Thinking about plumbing a washing machine by yourself without experience? Advice from your local Aberdeen plumbing experts.

Basics on washing machine installation and removal

Installing a washing machine in most circumstances is a straight forward task, however sometimes there are rare occurrences which makes a relatively intuitive process a little more challenging.

Such difficulties experiences are as follows:

• Washing machine needs height adjustment to fit under worktop
• Washing machine hose leaks at connections
• Washing machine hose is not long enough

Where height reduction is required, most manufacturers have available at additional cost what is known as a height reduction kit. The likes of Miele will offer such a solution, obviously saving money and inconvenience on the adjustment of the kitchen worktop! This kit usually will save anywhere up to 3 centimeters in height by essentially lifting the lid on the machine and replacing it with a steel top or metal plate (it is important that you do not however try lifting the lid by yourself or try operating the machine without a lid because not only can this cause warranty compromising damage to your new purchase but also can create knocking and rattling to pull the fine tuned engineering of the machine completely out of sync). Other measure to reduce height include, changing the feet saving yet further valuable centimeters.

Hose leaks are often common issues shortly after poorly installed washing machines begin operating. With such problems, tightening joint and connections will usually bring normal functioning back in line – washers are also common foci for sources of leaks. Some washers need tightening others may have manufacturer faults or hairline cracks which compromise integrity and readiness to keep a water tight seal. Attention to detail in such areas before operating can often save the damage of leaking or even flooding.

Most important tips for installing washing machines:

• Blank off the hot water tap: most washing machines now are built only to receive cold water.
• REMOVE transit bolts to avoid damaging the mechanics!

Washing machine vs. Dishwasher plumbing

Really, if you can install one, you can install the other. Common areas of attention are both cold and hot water supply pipes (for washing machines only, most dishwashers only require cold water supply!) and connectors, waste pipe and connectors, power supply, isolation valves, standpipe which shares waste with the kitchen sink.

Preparing the location, removing all packaging and extras before operating, ensure that all electrics is taken care of by a trained expert.

What to do when your washing machine has a blocked drain
Washing machines like any other plumbed appliance in the home (just like dishwashers) must have a exit pipe which feeds into the waste water circulation. There are times however, when this waste water exit becomes blocked and doesn’t therefore drain properly leading to rather a rather stinky sewage-like substance backing up into the drum even which of course contaminates washes and pollutes the loads of clothes needed to be cleaned.

This also happens commonly where washing machines and kitchen sinks share the same exit pipe and the kitchen sink discharge can overflow back up into the washing machine circulation. This can be quite disruptive, leaving a grimy sediment of rotting waste matter which shifts from the kitchen sink and in turn soils the internal washing machine plumbing. Of course, this reducing the cleaning power of the machine as dirty water from the load is prevented from leaving because of clogging in the necessary outlets.

Such drain problems can usually remedied by the help of a Master Plunger, for example, which can clear the blockage without the need of a plumber.

Approximate cost for plumbing or repairing a washing machine
The time taking to fit most washing machines in my experience shouldn’t be any longer than 30-45 mins. Clearly, no two machines nor home environments are the same, so if there is insufficient outlet piping, for example, to reach the standpipe there might be a quick run out to the van to fit an extension, but really most conceivable obstacles will typically have been thought through by most professionals – and most definitely ours!