A clothes washer breaking down is one of the most inconvenient problems that can happen around your home. Fortunately, most of the problems that can occur with your clothes washer do not come without notice. Here are three signs that could mean it's time to have your clothes washer repaired.

Excessive Noise or Strange Sounds

While no washer will be completely silent while it is running, your washer should not be making a racket unless you are washing shoes or other heavy items. If your washer is suddenly making a lot more noise than it used to, it is likely that a component inside the washer is starting to fail.

Certain sounds are characteristic of specific problems, even across different clothes washer models. If your washer is making a rhythmic thumping or grinding noise, it is possible that the drum has come off balance and started scraping against the interior walls of the washer. A squealing noise can point to dirt or grease accumulation in the drive motor pulley.

Drum Doesn't Stop Spinning

If your washer drum continues spinning after the washer has finished its last cycle, a malfunction in the timer is the usual cause. The timer is responsible for switching cycles and providing instructions to the drive motor so that your clothes are cleaned properly. If the timer has malfunctioned, the motor will continue turning the drum after the final cycle was supposed to be completed. It is not safe to attempt to remove your clothes with the drum still running, so you should stop using your washer and hire a professional for repairs if you are faced with this issue.

Failure to Drain Completely

After your washer has stopped running, the drum should be completely empty of water while you are removing your clothes. If you notice a significant amount of water still standing in the bottom of the drum, there is likely a problem with your washer's drain or water pump.

In some cases, leftover water in your washer drum may be caused by something as simple as a kink in the drain hose. Locate and straighten the rubber drain hose behind your washer and see if the drum drains properly. Other times, you may fix the problem by removing the drain hose and cleaning a clog out of your washer drain. If these fixes do not solve your problem, you should hire an appliance repair contractor to inspect your washer's water pump and replace it if necessary.

Keep these symptoms of washer malfunctions in mind so you can have your washer repaired before it becomes seriously damaged or breaks down completely.