Installing a washing machine: connecting to the sewer, electricity and water supply with your own hands

During the installation of the washing machine, it is necessary to take into account the fact that the unit must be connected to three networks at once - water supply, electrical and sewer. It is necessary to choose an installation site so that all three types of communications are side by side. Most often, machines are installed in the bathroom and kitchen. The process of connecting the unit itself is not complicated, so any home craftsman will be able to cope with the entire volume of work on his own.

Choosing a place of installation

The issue with the place of installation should be resolved even before the machine is brought from the store. Modern units are stationary devices, after installation they cannot be moved unnecessarily.

Most often, machines are assigned a place in the bathroom. This is understandable, because there it is easier to connect the washing machine to the water supply and sewer system with your own hands.

If the bathroom has a small area, then you have to equip a place for the unit in the kitchen. In this room, there should also be no problems with connecting the machine to communication systems. When there was not enough space even in the kitchen, it remains to try a very non-standard solution - to install the unit in the hallway. However, it rarely comes to this.

Installation recommendations

When the machine is delivered and removed from the packaging materials, the first step is to unscrew the shipping bolts. They are located on the rear wall and are designed to protect internal structural elements from damage. Then plugs must be inserted into the holes for these bolts. After the performed manipulations, it remains only to correctly connect the washing machine.

Water connection

To connect the washing machine to the water supply, it should be remembered that the pressure in the pipes must be at least one atmosphere. It is also worth taking care of the purity of the water by installing a special filter mesh. Depending on the situation, there may be several ways to connect to the water supply.

If the pipes are made of metal, a ferrule can be used. This device consists of two parts, which must be put on the pipe and tightened with bolts. To ensure the flow of water to the machine, a hole is drilled in the pipe. On the upper part of the coupling there is a threaded branch, into which a ball valve is screwed.

To properly connect the machine to the metal-plastic pipes, a tee fitting is used. Its installation takes place in several stages:

1. A part of the pipe is cut out in the right place.
2. A fitting is inserted into the resulting opening.
3. The ball valve is connected to the tee.
4. The joints are necessarily sealed with rubber cuffs.

A situation is possible when the pipes are walled up into the wall, so the machine will have to be connected to the mixer by yourself. To do this, you need to use a three-way ball valve and an extension. The first part is installed on a cold water pipe, and a mixer is mounted on it.

The extension cord must be placed on the hot water pipe to compensate for the distance of the mixer from the wall. It is quite obvious that the length of the 3-way valve and the extension must be the same.

Sewerage system

The issue of draining dirty water can also be solved in several ways. The simplest is to use the special hose hook included with the machine. In this case, the water is drained into a bath or toilet. However, it is important to remember that the hose outlet must be at least 50 cm above the washing unit.

The second method of connecting to the sewage system involves the purchase of a special siphon with a branch for the hose of the machine. Finding this accessory in specialized retail chains will not be a problem. It should be remembered that the branch must be located above the siphon elbow.

The third way is direct connection to the sewer pipe. This requires an oblique tee. Also, with this connection method several conditions must be met:

1. Be sure to use special seals.
2. The drain hose must be bent in the shape of the letter S and inserted into the pipe so that it does not touch the surface of the waste water.
3. The distance from the top of the hose to the floor must be at least 50 cm.

Electrical network

If the wiring used in the apartment is adapted for the use of powerful household appliances, then there will be no problems with connecting the unit. In such a situation, it is enough just to connect the power cord of the machine to the nearest outlet. Such a fast connection is possible in several cases:

1. The owner of the apartment independently performed the calculation of the wiring and is sure that the conductors are able to withstand the forthcoming loads.
2. In a private house, the electrical wiring is grounded.
3. The outlet group to which the washing machine will be connected has its own circuit breaker or difavtomat.

If there is old wiring in the house, then a grounding conductor and protection devices must be introduced into its circuit. Even with a little experience working with an electrician, there should be no problems to implement all the changes.

Expert advice

In addition to the most popular ways of connecting the washing machine to communication systems, there are others. It should be remembered that not all of them are advisable to use. In order not to shorten the life of the washing unit, there are a few tips to follow:

1. It is strictly forbidden to connect the grounding conductor to heating batteries or water and gas supply lines.
2. To seal threaded connections, you can use not only FUM tapes, but also sanitary flax in combination with Unipak-type paste.
3. In the absence of a central water supply, the machine can be connected to a simple barrel of water. However, in such a situation, the tank should be located 4 m above the washing unit.
4. The machine must be set at the building level in order to avoid strong vibrations.
5. Do not put pieces of linoleum or rubber under the legs. The height of the unit can only be adjusted by twisting and unscrewing them.

After carrying out all the measures to connect the machine, you can check its performance. For this you need to fill the tank, checking the tightness of all connections. If no leaks were found, it is allowed to start the unit. The process of installing the washer does not require serious knowledge of electrical or plumbing. If desired, any apartment owner will cope with this task.