PSA: I used to think the little rubber gasket on a washing machine pump filter was optional, but finding a puddle under a unit I serviced in Phoenix last week proved me wrong. | Appliance Repairers - Guest Forum
PSA: I used to think the little rubber gasket on a washing machine pump filter was optional, but finding a puddle under a unit I serviced in Phoenix last week proved me wrong.
I swapped the pump but skipped the 50-cent gasket, and the slow leak ruined the customer's new laminate floor, which taught me that even the smallest, cheapest part has a specific job.
Okay but come on, a whole floor ruined from one tiny leak? That seems like a bigger problem than just a missing gasket. Maybe the floor wasn't installed right to begin with if a little water did that much damage. Those things are supposed to handle some moisture. Feels like we're missing part of the story here.
That's the thing with laminate, it's basically cardboard with a picture of wood on top. Once water gets under the planks, it swells and warps the whole section. It doesn't take a flood, just a steady drip in the same spot over a few days. A properly installed floor might buy you some time, but it's not waterproof at all.