If the washing machine is not heating up the water to its usual heat, or it is heating erratically, it could be a problem with the element. The timer will signal to the machine when to move to the next phase of the cycle, while the control board will signify what program to use. If either of these is damaged or worn, the machine may continue to run until it's manually stopped. Both parts can be replaced, but the latter should be done by a professional. A burning smell coming from your washing machine can indicate a potentially dangerous situation. Immediately turn off the machine and unplug it.

A problem in the machine’s wiring. There could be faulty wiring stopping the power supply to the heating element meaning it can’t maintain power. Now, inspect the drain hose. Typically attached to the waste trap under the sink, the drain hose will be connected via a spigot. Faulty heating – If the machine turns off in the first half hour, the water may not be heating up correctly, which will signal for the machine to stop mid-cycle. On the other hand, if the cycle stops past 30 minutes the water may be overheating, again forcing the cycle to come to a halt. The most likely cause for this is a faulty thermistor. Unlike a normal multimeter, insulation testers use a much higher voltage to test for a resistance leak. If I press the test button here you can see that the meter attached to the megger is giving a reading well over 500 volts, whereas a multimeter would typically use nine volts to measure. In many cases the washing machine starts running fine, and completes the wash cycle but then trips the breaker, fuse or RCD when the spin cycle begins.

But if you're struggling to fit the machine under your worktop, you could try lowering the machine's adjustable feet to gain an extra few centimetres. If the feet are level, then it might be the surface causing the issue. Uneven flooring can create a shaky machine so you can try sitting it on a sturdy piece of wood or old desktop and manoeuvre the corners to even it out.

As we have explained the wash heater largely either heats or it doesn’t, there’s really no in between and no way for it to affect the performance really. Other than if it's failed obviously but then, that's obvious enough. This is a common cause of washing machine electrical problems. The heating element is submerged in water and can earth out if it’s damaged. It could also be the wiring which connects to the element which can be faulty.

How to Check the Temperature of Washing Machine Water

Here at eSpares, we have a wide-range of replacement washing machine elements for you to select from - so you can soon be on your way to repairing it yourself.