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A top-load washer in a US home laundry room with its lid open and water brimming at the rim of the tub, a thin trickle running down the side of the cabinet.

Washer
Overflowing

The washer keeps filling past the normal level, and water spills over the tub, out of the door or onto the floor.

(844) 398-5711

Mon–Sat, 8am–8pm

  • Water or electrical risk
  • 5 questions that narrow it
  • 5 causes, cheapest first

Book a visit

Three short steps, about a minute.

or call (844) 398-5711

Stop the cycle and shut the water off

Treat an overflow as urgent. Close the supply valves, stop the washer and cut its power if water reached the outlet or the cord. Do not start another load to see if it repeats; a valve stuck open can flood the room even while the washer is off.

What it
usually means.

A washer is supposed to stop filling when a pressure switch or water level sensor reads the right height in the tub. When it keeps filling, either the inlet valve is stuck open and lets water in even with the power off, or the control never gets the signal that the tub is full. A clogged air tube or hose to the level sensor is a common reason for the second case. Watching whether water still runs with the washer unplugged separates the two in a minute, and it is the first thing to know.

Hot and cold braided fill hoses connect to the back of a washer pulled away from the wall in a US home laundry room. The 5 causes, cheapest first

Answer these first

01

Does water keep running into the tub with the washer unplugged or switched off?
02

Does the tub fill higher than usual before the washer begins to agitate or tumble?
03

Does it overflow on every cycle, or only on some settings?
04

Does the water come in slowly as a trickle, or at full flow?
05

Did the problem begin after a repair, a move or a power outage?

Check these
before you book.

Washer overflowing: 5 checks, and none of them costs anything.

01

Stop the cycle, close both water supply valves, and switch off the washer's breaker if water reached the outlet.

02

With the power off and the valves open for a moment, watch whether any water still enters the tub.

03

Close the valves again and leave them closed until the washer is repaired.

Also worth checking

  • Note how high the water rose and on which cycle it happened.
  • Soak up standing water and keep the floor dry around the cord.

The causes,
cheapest first.

5 things washer overflowing turns out to be, from suds mistaken for an overflow to control board holding the valve on.

The cost guide
  1. 01 no repair

    Suds mistaken for an overflow

    Heavy suds can rise over the tub and spill without the water level being too high. Using less detergent, and the right kind, stops it.

    No repair: check it yourself
  2. 02 low to moderate

    Inlet valve stuck open

    Grit or a worn diaphragm can keep the valve from closing. The telltale sign is water trickling into the tub with the washer off.

    Fixed by water inlet valve repair
  3. 03 low to moderate

    Water level sensor or pressure switch

    The switch reads the tub level through air pressure. If it has failed, the control does not know the tub is full and keeps calling for water.

    Fixed by controls and sensors
  4. 04 low

    Clogged or kinked air tube

    A thin tube runs from the bottom of the tub to the level sensor. Detergent sludge or a kink in it gives the sensor a false low reading.

    Fixed by controls and sensors
  5. 05 moderate

    Control board holding the valve on

    When the board's relay for the valve sticks, it keeps powering the valve no matter what the sensor says.

    Fixed by controls and sensors
  6. What it costs

    Every repair on the site's cost scale, side by side

    Open the cost guide

The makes
it happens on.

14 makes on this site; washer overflowing can show up on any of them. Each mark opens that make's own page.

All 14 brands

Washer Overflowing,
where we come out.

9 metros, each with its own page.

All service areas

Tampa BayFL · 31 areas

OrlandoFL · 30 areas

Miami / South FloridaFL · 47 areas

New York MetroNY · 75 areas

HoustonTX · 36 areas

ChicagoIL · 50 areas

Los AngelesCA · 95 areas

San DiegoCA · 31 areas

San Francisco Bay AreaCA · 74 areas

A parent and a child loading towels into an open front-load washer together in a bright laundry room
For the heart of your home.

Questions about
washer overflowing.

Water keeps running into the tub with the washer unplugged. Why would that happen?
It points to the inlet valve. The valve is closed when it has no power, so water flowing in with the washer off means it is stuck open. Keep the supply valves closed until it is replaced.
Can a washer overflow because of the house water pressure?
High house pressure strains the valve but rarely causes an overflow alone. A valve worn by high pressure or debris is the usual link between the two.
Is it safe to use the washer if I watch it while it fills?
It is a gamble. The overflow can start at any fill in the cycle, including the rinse, and a stuck valve does not stop when you press cancel. Wait for the repair.
Why did the washer overflow right after a power outage?
A surge or brownout can leave a control relay stuck or confuse the fill timing. If a reset does not settle it, the board or the valve needs a look.

Back to your everyday

Still seeing washer overflowing?

Book with what you checked above — 5 answers save the technician the first part of the visit.

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