Choosing stands for the legs of the washing machine - anti-vibration, shock-absorbing, rubber

Washing machine stands Anti-vibration stands for a washing machine are necessary in order to reduce vibration during its operation. And they really do it. But before you happily run to the store and buy them, you should make sure that your machine is installed correctly.

Most often, excessive vibration of this type of household appliance appears precisely because of incorrect installation. The washing machine must be installed on a clean, level, hard floor. It is advisable not to place it on a wooden surface. If the floor in the place where you decide to place the machine is wooden, then you should make a separate section and fill it with concrete.

How to level

You should also pay attention to whether the machine wobbles when washing on a flat floor. If this happens, then you need to adjust its legs and give it more stability. The legs, as you may have guessed, are on the bottom of the machine. And in most models of washing machines, you can increase or decrease their length by twisting them. That is, in order to increase the height of the leg, we need to twist it in one direction. And in order to reduce - to another.

Level the washing machine

To understand which legs need to be adjusted, we need to shake the machine. If it stands level and stable, then the legs do not need adjustment. If the machine falls in one direction, then in that direction you need to increase the height of the leg. This is the simplest option for leveling the machine.

We also recommend using a building level to determine how correctly the machine is positioned.Ideally there should be no tilt. If it is still there, then it needs to be removed. This is again done by adjusting the legs. And you already know how to regulate them.

Washing machine stands

If you have checked the installation of the machine and leveled it, but it still vibrates too much, then you should use special stands. It is also worth noting that in addition to reducing the vibrations of our household appliances, they also reduce noise and prevent them from sliding or jumping. Therefore, special stands for washing machines can be useful to almost all machine owners.

This addition to the machine helps the built-in anti-vibration systems do their job. It should be noted that they can serve for a long time and rarely become unusable. And if necessary, they can be easily replaced with new ones. You can watch a video clip and compare how the machine works with stands and how without. At the beginning we will show the work without linings:

The stands are made of rubber or polyurethane. More often they are white, black or transparent. They are placed under the legs. The diameter of one such lining is approximately 40-50 millimeters. By the way, they may not be suitable for all washing machine models. Most often, problems occur with their installation on built-in equipment. This is due to the fact that with them the machine becomes a little higher. And therefore it does not fit into its place.

There is also a larger analogue of a stand for a washing machine - an anti-vibration mat. It doesn't fit under each leg like footrests do. And it is simply placed in a pre-prepared place. And the machine is already placed on it. It works in much the same way as footrests. That is, it dampens noise, vibration, etc.

The price of pads is usually less than the cost of a rug. This is due to their smaller size. Typically, you won't need to spend more than twenty dollars to purchase a set of washing machine stands.

If your washing machine is still under warranty, then it is worth checking whether the use of any pads is allowed. In some cases, manufacturers refuse warranty repairs if something has been placed under the washing machine. Therefore, be careful. Read the instructions and talk to the seller of the machine, if possible.

Do I need to use different vibration-reducing pads?

It is generally accepted that any hard, even surface is optimal for a washing machine. For example, a concrete floor. Many craftsmen who repair large household appliances recommend not using any supports under the machine. The feet must provide a sufficient level of grip on the floor. And the springs and shock absorbers, which are provided by the design, must cope with the task of reducing vibration during washing and spinning.

You should also take care of the correct installation of the machine. We wrote about it briefly above. You can study this issue in more detail by watching this video:

It should also be taken into account that some models of washing machines may be noisier and vibrate more than others. This usually happens with narrow versions of machines. Certain models may not even have balance and imbalance control systems. To reduce the vibration of such machines, they are most often equipped with additional weights.

In addition, noise and excessive vibration can also be caused by breakdowns:

One of the most unpleasant breakdowns is bearing failure.It is unpleasant because in order to replace the bearings it is necessary to disassemble the entire machine. Although the bearings and seals themselves are quite inexpensive, the work of a specialist can cost you a considerable amount of money. Replacing bearings yourself is quite possible, although not easy. There is an article on our website dedicated to this topic.
The caps on the legs may also fall off. In this case, they will need to be returned to their place.
The machine may make a lot of noise because a foreign object is stuck between the tank and the drum. Usually it is removed through the hole of the heating element.
There are also other malfunctions that can cause severe noise and vibration. True, they are more rare. Therefore, we will not describe them in detail here.

So is it necessary to use pads under the washing machine? You can use them only if you have already made sure that the machine is installed correctly and that it has no damage. You should also check with the manufacturer whether it allows such operation of its household appliances. And again, if the machine is not particularly noisy. And it doesn’t vibrate much, so why change anything?