A washer that finishes a cycle with a tub full of water is one of the most common calls we handle in Round Rock households. The good news: it is almost always a small, fixable problem. The short list of causes is surprisingly short.

1. Cancel the cycle and try a drain-only cycle

Most washers have a way to force a drain-only cycle — on top-loaders it is often the spin-only or rinse-and-spin option. If the washer drains cleanly on a dedicated drain cycle, the issue may have been an unbalanced load that the washer gave up on.

2. Check the drain hose

Unplug the washer and pull it away from the wall just enough to see the drain hose. Check that it is not kinked, crushed behind the unit, or pushed too far into the standpipe. If it is pushed too far down, it can siphon — which can confuse the washer into thinking it has drained when it has not.

3. Check the filter or coin trap

Most front-loaders have a filter at the bottom front of the unit behind a small access panel. Put a towel and a shallow pan underneath, unscrew the filter slowly, and let water drain out. You may find a sock, a hair clip, or a coin that was blocking the pump.

Top-loaders usually do not have a user-serviceable filter, but the pump is still accessible — that part is a technician call.

4. Check the drain pump

If the hose is clear and the filter is clean, the pump itself may be failing. A failing drain pump sometimes makes a quiet humming noise during the drain phase without actually pushing water out. This is a replaceable part — usually an hour of labor and a single part.

5. Check the lid switch or door lock

On a top-loader, a broken lid switch will stop the washer from advancing past wash into drain and spin. On a front-loader, a door lock that is not closing all the way does the same thing. If the washer will not drain and will not spin and will not advance the cycle at all, this is the most likely cause.

When to call

If you have checked the hose, the filter, and there are no obvious blockages, the next step is a diagnostic visit. Call us at (512) 400-2694 and we will schedule a realistic time window.