Most high-efficiency washers are designed to use far less water than older machines, so water that doesn't cover the clothes is usually normal. It's a problem when clothes come out with dry spots, loads aren't getting clean, or the washer fills noticeably less than it used to.
Quick diagnosis
| Symptom | Likely cause | First thing to try |
|---|---|---|
| Water doesn't cover the clothes | Normal HE design | Judge by how clean the clothes are, not the water level |
| Dry patches on clothes after the wash | Overloaded drum or a bulky item | Wash a smaller load or use the bulky cycle |
| Fills less than it used to | Clogged inlet screens or a partly closed valve | Make sure both supply valves are fully open |
| Fill takes a very long time | Low water pressure | Check pressure at a nearby faucet |
| Washer turns the drum before filling | Load sensing on many models | Normal; let it finish |
| Clothes still dirty | Wrong cycle or too much in the drum | Choose a cycle with more water, or a deep water option if your washer has one |
A closer look
How an HE washer decides on water
Instead of filling the tub to a fixed level, an HE washer senses the load, often by turning the drum briefly, and adds only the water it thinks it needs. A front-loader tumbles clothes through a shallow pool, and an HE top-loader uses a low-profile wash plate to roll clothes through the water. Less water is the whole point.
How the load is packed
Sensing works best when clothes are loaded loosely and evenly. A drum packed tight with jeans and towels can be underfilled for its size, and bulky items like comforters soak up the water before the rest of the load gets wet. Use the bulky or bedding cycle for those.
Cycle options
Many HE washers offer a deep fill, extra water or similar option, and some cycles use more water than others. If you want more water for heavily soiled loads, that's the control to use rather than overloading.
The water supply
If the washer used to fill normally and now doesn't, look at the supply side. Valves bumped partly closed, kinked hoses, low house pressure and inlet screens clogged with sediment all slow the fill, and some washers stop filling once a time limit runs out.
Who runs into this most
People who just moved from an agitator top-loader to an HE machine, households washing a lot of bulky bedding, and homes with low water pressure.
Prevention checklist
- •Load loosely, with room for clothes to move
- •Use bulky or bedding cycles for big items
- •Use HE detergent at the right dose
- •Keep supply valves fully open and hoses unkinked
- •Watch for fill times getting longer over months
Time to call a pro
- •Fill times have grown much longer with good house pressure
- •The washer stops partway through the fill with an error (codes vary by model)
- •Water level looks normal but clothes come out dry in spots every time
- •The washer overfills or water reaches the door or lid
Travis's rule of thumb: Low water in an HE washer is normal. Dry clothes at the end of a wash are not.
If water seems to vanish mid-fill, you may be looking at a washer that drains while it fills. For sensing and fill faults, see our Whirlpool appliance repair page or call (832) 552-1615.