Last updated on August 16th, 2025
This guide is specifically created for Whybuy customers. If your washing machine is flooding, act immediately. Water damage can be serious. This article provides contact names and numbers and will help you stop the water and reduce damage.
What’s the Difference Between a Leak and a Flood?
First, it’s important to know the difference:
- Leak: Small amounts of water escaping, usually around the door, hoses, or seals. Will potentially cause damage over time if unaddressed. If it’s a leak, see our Washing Machine Leak Guide. If it’s a flood, follow this article.
- Flood: Large amounts of water spilling out, likely causing immediate damage to floors or nearby items.
1. Emergency Contacts – Call First
Whybuy Technician Direct Numbers
Time is critical. If you can’t stop the water by following our steps below immediately or need help.
First call our Whybuy technicians. If they do not answer their phones send an SMS.
- Jeremy – 0434 351 198
- Andrew – 0481 341 659
Authorised Contractor Direct Numbers
If you cannot contact our technicians try our authorised contractors. They can assist but will want to invoice for their time. Whybuy will pay their invoice. If they do not answer their phones send an SMS.
- Michael – 0423 771 507
- Oscar – 0419 518 989
- RACV Emergency Home Assist – 13 46 63.
We will pay RACV Home Assist or reimburse you for the invoice.
2. Turn Off the Washing Machine and Power
- Stop the washing machine at the controls if possible.
- Switch off at the powerpoint to cut power completely.
- Switch off all powerpoints in the area and remove electronics and other valuables from the area immediately.
- Switching off the power may stop water flow in some cases and keeps everyone safe from electrical hazards.
3. Turn Off the Water
Stopping the water is the most important step. DO NOT WAIT FOR ASSISTANCE. Most times you can have the water off well before anyone arrives to help you.
- Turn off the taps to your washing machine. No water means no overflow.
- If you can’t access the taps, locate your mains water supply tap.
- Apartments – usually inside a utility cupboard. If there are several taps to several apartments – and you can’t determine which is yours – turn them all off. Once they’re all off you can start turning them back on, one by one in a process of elimination.
- Houses – Usually in the front yard, close to the road, with a garden tap nearby.
- Shut off the mains tap by turning it clockwise to stop water to the whole home if needed. Often it will be very stiff from lack of use.
If you can’t find or turn off the water, contact your property manager, landlord, or anyone who should know where the mains water tap is.
4. Control the Flood
Guide water to a drain if possible. Most bathroom and laundry drains do not slope correctly, so water might pool or escape the area entirely. If you have a drain, a towel can form a dam to encourage water to go down the drain.