Washer Waterline Gunk...
 

A couple months ago I posted asking why the water pressure in my clothes washer was bad, while pressure at the rest of my outetls was good.

I got good responses from several people suggesting that I check the inlet hose or the washer inlet for a screen and see if it was clogged. That advice was good. There was a screen at the washer connection and it was full of gunk. I cleaned it out and the water pressure returned to normal.

However, within a couple of weeks I was right back to the same problem. Took the hose connection apart and again it was all clogged with the same sandy, rusty looking gunk the consistency just lighter than peanut butter.

Went back, cleaned it out..and well..a couple more weeks later..Guess what?? Today I just finished it's 4th cleaning.

Now we have only lived in the house since 2/1/13 so I don't know if this was a problem before, although I would guess that it was.

What I don't understand is that we have aerator screens in all our faucets and flow-screens in the shower heads and they are NOT clogging. Since the line to the clothes washer is just another water supply line, no differrent than any other line in the house, WHY does that one only clog with this gunk?

Does anyone have any idea why, or where this gunk is coming from?

Many thanks.

New construction usually causes crud to appear in water filters. Over time the problem should go away.

This isn't a new house. It was built in 2001.

That is an interesting question why it is only at the washing machine line - is it the first point that water empties and the gunk gets caught there??? Keep us posted.

It could be old hose lines. Stainless steel are the safest anyway.

maybe the washer inlet water is hooked to the irrigarion water line???:jester:

btk

Is all that gunk in both the hot and cold lines? If only the hot, and the cold is fine then it might be something connected with the water heater. I'm not a plumber or water heater expert but you might have a plumber take a look from that angle.

You might also hook up a long water hose to the water faucet and then let it run for a good five minutes or so. Shame to waste all that water but maybe the line needs to be flushed???? I would be worried also that the line into the dish washer and the refrigerator ice maker could get clogged up.

We rarely use a full hot water wash, but when we do, the water runs fast & fine. The line that constantly clogs is the cold water supply.

I actually did take a hose and hook up the line and flushed it today. I had gotten that advice from my father-in-law, so I gave it a shot. Only time will tell if that makes a difference.

To the poster who wondered if it might be crossed to the irrigation line, we're not.

The pipes in the house are the PVC or whatever plastic they make them out of. My old house in PA was copper.

Again, since all of the faucets (kitchen/bath) have aerator screens they should be clogging as well, but they are not. All the water there, as well as the showers & toilet feeds run fast & fine.

It's pretty odd.

Our whole house water filter turns the color of sand very quickly, a matter of a few days. There seems to be some more sediment in the water in the last few months. Why it's only your washer that gets clogged is a mystery to me.