Across 2,725 real washer repairs in the SF Bay Area and Peninsula, a leaking washer is the single most common reason people call us. We've handled 575 washer-leak jobs specifically — more than any other washer complaint we see. So if there's water on your laundry-room floor, in the drip pan, or pooling under the machine, you're in very familiar territory, and it's almost always fixable.
Here's what our techs actually find when a washer leaks, how the repair usually goes, what you can safely check yourself, and roughly what it costs.
In our customers' own words:
"General Electric washing machine is leaking. Pan installed underneath fills up and overflows onto floor boards."
"The washer is leaking water into the drain pan when in use, making the laundry machine non-usable in the meantime."
"There is a puddle of water in the washing machine."
These are three separate calls — and all three turned out to be different problems. That's exactly why a leak needs a real diagnosis, not a guess.
Why washers leak — the causes we actually see
A leak looks the same from the outside (water on the floor), but the source is usually one of a handful of parts. From our 575 leak jobs, these are the usual suspects:
- Torn or moldy door boot / gasket (front-loaders). This is huge — door, seal and gasket problems account for 171 of our washer jobs. On front-load LG, Bosch, Electrolux and Samsung machines, the rubber boot around the door tears, folds, or grows a mold/gunk buildup that breaks the seal. We regularly get calls like "leaking from the front door after removed and reinstalled a moldy rubber gasket" and "need gasket replacement." Water sprays out the front-lower corner during the wash.
- Drain pump and pump housing. The pump or its housing cracks, or the seal around it fails, and it drips whenever the machine fills or drains. Often paired with a whining/rattling sound.
- Water inlet / fill valve. The valve that lets water in (a very common LG replacement part in our vans) can seep or fail to shut fully, so water keeps coming and overflows or drips at the top-rear.
- Fill and drain hoses + clamps. A loose clamp, a cracked hose, or a hose that's backed up can leak at the connection. This is also what causes a drip pan to fill and overflow — the pan is doing its job; something upstream is dumping into it.
- Tub seal / bearing leak (on high-mileage machines). Water works past the main tub seal. This usually shows up alongside a loud spin or a "rumbling" noise — one of our recall notes read "making a rumbling sound, washer is leaking."
- Oversudsing and overloading. Too much detergent (or non-HE detergent in an HE machine) foams over; an overstuffed drum forces water past the seal. These are the ones you can sometimes fix yourself — see below.
The usual fix
On a leak call, our tech runs the washer through a fill and drain, watches exactly where the water appears, and traces it to the source before quoting anything. From there the repair is typically: replace the door boot/gasket, rebuild or replace the drain pump, swap a failing inlet valve, or re-seat/replace a hose and clamp. Most leaks are a same-visit fix once the part is on hand, and we stock the fast-moving washer parts (LG inlet valves and drain pumps among them) in the van.
We also reseal and re-test under a full cycle before we leave — a leak that only shows on spin or on a hot wash won't hide from a proper test run.
DIY vs. calling a pro — the honest version
Worth trying yourself first:
- Cut your detergent in half and make sure it's HE detergent if you have a front-loader. Sudsy overflow mimics a "leak."
- Stop overloading. Give the drum room.
- Check the fill and drain hose connections at the back — tighten any loose clamp, and look for an obvious cracked hose.
- Wipe out and inspect the door gasket for a coin, hairpin, or tear caught in the fold.
Call a pro when:
- The leak is from underneath the machine ("GE washer is leaking from underneath" is a call we get constantly) — that means pump, tub seal, or internal hose.
- The drip pan keeps overflowing.
- The gasket is torn or the boot needs replacing — it's a fiddly seat-and-clamp job that leaks again if it's off by a hair.
- You see water plus a burning smell, error code, or loud spin. Don't keep running it; you risk floor and cabinet damage.
What it costs
Our median washer repair runs about $250, parts and labor. A leak fix lands in a normal range depending on the part — a hose or clamp is on the low end; a door boot or drain pump is more. We charge a diagnostic fee to come out and pinpoint the source, and that fee is credited toward the repair when you approve the work. You'll get a firm price before we do anything — no surprises, no upsell.
Book a leak repair
We cover the SF Bay Area and the Peninsula — San Mateo, Redwood City, Palo Alto, Burlingame, San Francisco, and the surrounding cities — with same-day slots often available. If your washer is leaking onto the floor right now, shut off the water supply valves behind it and give us a call.
Call Triton at (888) 993-5699 or book online. A local tech, a real diagnosis, and a fixed price.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my washing machine leaking water when running? Most "leaks while running" trace to the door boot/gasket on a front-loader, a failing drain pump, a bad inlet valve, or a loose/cracked hose. Since the water only appears during fill, wash, or spin, a tech needs to run a live cycle to see the exact source — which is why we diagnose on-site before quoting.
My washer is leaking from underneath — what does that mean? A leak from below the machine usually points to the drain pump, an internal hose, or the main tub seal, rather than something on the door. It's not a DIY fix on most machines. Stop using it so you don't soak the floor, and book a diagnosis.
The drip pan under my washer keeps filling up and overflowing. Is the pan broken? No — the pan is doing exactly what it should. It's catching water from a leak or a backed-up drain above it. The fix is to find and repair the actual leak source (often a hose, pump, or drain issue) so the pan stays dry.
Can I keep using my washer if it's only leaking a little? We don't recommend it. Even a small leak can warp floorboards, feed mold, or reach the machine's electronics. It also tends to get worse, not better. It's cheaper to fix the leak than to repair water damage.
Is a leaking washer worth repairing or should I replace it? Most leaks — gaskets, pumps, valves, hoses — are straightforward, cost-effective repairs well under the price of a new machine, especially on quality LG, Bosch, Speed Queen, or Miele units. Our tech will tell you honestly if a repair doesn't make sense.
Do you carry washer parts with you? Yes. We stock the fast-moving washer parts — including common LG inlet valves and drain pumps — in the van, so many leaks are fixed on the first visit.
Related pages: Washer Repair (all services) · Washer won't drain / full of water · Washer making a loud noise · LG washer repair · Appliance repair in San Mateo