Builders Advice - Washing Machines

A washing machine requires a water supply - sometimes cold only, but normally both hot and cold - and also some means of discharging its contents into the waste water system. It's ideal to place the machine close to existing water and waste pipes in order to make the connections less complicated. Water supplies to the machine can then be connected up via a conventional tee and branch pipe with a stop tap on it, or by means of unique connectors. The machine's outlet hose can be taken to an open-ended standpipe, or can be connected directly either to a unique sink trap or to the sink waste pipe using a unique connector.
Companies that supply washing machines to the householder will typically fit the appliance for an extra fee, but if you're competent with basic plumbing there is no reason not to tackle this job yourself.
Plumbing in a washing machine is a fairly uncomplicated operation. The water supply comes from nearest cold and hot water supply pipes.
The easiest way to break into an existing pipe would be to use a self cutting valve. You must fit this in a suitable position around the pipe, which it is best to first clean with wet and dry abrasive paper. You then tighten the screws holding the two halves of the valve together so that the clamp firmly grips the pipe. By screwing the body of the valve tightly and quickly, you will cut through the pipe and thus release water to flow by means of the valve.
This technique is not only an efficient way to break into the supply system but it also produces an emergency shutoff valve, should you ever need to stop the water supply to the washing machine. You then run your pipework from these valves to a convenient position at the rear of the washing machine.

Cold water supply
When installing the cold water supply, you need to fit a double-check valve before the shut valve to stop back-siphonage, unless the machine itself incorporates one. You then screw the hoses from the washing machine tightly by hand on to the threaded ends of the valves.

Connecting up
The drain hose from the machine can be hooked into a vertical piece of drainpipe with a trap fitted at the bottom. This pipe really should be a minimum 600mm in length. Finally, connect an outlet pipe from the trap through the exterior wall either directly into the drainage stack or to discharge into a convenient gully.

It is important to leave an air gap around the top of the vertical pipe as well as the hose from the machine. If there's no gap, the water could be siphoned out. You'll be able to also connect hoses direct to unique traps fitted beneath the kitchen sink waste outlet.

By: Jim Smithy

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