My washing machine started making a noise during the spin cycle that I can only describe as a dying whale. It would build up to a squeal every time it hit high speed, and my whole laundry room sounded like a horror movie. I was already pricing new machines before I found out the fix cost nothing.

The most common cause: it is not level

Check the leveling feet first. A washing machine that rocks even a tiny bit will vibrate and squeal at high spin speeds. Most machines have adjustable feet at the bottom corners that screw in and out.

Put a bubble level on top of the machine, front to back and side to side. Adjust the feet until the bubble sits centered. Then press down on each corner of the machine to check for rocking. If any corner moves, that foot needs to come down.

Once the machine is level, tighten the locking nuts on the feet so they do not shift during the spin.

When leveling does not fix it

If the squeak continues, stop the machine and check a few other things:

• The shipping bolts. If the machine is new or recently moved, the transit bolts that lock the drum for moving may still be in. They must come out before normal use, and leaving them in causes terrible noise.
• The drum. Reach in and spin it by hand. If you feel grinding or hear a rub, something is caught between the drum and the tub, like a coin or a bra wire.
• The gap around the door. On front loaders, clothes can bunch into the rubber gasket and rub during spin. Check the gasket for trapped items.

When to call someone

A squeak that only happens at very high spin speed, after the machine is level and empty of trapped items, is often the drum bearings. That is a real repair, not a DIY fix, and it may be cheaper to replace the machine depending on its age.

But check the level first. In my case, the back left foot had sunk a quarter inch, and the whole machine was working itself sideways. Once I leveled it, the dying whale vanished. The machine is quiet now and has been for eight months. I keep the bubble level in the laundry room so I can recheck it whenever the floor settles.