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Why Won’t My Washing Machine Door Open?

London & Home Counties

Anne
Anne
Trustpilot Review - December 2024
The engineer sent (Daniel Lewis) to my elderly client to check why their gas hob wasn't working. He arrived within the specified time frame I was gives, he was courteous and well mannered. He had the hob repaired within minutes, leaving my clients over the moon! Highly reccomend Dan to anyone!
J Bhumi
J Bhumi
Google - December 2024
I called Capital Repairs asking for help and advise for my dishwasher. The man who served me, Dipak, was very helpful and patient with me and was able to help repair my machine! Thank you very much!
Jo Yorke
Jo Yorke
Google - December 2024
Daniel Lewis came to look at my client's gas hob as the hobs weren't igniting. He was here about 15 minutes and got it working without any parts. He was lovely and polite to my clients and very very efficient.
Eddie Tang
Eddie Tang
Google - September 2024
Dan was superb! Very friendly, efficient and informative! An asset to the company and deserves a pay rise!
Hugh Sweeney
Hugh SweeneyGoogle - September 2024
Great advice & customer service on the supply of our recent integrated fridge/freezer from Capital Repairs.Our old Neff integrated fridge freezer was ‘packing up’ after 15+yrs hard duty and we were under pressure to get a new one supplied and fitted quickly. They supplied and fitted the new appliance and removed the old one In less than 48hrs ! fantastic! Big thanks to the young fitter Zack he was very diligent and skilled on what was tricky integrated appliance install
Hugh Sweeney
Hugh SweeneyGoogle - September 2024
Great advice & customer service on the supply of our recent integrated fridge/freezer from Capital Repairs.Our old Neff integrated fridge freezer was ‘packing up’ after 15+yrs hard duty and we were under pressure to get a new one supplied and fitted quickly. They supplied and fitted the new appliance and removed the old one In less than 48hrs ! fantastic! Big thanks to the young fitter Zack he was very diligent and skilled on what was tricky integrated appliance install
Sabrina Remedios
Sabrina RemediosGoogle - September 2024
Jason repaired my washing machine. Was quick, effective, thorough and definitely knew what he was doing - very helpful and considerate
Vathsala Paramanathan
Vathsala ParamanathanGoogle - June 2024
I am very pleased with the. Work and advice of the engineer Jason who came today to repair my Liebherr fridge freezer. He said that there was no need to replace any part and resolved the problem
Mercy A.A.
Mercy A.A.Google - May 2024
If we could give the engineer Dan 10 stars we would! Such a quick, reliable service he provided and fixed the issue with our American Fridge/Freezer so quickly. Amazing customer service! Your company should feel lucky to have him representing you.
Sarah
SarahMay 2024
Having had excellent and quick service from Capital who sent engineers to sort out problems with my dishwasher and tumble dryer, I decided to buy a replacement dishwasher from them too. I was able to speak to real person! Who told me what they had available, I selected and bought it and was offered delivery two days later. Kept up-to-date on the timing of the delivery and the two men who came, fitted took away the old machine couldn't have been more helpful. I thoroughly recommend this company for swift and excellent service
Mercy A.A.
Mercy A.A.Google - May 2024
If we could give the engineer Dan 10 stars we would! Such a quick, reliable service he provided and fixed the issue with our American Fridge/Freezer so quickly. Amazing customer service! Your company should feel lucky to have him representing you.
Asker Mirza - Trust Pilot
Asker Mirza - Trust PilotSeptember 2024
Dan Lewis is a brilliant engineer. A REAL engineer and just not a techie.He sorted the awful noise from my Sharp Fridge freezer which I bought from AO.com.Dan’s knowledge base is considerable and he is extremely personable and humble. Will always want him to repair my ‘white’ goods. Most grateful as he has reduced the overall noise level of the fridge freezer.
Clair - Trust Pilot.
Clair - Trust Pilot.May 2024
Very good follow up be email to organize the appointment; engineer came on time and repair was very quick; the only thing which could have been improved was to mention somewhere that ETA means Estimated time of arrival....it usually has another common meaning.
Washing Machine Repairs

It’s a particularly frustrating scenario …. You put a load of wash in the machine, set it going and leave for work, expecting to come home and remove the clean washing, only to find that the washing machine door has jammed and won’t open!

It’s a fact that washing machine doors rarely have doors stuck closed before you load a wash – the annoying fault generally always occurs when the washing cycle is finished, and leave you with the dilemma of getting the washing out and figuring out why the door is jammed.

What to do when your washing machine door won’t open

The first step is to ascertain if there is still water in the drum of the machine. If there is, check the filters (which could be messy if water runs out). There could be a blockage.

It’s important to know that some makes and models of washing machines will lock the door closed if there is water in the drum. Try running a spin/drain cycle to get rid of the water.

Once the water is drained out the door should open. If not, or if there was no water in the machine, it is likely there is a problem or fault with the door locking switch.

This could be down to a faulty pressure switch, which is not allowing the cycle to reset to empty, so it fails to release. You can try turning off the mains power and leaving the machine for around 10 minutes before switching it on again to see if the door unlocks.
You should also check the door and handle (they can be fragile) for damage, and gently try to manipulate the handle to open it, with the power to the machine turned off for safety’s sake.

A last resort would be breaking the lock open to recover your load of washing, but we’d recommend that before you do that you call in a Capital Repairs washing machine repair technician to investigate.

Reasons why a washing machine door is jammed closed

Rather than force the door, and thereby cause more problems and a more expensive repair, if your washing machine door sticks closed it’s best to call a professional to diagnose and fix the issue.

We usually find that a jammed washing machine door is down to one of the following:

  1. Drainage problems – this could be caused by anything from a blockage in the filter or drainage hose, or a faulty pump.
  2. Pressure Switch – this component of your washing machine identifies the water level inside the drum, and controls the filling and draining cycles. If it doesn’t work properly, the door lock won’t be released.
  3. Faulty Interlock Circuits: Washing machine door latches are secured by an electrical coil mechanism for delayed opening to protect users from moving parts. The Interlock circuit can become faulty for a variety of reasons – usually loose, burned or overheated wiring.
  4. The door lock mechanism is broken.

How to fix a washing machine door

The problems mentioned above are relatively inexpensive and quick for the Capital Repairs professional washing machine engineers to repair, and we’ll have your faulty appliance up and running again in no time.

It’s not safe to try to make DIY repairs to your washing machine door – you may do more harm than good.

You can take preventive measures to keep your washing machine door operating without a hitch by keeping your washing machine filters clean and checking each load of washing for foreign objects that may cause a blockage in filters or hoses. Be patient and wait for the door lock to release on completion of a wash – forcing the door open could break the handle or locking mechanism. Don’t overload the washing machine so as not to upset the pressure switch.

Contact Capital Repairs if you need help or advice concerning your washing machine door operation anywhere in London or the surrounding counties.

Capital Repairs, established in 1983, is a trusted family-run business providing expert Washing Machines Repairs London, Dishwasher Repairs London, and Tumble Dryer Repairs London. With decades of experience, they also specialize in Microwave Repairs London, Vacuum Cleaner Repairs London, and both Electric Cooker Repairs London and Gas Cooker Repairs London. Their skilled engineers offer reliable services, including Fridge Freezer Repairs London, Fridge Repairs London, and Freezer Repairs London. Covering a wide area, they provide professional Appliance Repairs London in various regions such as North London Appliance Repairs London, East London Appliance Repairs London, South East London Appliance Repairs London, South London Appliance Repairs London, West London Appliance Repairs London, and North West London Appliance Repairs London. Their services extend beyond London to areas like Middlesex Appliance Repairs London, Essex Appliance Repairs London, Hertfordshire Appliance Repairs London, and Surrey Appliance Repairs London. For professional and efficient appliance repair services, contact Capital Repairs at 0208 429 3727 or visit their website.

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