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Shaking, vibrations, moving, and jumping are the most common issues of washing machines. And as a homeowner, you are probably looking for how to stop washing machines from moving when spinning.
These issues are solvable when you apply certain troubleshooting practices. However, some modern washing machines come with anti-vibration technology to reduce how the washer vibrates and shake while spinning.
More so, several things could cause shaking and vibrations. If you’re able to know the actual reason why your machine moves or shakes when spinning, it becomes much easier to solve the issue.
What Makes Your Washing Machine Move When Spinning?
Apparently, when the machine is not standing on a levelled floor, it would move towards the sloppy side when spinning.
Also, if your washer is pretty old, it is safe to guess that some components may not be so strong anymore, and so, they could have caused the movement.
Furthermore, washing machines typically come with shock absorbers; depending on the washing machine’s model and brand, it could come with four (4) or more shock absorbers.
If any of these shock absorbers should go bad, your washer is likely to shake vigorously, which could also result in the machine moving in a particular direction.
So far, we have mentioned four significant causes of washing machines’ moving when spinning. Now, how do you solve these issues to stop the moving?
Well, it is possible to stop your washer from moving when spinning, but it is almost impossible to stop washing machines from vibrating. The best you can achieve is minimizing the vibrations to a very minimal level.
How To Stop Washing Machine From Moving When Spinning
First things first, ensure that the washing machine was rightly installed. If you did the installation yourself, you should crosscheck and see if you did it right.
1. Remove All Shipping Bolts
Not removing the shipping bolts is a common mistake most washing machine installers make. Usually, shipping bolts are used to hold the drum so that it does not tilt or shake during shipment or installation of the washing machine.
However, after installation, it is expected that those shipping bolts are removed; else, they could cause the washer to shake or move when spinning. To find the shipping bolts, check the rear side of your machine or the bottom.
The bolts are typically made of plastic and easy to remove. However, if they seem difficult to remove with bare hands, use a wrench. There are usually about 3 or 4 of these bolts – ensure that you remove all of them.
2. Level the Washer
Alright, so you’re now sure that the shipping bolts are all removed, but your washing machine still takes a stroll when spinning? It’s easy to guess that the feet (legs) are not levelled.
When the legs are not leveled and locked (for some units), the washing machine is likely to move towards the side where the legs are unbalanced.
Leveling the feet of your washing machine can be all you need to solve the whole vibrations or shaking issues of your washer.
Here’s how to level a washing machine; get a levelling device (let’s say spirit level) and place it on the top of the washer. Typically, spirit levels (or any levelling device you’re using) has a bubble at the center.
When you place the device on your washer, wash the bubble to see if it settles at the center. If the bubble is not at the center, it means your washing machine is not level on the floor.
To adjust and level the legs, loosen the lowers ones and adjust them to get to the level of the higher ones. Tighten back the wheels when they are all level. Start the washer again and try to wash again.
3. Even The Load
Again, if the issue persists after leveling the legs, it is safe to guess that you are loading the washing machine evenly.
When the load is too small, the washer may shift the load to an end, and this may affect the spinning, which is liable to cause the machine to move during operation.
You can refer to the manual to see how you need to load your washing machine for optimal performance. Evening the load you add to your washer includes not filling it to the brims.
It is recommended that you fill up to 3/4 of their capacity for them to function as expected for some washing machines. Also, you may consider balancing the load you put into the washer by adding both heavy and light loads.
4. Fix Damaged Shock Absorbers
If your washing machine uses shock absorbers, you should inspect the absorbers to see if one or more of them are broken or physically damaged.
Replace the damaged ones (if any) and try using the washing machine again; hopefully, it won’t move.
However, replacing the shock absorbers is quite technical; you should engage a technician to do that for you.
5. Use Anti-Slip Pads
You can buy anti-slip pads from online stores or offline retail stores. There are pretty inexpensive and easy to install under your washing machine.
Anti-slip pads would make it uneasy for your washing machine’s legs to move while the washer is spinning.
What More?
For anyone searching for how to stop the washing machine from moving when spinning, hopefully, one of these tips discussed in this article should solve the issue you’re facing.
The most common cause of washing machine shaking while in use is uneven load. When this is not the problem, then it could be that the legs are not balanced on the floor.
Well, washing machine vibrations can damage the house by causing cracks on the walls and floors. Hence, it is essential that you tackle the situation as early as possible.
Getting your washer to stop vibrating intensely or moving while spinning is way cheaper than fixing cracked walls or making new photo frames – because the vibrations can knock off photo frames from the wall.