Let's Geek Out!

I went to do a load of laundry tonight and discovered the machine already full of clothes and gray water… not a welcome sight, but my optimism was in full force and so I attempted to restart what was obviously a load mistakenly paused or aborted… right?
Returning later, though, the optimism is defeated — the clothes and gray water were still there.

A bit of Googling was in order before giving Dad a call for advice — he took down the model number of our washer and started up his own research. His results were an impressive cache of how-to tips from message boards (he’s big into message boards right now after being appointed a mod at one) plus a YouTube video demo to boot!
Most clues were pointing in one direction — a dead or clogged water pump.

So now, to empty the beast. Enter the single best homeowner purchase of either of our lives… the big orange Home Depot bucket!  Seriously — go out and buy three or four of these things. They’re a few bucks but like a faithful labrador they are always there for you — ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice.

I started emptying the washer of wet clothes and dirty water.  First by pitcher, then by cup, until finally sopping up what little more would cooperate with a towel. Of course, the drum still had water in it — just nothing I can reach with towels.

Then it’s time to examine the water lines…  I know that there is going to be water to deal with, but I didn’t expect the deluge of (easily) three to five gallons of dirty water. Luckily the culprit was immediately clear — a ball of white polyester fuzz held back the first gush of water.

So as I’m holding a towel to the end of the hose (like a paramedic trying to keep pressure on a hemorrhage) I yell downstairs to Doug for a little help… something along the lines of “Ack!!  Doug!!  I need a big bowl…  …  …now!!”

There’s running around, there’s towels flying around… one bowl is found, and Doug smacks his bad knee trying to find a second.  After the first bowl quickly fills I give up trying to stabilize my mechanical patient, and go right in for the surgical fix!

With water spurting, I jam the hose back into the now-cleared pump — success!

A sopping handful of polyester goes into the trash, and my neat pile of clean towels are thrashed about in an effort to clean up the scene. I really should have set up a video camera.