16 of 365
January 16, 2009
The Washing Machine
This morning I went to do laundry and noticed that the load I had out in the wash yesterday morning was sopping wet, sitting in a little pool of water. I didn’t think much of it since the on and off knob is on the front of the washer and we all frequently lean against it and turn the machine off. So I turned the washing machine back on and went on my merry way.
I came by it a little while later and realized that running the washing machine again had not solved anything. The clothing was sitting in a pool of water and the machine wouldn’t spin.
As someone who does endless laundry, I had no other choice than to pull the machine out and attempt to fix it. Even though, honestly, I had no idea how to actually fix it.
Long story short, I pulled the washer out from underneath the counter, took the drain hose off and cleaned it out. In the process spilling water that smelled like an old swamp all over the floor and myself. Then I cleaned out the little pump motor thingy. Turned out the frigid weather had caused some ice to form in it. No, my washer is not outside. Yes, it is located inside an interior room of my house. Imagine me shrugging my shoulders.
I heated the little pump motor thing up with the hair dryer. And then hit it with my screwdriver really hard a few times.
And viola, it began working again. (I’d like to pretend that I typed viola on purpose like it was my own saying, “Violin! Harpsichord!” But alas I really did mean voila, with the little accent mark that I do not know how to type.)
My daughter was fascinated by this process, jumping around just out of the room asking me a million questions.
“How do you know how to do that, Mommy?”
“I don’t, sweetie. Like everything else in life, I am just making it up as I go along.”
And sometimes just smacking the crap out of something with a screwdriver really is the answer.
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awesome! improv home improvement at its finest.
January 16th, 2009 at 11:46 pmBravo!
January 16th, 2009 at 11:51 pmOh! Oh! Thank you!
January 16th, 2009 at 11:54 pmThat may be what’s wrong with MY washing machine, it being all of 2 degrees here.
Wait, huh…I thought the answer to “How do you know how to do that, Mommy?” is ALWAYS, “I’m the Mama, I know everything — don’t forget that when you are 15, k?”
January 17th, 2009 at 12:12 am“And sometimes just smacking the crap out of something with a screwdriver really is the answer.”
Makes life worth living, no?
January 17th, 2009 at 12:19 amNo way! You are just too smart. Or lucky.
January 17th, 2009 at 12:19 amAt least only your washer froze
… It was -33 with NO windchill here (Ottawa Ontario) and the pipes that bring the water to the house from the well froze which then permitted every other pipe to freeze too. At 11:30 at night. So needless to say other than putting a space heater against the pump so it wouldn’t freeze (and crack) we couldn’t do much about it until today… 14 hours later we had water again which required space heaters, electric blankets wrapped around pipes and blowtorches. Gotta love old country houses
January 17th, 2009 at 12:22 amI am VERY impressed, too.
January 17th, 2009 at 12:25 amI love your tile!
January 17th, 2009 at 12:37 amGotta say I’m totally impressed!
January 17th, 2009 at 12:46 amHa! I knew it was the pump; but I thought it was because it was jammed with ponytail holders and pretty pebbles and other such things, the way ours was.
January 17th, 2009 at 12:49 am“And sometimes just smacking the crap out of something with a screwdriver really is the answer.”
Not only the answer, but also sometimes extremely satisfying!
January 17th, 2009 at 1:06 amglad you were able to fix it. Sometimes hitting things is necessary!
January 17th, 2009 at 1:10 amAwesome… I shall keep this in mind. Haha
January 17th, 2009 at 2:38 amReminds me of our old television.
“Dad, I think it’s time we replace the tv…”
“No, we don’t. All it needs is a good smack once in a while, and it’ll behave again. Just like you.”
Way to go………..It is frustrating and whacking it does help in more than one way!
January 17th, 2009 at 5:37 amExcellent solution and explanation! Saints be praised you fixed it ~ I can only imagine the alternative..shudder.
January 17th, 2009 at 8:32 amOr as my dear ol’ dad used to say…when all else fails, get a bigger hammer! Or screwdriver as the case my be!
January 17th, 2009 at 8:39 amYou are totally my hero(ine). My response to that problem would be to throw a towel on the floor and call DH.
January 17th, 2009 at 9:03 am“And sometimes just smacking the crap out of something with a screwdriver really is the answer.”
I usually smack myself with a vodka & orange juice type screwdriver, but it does work for me!
January 17th, 2009 at 9:11 amWouldn’t it be nice if that were the answer more often?
January 17th, 2009 at 9:20 amI just spent $350 to get my washer fixed when it started doing the same thing…wis i had known about the screwdriver thing!
January 17th, 2009 at 9:47 amI remember that same feeling of awe! I didn’t know I remembered it until I read this post. I remember being amazed at how much my mother knew and could do. In fact, I think I may have asked her the same question verbatim, “How do you know how to do that?”. Mom was a super-hero to me at those times (and still is to a large extent). Probably just like you are to your daughter.
January 17th, 2009 at 9:51 amPercussive maintenance is sometimes the only way to go.
Rock on, Woman of Competence!
January 17th, 2009 at 10:10 amThis cracks me up. Who needs the Maytag man when you’ve got a screwdriver??? Good for you!
January 17th, 2009 at 10:16 amThat is how 90% of things get fixed for me. Just acting like I know what is going on and hitting it a few times whether it needs it or not.
The disc drive on my computer only comes open when you hit the button and then when you hear the sound like it is trying to open, whack it HARD on the top of the computer. Works like a charm. Hmmm, how did I figure that out. . .
January 17th, 2009 at 10:19 amNot for a minute do I believe I ever could have figured that out. I would have just stomped my feet and whined a pity party to my husband. You are woman hear you roar.
January 17th, 2009 at 10:36 amExcellent work, Chris!
January 17th, 2009 at 10:39 amYou are my hero!!!!
January 17th, 2009 at 10:47 amGood for you for fixing it!! I love fixing stuff. I figure if it is broke you can’t really hurt it too much!!
January 17th, 2009 at 11:02 amWOW!
January 17th, 2009 at 11:26 amJust in case it acts up again, I had the same thing happen last year to my front load washing machine. Turns out it was a switch in the door when you shut it. It had shorted out. It didn’t make much sense to me, but just a little FYI.
January 17th, 2009 at 11:40 amthat’s my philosophy also
January 17th, 2009 at 11:44 amyou rock!
January 17th, 2009 at 12:18 pmGood job! And maybe relieved some stress at the same time??
January 17th, 2009 at 12:20 pmCall me impressed. I don’t think I would have figured that out. Good job!
January 17th, 2009 at 12:30 pmI love that your daughter got to see her mother with tools fixing ‘a machine’ and that at the same time you taught her the lesson that it’s okay to jump in and try something without knowing exactly what you’re doing. On the days when you’re doubting what you’re doing over there remember that you’re raising a feminist princess and doing it well!
January 17th, 2009 at 12:33 pmhi Chris,
as a long-time yet francophone reader, I now feel I have to tell you something
/hesitations…/
you have to spell “VOILA” (O-I), not “viola” (I-O)
voilà.
I hope I don’t seem like the cranky school teacher…
thanks for all the inspiration you are to me every single day!
Genevieve
Chris says: Nope, you don’t sound like a cranky school teacher! I mis-typed
January 17th, 2009 at 12:38 pmYup, that’s what we call “percussive maintenance”. It’s definition is the fine art of whacking the crap out of some device that desperately needs it. The scary thing is how often it actually works!
January 17th, 2009 at 12:40 pmGood job:)
January 17th, 2009 at 1:04 pmI hate when appliances break.I love when we can fix them:)
Wow - you’re my hero, I’d be afraid to even try! But it does conjure up memories of a time when I wasn’t too much older than your daughter and our old chev wouldn’t start and my mother lifted the hood, grabbed one of my father’s tools in the garage and started hitting the battery, and then the engine started……I had the same awe for my mother then that your daughter has for you now. Sadly, my mother is gone now - but I still have that memory. Here’s to hoping that your daughter will always have THIS memory of you as well……
January 17th, 2009 at 1:09 pmBravo! Nothing frozen here, actually expecting temps in the 60’s today. Nevertheless our washer pump went out too–burned out because of the bobby pins and rocks and nails that found it. I got close, but needed hubby to finish the job. I can unclog the dishwasher by myself though!
January 17th, 2009 at 1:14 pm“And sometimes just smacking the crap out of something with a screwdriver really is the answer.”
We call that “percussive maintenance” around here.
January 17th, 2009 at 1:59 pmThe only other answer to fixing things is WD 40 and duct tape. But hitting with the screwdriver is always the first thing to do. Glad your daughter has learned that lesson this early in life! Now she is ready for the world, question is- is the world ready for her?
January 17th, 2009 at 2:04 pm“smacking the crap out of something”
Bad washing machine, bad, bad!
So we were able to put a man on the moon and still can’t make washers that self-fix? WUWT?
January 17th, 2009 at 2:18 pmI’m super impressed!
my go-to fix-it is:
January 17th, 2009 at 3:29 pm1. unplug it.
2. plug it back in.
3. repeat.
too funny. you can fix most anything w/ a couple of good whacks.
January 17th, 2009 at 3:29 pmI wish this method would work on many more things in life!! Maybe I just need to try it more often!!
January 17th, 2009 at 5:36 pmAnyway Gloria would be proud of you for this one!! I hope you also did this braless to make her even more proud!!
See? THIS is a classic “How Chris Inspires Me” post. Up until this moment, I was really proud about how I’ve learned to take my Dyson apart, clean it out, and put it back together so that it’s actually working better than it was when I bought it. But my washing machine? I totally won’t touch anything but the knobs! Bravo! Viola!
January 18th, 2009 at 10:54 amok so where were you 3 weeks ago when my VERY SAME washer started doing the same thing. only it did spin and made horrible horrible noises ending in soppy water filled clothes. i am not as clever. i bought a new washing machine!
January 18th, 2009 at 11:15 pmAh yes, the Fonzi method of home improvement.
January 19th, 2009 at 1:49 amI bought a new washer on Jan. 13th. After a $62 consult. Spent 720 on new machine. DH had back spasm that mimicked a heart attack (no kidding) at appliance store and we ambulanced him to ER. Am waiting for medical bills. Wish that frozen line was the answer. But it was 50 degrees here.
January 19th, 2009 at 1:53 pmI had that EXACT same washer, and mine just died. Leaking from the bottom. I paid a sears guy to tell me that the soap had built up and ruined the washer. Apparently you have to use a tiny tiny bit of HE soap in it. Good luck with yours.
January 19th, 2009 at 3:26 pmI LOVE that your daughter was so interested! Too cute! Next time you should let her help.
‘Course…then she might start chasing after her brothers with a screwdriver, but…
January 19th, 2009 at 6:15 pmSomething like that happened to us on Sunday. The tube/pipe that takes the water away from the washer was clogged up with ice. Ours, too, is in an interior room of our house, however, the pipes go through an unheated crawl space and with temps at or below zero for much of the last week….we have ice.
You daughter is so cute! That’s awesome that she was so interested!
January 20th, 2009 at 9:34 amI, too have the same washer and so I’m glad for yannayoga’s tip, but I’m such a cheapskate that I only use a tiny amount of detergent anyway!
January 20th, 2009 at 6:06 pmAnd, when smacking it with a screwdriver doesn’t work…clear the room and curse it really loud! Always worked for my Dad.
January 21st, 2009 at 1:01 pmI loved this post! I do that a lot at my house. My kids come to me if anything is broken and think I can fix it. I love my cordless power drill and ducktape! They call me Martha MacGyver. haha
Great job!! Hope your week is going well!
January 28th, 2009 at 12:38 pm