The short answer
On an Encore washer the usual source of water on the floor is an inlet hose or its washer weeping at the tap, with a door seal holding debris or torn at the lower edge next. It is a conventional top-loading machine with a mechanical drive and a deep tub, and that is what decides which joint gives first.
What you actually observe
- Water appears only while the machine is filling — A leak at fill is the inlet hoses or the valve, and nothing else is under pressure then.
- Water appears during the wash, from under the front — A leak while the drum turns is the door seal, the sump or the tub, in that order of likelihood.
- NEAR MISS: water is inside the drum but never leaves — That is a drainage fault rather than a leak, and the drainage page covers it.
The causes, most likely first on this brand
- An inlet hose or its washer weeping at the tap — The inlet hoses are under mains pressure whenever the taps are open, so a perished washer or a loosened coupling weeps all day and not only when the machine runs. Ranked first on an Encore washer: the inlet is the only part of the machine under mains pressure when it is switched off.
- A door seal holding debris or torn at the lower edge — The door seal collects grit, hair and coins in its lower fold. Ranked second on an Encore washer: a seal is only as good as what is trapped in it.
- A drain hose split or loose at its clip — The drain hose is only under pressure while the pump runs, which is why this leak appears for a minute at a time and then stops. Ranked third on an Encore washer: the drain hose is the only water hose that gets moved regularly.
- A cracked outer tub or a failed tub seal — Ranked fourth on an Encore washer: an older top-loading machine leaks at the tub seal around the transmission as it ages.
Check in this order, and why this order
- Dry the tap connections and lay a sheet of paper under them — A weep shows on dry paper within the hour, and it is the first check because it needs nothing but paper.
- Run a hand right round the inside of the door seal fold — Grit, hair and coins come out on your fingers, and a tear is obvious once the fold is opened out.
- Watch the drain hose along its whole length during the drain — A leak that appears only while water is going out is this or the pump, and nothing else.
What an owner can safely check
- Turn off the taps, check the hose washers and hand-tighten the couplings — A quarter turn past hand-tight is enough; a crushed washer leaks worse than a loose one.
Tools: clothAbout 15 min
- Clean out the seal fold and wipe the glass and the seal face dry — Leave the door ajar between washes so the fold dries out.
Tools: cloth, glovesAbout 15 min
- Dry the hose, run a drain and feel along it for wet, then check the clip at the machine end — A split usually shows at a bend rather than in a straight run.
Tools: cloth, torchAbout 20 min
- STOP HERE if the next step needs a meter on live terminals or a panel off — That is where an owner check ends and a service call begins.
Before you open anything
Safety
Water and electricity in the same place means switching off at the breaker before you mop under or behind the machine, and shutting both taps before touching any hose. Never stand on a wet floor to pull a loaded washer out, and get help with the move. If water has reached a socket or an extension lead, leave the breaker off until it has been looked at.
When to call a technician
Call once the inlet hoses, the door seal, the drain hose and the detergent dose are all clean and water still arrives, because what is left is the sump hose, the pump body or the tub seal and all three mean the machine opened up. Call immediately if water is reaching a socket, or if the floor under the machine has started to lift.
Nearest pages of this class
What this page does not cover
This page covers the Encore washer as a class, not one family or model line. Drive arrangements, pump fitments, hose routing and part numbers all differ from build to build and are deliberately not here.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
