If you have just bought a new washing machine or you’re moving an existing machine to a new house, you might want to plumb it in yourself.
We will be going through everything you need to do to install a washing machine in a house.
Some things you’re going to need:
- spanner to remove some bolts
- An extended washing machine drain pipe if the machine is far away from the drains
- An extended washing machine fill hose if the water supply is far away from the machine
Installing a washing machine
We have broken down how to install a washing machine into 6 easy steps. Let’s go through them.
1. Remove all of the packaging and anything from inside the drum
Washing machines will usually be delivered with various packaging to protect the machine while it’s in transit.
You should remove all of the packaging including the styrofoam from under the machine. It’s common for some of this to be inside the machine, so you might need to lean it back.
Take a look inside the washing machine door and remove any of the pipes and the manual. Make sure nothing is left inside the machine.
2. Remove the transit bolts
The transit bolts are located at the back of the machine and hold the drum steady while it’s being moved.
They help to stop the drum from hitting the sides of the cabinet and prevent any parts from being damaged.
They need to be removed before the machine is used and if they are not taken out, it can damage the drum.
You can use a spanner to unscrew the bolts and you need to make sure that the plastic holders drop down into the machine.
You can then lean the machine back or forwards to remove the plastic casings.
You should save the transit bolts in case you need to move the machine again in the future.
3. Fit the water fill pipe to the water inlet valve
Your new machine should have been supplied with a water fill hose. These are usually blue.
You screw the end of the pipe onto the valve on your washing machine.
It is important that you line it up properly or it will leak. Don’t overtighten it as you can damage the seals and you will have to get a new pipe.
Make sure that the pipe is securely fit and that it’s not loose enough to allow water out.
4. Fit the drain pipe to the waste pipe under the sink
The water drain pipe is grey and will be coming out of the bottom of the machine. You will need to feed it over to the plumbing under your sink.
You need to push the drain pipe onto one of the available spigots. Make sure you remove any water stopped off the end of the spigot or the machine will not drain.
If you’re worried about the drain pipe coming off or leaking, you can wrap some waterproof tape around the end to make it more secure.
5. Fit the water fill pipe to the water supply tap
You now need to fit the water pipe into the water supply tap. These will often be near the plumbing under your sink.
You’re looking for an available tap that has a blue cap on the top, indicating that it’s the cold water supply.
Make sure that you line the fill pipe up properly before you screw it on to avoid leaks.
Once you have fitted the pipe, you need to turn the water supply on. Turn it slowly and look for any drips or leaks at both the supply tap end and the washing machine inlet valve.
If you are happy that the pipes have been fitted properly, you can push the machine in.
Take care when pushing the machine in as you can bend or kink both of the pipes. This can lead to drain and fill problems in the future.
6. Push the machine into place and adjust the feet
If the machine doesn’t seem level, you need to adjust the feet at the bottom of the machine.
You can turn them anticlockwise to make the machine taller which helps to even out the machine.
Make sure that you can’t push the machine off balance by hand because this would mean that it’s going to shake around and vibrate while it’s spinning.
When you’re happy, you can connect the machine to the electrical supply.
Running a test cycle
Now that you have the machine installed, it’s time to run a test cycle.
Putting the machine on a quick wash is the best way to check for leaks or instability in the machine.
Make sure you stay present for the test cycle and be ready to unplug the machine in case of any leaks.
Things to look out for on a test cycle:
- Make sure there’s no water coming from the machine – if there is it’s probably the water fill pipe.
- If the machine is shaking or vibrating it will need to be levelled out properly.
- Make sure that no error codes are present on the LCD – if one pops up you need to search it up and rectify the problem.
- Make sure that the machine drains the water away at the end of the cycle – if the machine is experiencing drain problems, it might be because something is blocking the end of the drain pipe.
If you’re doing some research before you buy a new machine, you might want to take a look at our handy guide about what to look out for when buying a new washing machine.
