear any blockages in the drain hose or standpipe, ensure proper hose positioning, and run a test cycle with less water and detergent. If the problem continues, the drain pump or pressure switch may need professional repair.
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Whether you require emergency response, scheduled maintenance, pipeline inspections or trenchless rehabilitation services, the Tunnel Vision team is ready to assist. Contact us today to discuss your project, request a quote or speak with our experienced team about the right solution for your site or property.
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