Washing Machine Preventative Maintenance 5/20/2018

The majority of our OPL washer and dryer service comes about because facility owners and managers fail to perform routine preventative maintenance measures on their equipment.  Setting up and maintaining a proper preventative maintenance program may seem like a headache, but a bigger headache will come about when you have to deal with downtime and pay for emergency repair service.  Avoid the headache by picking a date, and sticking with that date each month, and following this outline:

• Check washing machine belts for wear and proper tension.
• Check to make certain the drain valve is closing properly with no water running out while the basket is full of water. If it is, it will extend the cycle time to make the level control and cause excessive water use.  To correct the issue, take the drain apart to make sure nothing is inside keeping it from closing.  Also, make sure the drain motor is functioning properly and the linkage is lubed.  If all else fails, replace the valve.
• Clean the inverter fan filter if it is clogged with lint.  If it is, it could cause the inverter to overheat.
• Check all water valves, as well as the soap hopper, for proper function.  If they aren’t working properly, most valves can be disassembled and sand or debris cleaned out or rebuild kits obtained for repair.
• Check the shocks if the machines are soft mounted; some shocks will require a proper oil level.  For those that don’t require a specific oil level, make sure the drum assembly form doesn’t show excessive vibration which leads to excessive wear.  Worn shocks and springs will cause the washer to continually redistribute the load during extraction and will fail and stop or at least extend the program time.
• Check hard mount washers for mounting bolt tightness during extraction, observe the frame at the floor for any movement.  Once the bolts loosen the washer will shake badly, damaging the floor and washer basket bearings from excessive vibration.
• Check the bearings for lubrication; some require grease and some have an oil bath bearing housing. Check for bearing wear by opening the door and lifting on the basket. There should be little to no minimal play. If the washer is shaking badly and you have play in the basket, then replace the bearings and seals as soon as possible.  Letting this continue will badly damage the washer and cause the repairs to be much higher.
• Check all hoses for leaks. I can’t tell you how many times a motor and inverter has needed replacing due to a leaking hose dripping down on the motor or electrical components, causing costly repairs.

Simply taking a little time to check the above items on your washers could save you lots of time and money in the long run.  But of course, if you have questions about your washers or need repair service, Tri-State is always here to help.