Drains while filling
You hear water entering and draining at nearly the same time, or the tub never seems to reach the normal level.
Start here: Start with the drain hose and standpipe setup. A siphon is more likely than a bad control.
Washer keeps running
Washer Drains Then Refills
Direct answer: When a washer drains then refills, the two most common causes are a drain hose that is siphoning water out of the tub or a washer water inlet valve that is not closing fully. Start with the drain hose position and standpipe setup before assuming an internal part failed.
Most likely: Most often, the washer drain hose is pushed too far down the standpipe or sealed too tightly, so the machine drains and then keeps calling for more water.
Watch what the washer does right after it fills. If the tub level drops on its own and the machine adds water again, think siphon first. If water creeps back in even with the washer off, think inlet valve. Reality check: a lot of "bad washer" calls turn out to be a drain hose shoved too deep into the pipe. Common wrong move: taping or sealing the drain hose tight into the standpipe, which makes the siphon problem worse.
Don’t start with: Do not start by replacing the timer, control, or random electrical parts. This symptom is usually a hose setup problem or a fill valve that is leaking through.
Water level drops during or right after fillCheck the washer drain hose height and make sure the standpipe opening is not sealed around the hose.
Tub refills even when the washer is turned offShut the water supply valves and see whether the water stops creeping in, which points to a leaking washer water inlet valve.
Last reviewed: 2026-04-05
What this usually looks like
Refills after it drains
The washer drains, then immediately starts adding water again as if it thinks the tub is empty.
Start here: Look for a siphon first, then consider a pressure hose or pressure sensor problem if the drain setup is correct.
Water creeps back in when off
The cycle is over, but clean water slowly appears in the tub hours later.
Start here: Test the water supply shutoffs. If the water stops with the valves closed, the washer water inlet valve is leaking through.
Only happens on one cycle or water level
The problem shows up mostly on deep fill, bulky, or certain programmed cycles.
Start here: Still check the drain hose first, then inspect the pressure hose connection because level-sensing faults often show up on larger fills.
Most likely causes
1. Washer drain hose siphoning through the standpipe
This is the most common reason a washer drains then refills. If the hose is too low, too deep, or sealed into the pipe, the tub can pull itself empty and the washer keeps trying to recover the water level.
Quick check: Pull the drain hose back so it is not jammed deep into the standpipe, and leave an air gap around it. Then run a fill and watch whether the water level holds.
2. Washer water inlet valve leaking through
If water returns to the tub after the cycle ends or while the washer is sitting off, the inlet valve may not be closing all the way.
Quick check: Turn off both washer supply valves after the tub starts refilling. If the water stops entering, the washer water inlet valve is the likely failed part.
3. Washer pressure hose loose, kinked, or split
The washer decides when to stop filling based on air pressure from the tub. If that small hose is off, pinched, or leaking, the machine can misread the water level and keep refilling after draining.
Quick check: Unplug the washer, remove the access panel your machine uses, and inspect the small pressure hose from the tub to the pressure sensor for cracks, loose fit, or rub-through spots.
4. Washer pressure sensor or control not reading water level correctly
This is less common, but it fits when the drain setup is right, the inlet valve passes the shutoff test, and the pressure hose looks intact.
Quick check: If the washer still overfills or refills with a correct drain setup and sound pressure hose, the level-sensing circuit needs model-specific diagnosis.
Step-by-step fix
Step 1: Watch for a siphon before opening the washer
A siphoning drain hose is the fastest, safest fix and the most common one for this symptom.
- Start a normal fill cycle with the washer empty.
- Listen at the standpipe or laundry sink for water running out while the washer is still filling or just after it reaches level.
- Check whether the washer drain hose is pushed too far down the standpipe.
- Make sure the hose is not taped, foamed, or sealed tightly into the drain opening.
- Set the hose so it hooks into the standpipe securely but still leaves open air around it.
Next move: If the tub now fills and holds its level, the problem was siphoning from the drain setup. If the water level still drops or the tub refills later, keep going to separate a valve problem from a sensing problem.
What to conclude: A washer cannot hold the right water level if the drain hose is pulling water out on its own.
Stop if:
- Water is overflowing from the standpipe or laundry sink.
- The drain hose is damaged, split, or will not stay secured safely.
- Moving the hose requires pulling the washer in a way that could kink supply lines or damage the floor.
Step 2: Check the drain hose height and standpipe condition
Even when the hose is not shoved in too deep, a hose that sits too low or a standpipe setup that is wrong can still cause repeat siphoning.
- Trace the washer drain hose from the back of the machine to the standpipe or sink.
- Make sure the hose rises up before it drops into the drain opening, rather than running low along the floor straight into the pipe.
- Look for a standpipe that is very short, loose, or constantly backing up.
- If the washer drains into a laundry sink, make sure the hose end is clipped high and not lying down in standing water.
Next move: If correcting the hose routing stops the refill behavior, no internal washer repair is needed. If the drain setup looks right and the symptom remains, test whether fresh water is leaking back in through the fill system.
What to conclude: This step separates a house-side drain setup issue from a washer-side fill or sensing issue.
Step 3: Do the shutoff test for a leaking washer water inlet valve
A washer water inlet valve that does not close fully will let clean water seep into the tub, which looks like mysterious refilling.
- Let the washer finish draining, or cancel the cycle so the tub is mostly empty.
- When water starts creeping back in, turn off both hot and cold supply valves at the wall.
- Wait several minutes and watch the tub.
- If the water stops entering with the supply valves closed, reopen one valve at a time only if you need to confirm which side is leaking through.
Next move: If closing the supply valves stops the refill, the washer water inlet valve is the likely failed part. If water level behavior does not change with the supply valves closed, the washer is more likely misreading water level or siphoning through the drain path.
Step 4: Inspect the washer pressure hose and level-sensing connection
If the washer cannot read tub pressure correctly, it may keep adding water after draining or restart filling when it should be done.
- Unplug the washer before removing any panel.
- Access the area where the small pressure hose runs from the outer tub up to the pressure sensor or switch.
- Look for a hose that has slipped off, is kinked, rubbed through, or split near either end.
- Check for soap residue or debris at the tub air dome connection if it is visible and easy to reach.
- Reconnect a loose hose firmly. Replace the hose if it is cracked or soft and collapsing.
Next move: If the hose was loose or damaged and the washer now completes a cycle without refilling, you found the fault. If the hose is intact and connected but the washer still drains then refills, the pressure sensor or control is the next likely internal cause.
Step 5: Finish with the most likely repair path
By now you should know whether this is a drain setup issue, a leaking fill valve, or a level-sensing fault.
- If the washer was siphoning, leave the drain hose corrected and run a full rinse and spin cycle to confirm the water level stays stable.
- If the shutoff test pointed to the washer water inlet valve, replace that valve with the exact fit for your model.
- If the pressure hose was damaged, replace the washer pressure hose and retest on a normal cycle and a deep-fill cycle if your machine has one.
- If the drain setup is correct, the inlet valve passed the shutoff test, and the pressure hose is sound, stop replacing guess-parts and schedule model-specific diagnosis for the pressure sensor or control.
A good result: The washer should fill once, hold the right level, drain normally, and stay empty after the cycle ends.
If not: If the symptom remains after the matching repair, the machine needs deeper model-specific testing of the level-sensing circuit and control logic.
What to conclude: A clean result here confirms the root cause instead of chasing multiple parts.
Replacement Parts
Repair Riot may earn a commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
FAQ
Why does my washer drain and then start filling again?
Most of the time, the washer is siphoning water out through the drain hose, so it keeps trying to replace the lost water. The other common cause is a washer water inlet valve that leaks water back into the tub after it should be closed.
Can a clogged drain cause a washer to refill?
A house drain problem usually causes slow draining, backing up, or overflow at the standpipe or sink. It is less likely to cause true refilling, but a bad standpipe setup or water around the hose end in a laundry sink can create siphoning that looks similar.
How do I know if the washer water inlet valve is bad?
If clean water slowly enters the tub while the washer is off, turn off the wall supply valves. If the water stops, the washer water inlet valve is likely leaking through.
What does a pressure hose do on a washer?
The washer pressure hose carries an air signal from the tub to the pressure sensor or switch. That signal tells the washer how much water is in the tub. If the hose is loose, split, or kinked, the washer can fill or refill at the wrong time.
Should I replace the control board if my washer drains then refills?
Not first. Control problems are possible, but they are not the usual cause for this symptom. Check for siphoning, then do the inlet valve shutoff test, then inspect the pressure hose before considering deeper electronic diagnosis.
Why does this happen more on deep-fill or bulky cycles?
Those cycles use more water, so siphoning and level-sensing problems show up more clearly. A hose setup that barely works on small loads may fail on higher water levels.