Washing Machine or Toilet Bubbles or Overflows

There are several reasons why you might be seeing your washer or toilet bubble or overflow. If your washer is overflowing, check to see if you’re overloading your washing machine with every load, or if you’re using too much detergent. If those aren’t the problem, then you might have a clogged drain line, sewer line or there could be a pump failure in the washing machine.. In that case, there are several ways to diagnose the problem.

First, check the drain hose, which is usually connected to a drain built into the wall behind the machine. Check for small blockages in the hose. If you find a blockage, your next step is to remove it and drain your washing machine of water. Once this is done, you need to ascertain whether or not your pump is running. Check your pump filter to see if it’s partially or totally obstructed. If so, remove the obstructions. If the pump is still running, you have another problem, but if the pump isn’t running once it’s drained, then that explains the overflow. An appliance repair technician may be required if you don’t know what you’re doing.

You may also have a problem with your water inlet valve. To see if this is the problem, shut off the power to the washer. If it’s still overflowing, you probably have a defective water inlet valve. You may also have a faulty pressure switch, or you may have a problem with your house’s water pressure.

For toilet gurgles or bubbles, you may have a partially clogged sewer line, which prevents toilet, shower and sink water from draining into the sewer. A clogged sewer line, if not dealt with, can result in overflow through any of the pipes that aren’t being drained (the shower, the toilet, the sink, etc.). If your toilet is overflowing, this may be the reason. You can try solving this yourself with a hand auger and a plumber’s snake, but there’s no substitute for a professional plumber. On the other hand, it may also be a simple clog or minor blockage in the toilet itself, which is usually easy enough to deal with, though a bit messy.