Should washing machine be serviced regularly?

Ideally the answer is yes. A repairman should service all appliances regularly to look after them and keep them in good condition. In times where many appliances are proving unsafe and even dangerous we shouldn’t take chances (Appliance safety issues). All mechanical machines benefit from regular maintenance. If you want to have a washing machine serviced every so often, especially if it's a quality washing machine it shouldn't do any harm is likely to be beneficial.

The problem is that as purchase costs have come down over the years many people feel that washing machines are just not expensive enough to warrant investing money each year on servicing. A service can cost between £40 and £99 depending on who you use. Some washing machines cost less the £200. So having a washing machine annually serviced could be ridiculously expensive unless you have a local repairman prepared to do it cheaply. The economics just don't encourage annual servicing any more – especially when many breakdowns could not be prevented with a service. However, some appliances are catching fire. A regular service by a skilled repairman may well have prevented some of these fires.

You might be surprised to learn that some engineers might even be reluctant to service a washing machine with no actual problems or symptoms. I know from experience, many faults cannot be detected, prevented or anticipated during a service. Once serviced, any faults within the next several months tend to get blamed on the engineer not doing the job properly.

Of course some breakdowns can be prevented. Some problems could be sorted before they worsen and became more expensive. But the overall lifetime servicing cost would most likely outweigh these "potential" savings. If you look at it from a safety point of view though, then paying for a service is less about economy and more about safety.

Don’t Ignore Faults

The most important thing to bear in mind is that symptoms of faults are ignored at your own risk. You must make sure you have read and understood all the instructions in the manual. Comply with do’s and don’ts. If you don’t have your appliance serviced you need to be extra careful about ignoring any symptoms. Leaks, noises, strange behaviour can all be signs of something that needs immediate attention.

I have seen many major faults that were caused by ignoring minor faults. Things like small leaks that can end up shorting out the electrics and damaging the main program timer. Or noises that eventually cause the drum or motor to seize up. Coins rattling about inside that eventually damage the main tub. If you don't want to have your washing machine serviced regularly – which is fair enough nowadays – at least make sure you don't ignore any symptoms that you become aware of.

Give your washing machine a regular service wash

Washing machine manufacturers all now recommend that you regularly put your washing machine on a service wash. This can prevent several problems caused by a build up of gunge and slime inside the washing machine. For further details read – Causes of grease, slime and black mould inside washing machine