Nobody thinks about the washing machine until the floor is wet. Mom knew which hose was getting stiff, when the valve was being stubborn, and when to shut the water off before a trip. That knowledge lived in her hands, not on paper, so it needs to be written down now.
Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.
What to do tonight
Go to the laundry room with a flashlight and look behind the machine. You are looking at two supply hoses, one for hot water and one for cold, plus the drain hose. Check each one for bulges, cracks, crusty white or green spots, and any dampness where the hose meets the valve or the machine. If you can safely feel the rubber, a hose that feels soft, sticky, or swollen is ready to fail. Find the shutoff valves on the wall and turn each one a quarter turn and back to make sure it moves. If one is stuck, do not force it hard. Write it down and plan a repair call.
Write what you found on an index card and tape it to the dryer or the wall beside the machine. Include the day you looked, what was fine, and what needs attention. The next person who checks will know where to start.
Who owns this job
Pick one person and say the name out loud. If Dad owns it, the task should be small and specific: look behind the machine every few months, and shut the valves if the house will be empty for several days. If you own it, put a reminder on your phone that reads washer hoses, look behind machine, check valves. A task owned by everyone is owned by no one, and that is how a hose fails on a Sunday night.
How to keep it working
Look at the hoses every few months and again after anyone moves the machine. When you see wear on a rubber supply hose, replace it with a braided stainless steel hose of the same thread size. Bring the old hose to the hardware store so the new one matches. Clean the lint filter and any drain pump filter the machine has, because a clogged drain pushes water back out the wrong way. Make sure the drain hose stays seated in the standpipe or sink so it cannot slide free during a spin. Dad will forget to shut the valves when he leaves town for a few days, so put a card on the valve handles that says turn off when away.
When to call a repair person
Call when you see water under the machine, a bulge in any hose, a dripping valve, or a machine that thumps or walks across the floor during a spin. Call also if the water flow into the machine seems weak, since the inlet screen may need cleaning. If the floor has been wet for more than a day, dry it, check the wall and the ceiling of the room below, and call a repair person the same day. Ask the repair person to show you where the shutoff valve is and how to close it, so the next time the family knows the route without a phone call.