How Yakima’s Hard Water Affects Your Washer and Dryer
Yakima’s water supply typically runs between 15 and 20 grains per gallon — well into the “hard” range on the standard water hardness scale. That’s not just a number. Over time, those mineral deposits quietly work against your washing machine and dryer in ways most people don’t notice until something breaks.
What hard water does inside your washer
Every wash cycle pulls Yakima tap water through your machine’s inlet valve, into the drum, through the pump, and out the drain. Along the way, calcium and magnesium deposits gradually build up on every surface they touch — especially the heating element (if your washer has one), the inlet valve screens, and the pump filter. You’ll notice the effects before you see them: clothes that feel stiff or look dingy even after washing, a washer that doesn’t clean as well as it used to, or eventually a machine that starts making unusual sounds as mineral-coated parts begin to wear unevenly.
How it affects your dryer
The dryer itself doesn’t use water, but it’s affected by it indirectly. When your washer doesn’t spin out clothes properly — partly because of scale buildup reducing pump efficiency — those clothes arrive at the dryer holding more water than they should. That means longer drying times, more heat cycles, and more wear on the heating element and drum bearings. If your dryer is taking longer than it used to to dry a normal load, a weakened spin cycle (often caused by washer buildup) is one of the first things to check.
Why technicians in Yakima see this more than elsewhere
When we come out for a washer repair in Yakima, mineral buildup is one of the most common contributing factors we find — especially in machines that are five or more years old and have never had the inlet valve screens or pump filter cleaned. It’s not a reason a machine fails on its own, but it accelerates wear on components that would otherwise last much longer. The fine agricultural dust that drifts in from local orchards during harvest season doesn’t help either — it gets pulled into exhaust vents and works into gaskets and seals over time.
What you can do
Using a descaling agent or running a monthly cleaning cycle goes a long way. Checking and cleaning the pump filter every few months — it’s usually accessible without tools on front-loaders — removes trapped debris before it becomes a real problem. And if your machine is already showing signs of reduced performance, it’s worth having a technician take a look before a small issue compounds into a bigger one.
We’re available Monday through Friday 7 AM–8 PM, Saturday 8 AM–6 PM, and Sunday 10 AM–4 PM. You can reach us at (509) 357-9598. We serve Yakima, Selah, Union Gap, West Valley, and Terrace Heights — no diagnostic fee when you proceed with the repair.