The short answer
Stop the machine, close both supply taps and switch it off at the breaker before investigating. Contain the water and check the floor below. Only then work out whether it is a hose, the drawer, the door seal or the pump filter cap.
What you find upstairs
- Water spreading across the floor — Isolate and contain before anything else.
- A stain on the ceiling below — The leak has been running for a while.
- Water present with the machine idle — An inlet hose under permanent pressure.
- Water only during a cycle — The drawer, the seal or the pump housing.
- Damp at the pan or tray under the machine — A drip pan doing its job.
- Not this fault: condensation on cold pipework — Common in a utility cupboard.
Ranked for upstairs and apartment installations
- Inlet hose or its washer failing under standing pressure — First for serious damage.
- Pump filter cap left loose after cleaning — Second.
- Door seal damaged or holding debris — Third.
- Detergent drawer overflowing — Fourth.
- Drain hose connection loose at the standpipe — Fifth.
- Tub or sump leaking inside the cabinet — Last, and internal.
Act in this order
- Close both supply taps — It stops the worst case immediately.
- Switch off at the breaker rather than unplugging in water — Never reach for a plug across a wet floor.
- Check the ceiling and rooms below — The damage there sets the urgency.
- Then look for the source with paper and a dry floor — Diagnosis comes after containment.
Owner steps
- Close both taps behind the machine — Do this first, every time.
About 5 min
- Switch the machine off at the breaker — Safer than unplugging near water.
About 5 min
- Contain and mop the water, and warn the flat below — Damage spreads faster than it appears.
Tools: towels, mopAbout 30 min
- Inspect the inlet hoses along their length and at both ends — Bulges and damp collars are the warning signs.
Tools: torchAbout 20 min
- Check the filter cap and the door seal fold — Both are common and both are visible.
Tools: clothAbout 20 min
- Stop before opening the cabinet for the tub or sump — Water and mains wiring share that space.
Water where it can reach other homes
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Never cross a wet floor to reach a plug - isolate at the breaker. Close both supply taps before touching any hose, and treat water that has reached a ceiling below as urgent for the building as well as for you.
When to call
Call immediately for any leak that has reached a neighbour, a ceiling or a floor structure, and tell the building or the landlord at the same time. Call an appliance technician once the machine is isolated and the source is not one of the owner-checkable items. Ask about replacing ageing inlet hoses while somebody is there - it is cheap insurance in a flat.
Other pages for this washer
Scope of this page
Generalized across washer families under this badge, written for apartment and upper-floor installations; where a family-specific or model-specific page exists it is the narrower answer. Not here: hose specifications, tray dimensions, seal part numbers and building plumbing codes.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
