BASIC MAINTENANCE: SLOW WATER FILLS

Provided by Commercial Sales – 2001

If the water hose screens or filters in your washers become clogged with sediment, the result will usually be little or no water entering the washers. This condition is likely to happen when water pressure in the lines drops to zero as a result of a water shut off. This drop in pressure allows sediment to drop down off the walls of the piping or storage tank. When the water is turned on again, the sediment continues down the line until it reaches the water hose screen, clogging it and, in the process, preventing water from getting through.

Without this screen, the sediment would pass into and damage the water valve. A water valve damaged in this fashion will often not shut off, resulting in top loaders that overfill. Front loaders with damaged valves will pass this extra water back out into the sewer.

Slow water fills can often be solved by replacing the clogged hose filters. Replacing these filters or screens is better than trying to clean and replace the old ones: replacement screens are cheap, used screen material deforms easily, and a good fit is important so no unfiltered water passes into the valve.

Shut off the water supply and remove the inlet supply hose. You should see a fine meshed screen inside the water valve; this is where the sediment collects. Remove this used screen.

Insert the new screen, making certain it is properly seated and sits straight. A

six-to-eight inch piece of conduit can be used as a tool to make the job of snugly inserting the new screen fast and easy.