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How-To

Plumbing a Washing Machine

Learn how to install the water valves and washer drain, then hook up the washer.

By Rex Cauldwell
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The simplest and least expensive method to connect water lines to a clothes washer is with hose bibbs screwed into drop-ear elbows. Drop-ear elbows are made for all pipes. Pick the elbow for the type of pipe you are using—PEX, CPVC, or copper—and secure it to the wall 1. Screw the hose bibb in the drop-ear elbow, first hand tight, then wrench tight, leaving the hose threads pointing straight down 2. You can also use a boiler drain or a ball-valve boiler drain. Basically any valve with 1⁄2-in. male threads and a hose bibb on the opposite end will work.

drop-ear elbow
1. Install a drop-ear elbow that will accept the water-line you are using.

Screw the hose bibb into the drop-ear elbow
2. Screw the hose bibb into the drop-ear elbow, with the hose threads down.

 

Boiler drains and ball valve hose bibbs
Boiler drains and ball valve hose bibbs can be used in lieu of standard hose bibbs.

Common black washer hose and heavy-duty stainless-steel braided hose
Common black washer hose has a habit of blistering and leaking. Use heavy-duty stainless-steel braided hose instead.

 

Drilling Masonry Walls

Drilling a masonry wall requires a few special tools. A hammer drill does the trick, because it hammers as it turns, making the work go quickly. Buy masonry screws (with 1⁄4-in. or 5⁄16-in. hex heads) by the box, and the correct drill size will come with it.

hammer drill, a carbide bit, and concrete screws
To drill concrete, you need a hammer drill, a carbide bit, and concrete screws.

a carbide bit
Drill holes at the appropriate locations with a carbide bit.

Anchor the fixture with concrete screws
Anchor the fixture with concrete screws, using a hex drive on your cordless drill.

 

 

Picking a washer box

Washer boxes are typically designed to mount between studs (or on a stud) using supplied brackets. Don’t buy a washer-box-only kit. It’s cheap and not a true kit. This kind of box requires long-shanked valves (the 1⁄2-in. threaded ends must be long enough to fit through the box and still have enough length for the water line), and such valves generally have to be special ordered.

 

WARNING: Avoid washer boxes with round-handled valves. In time, these valves corrode in place and become impossible to turn.

 

The valves within the boxes define the quality of the unit. A good box will have valves with lever handles A. A better box will feature a single easy-turn lever that closes and opens both valves at the same time B. The best box will use a single easy-turn lever but will also incorporate antishock valves to cushion the water hammer vibration that occurs when the washer solenoid turns on and off C. Installing the water lines and drains on either side of a stud offers you optional drain installations and a neater-looking setup D.

easy-turn valves.
A. Good. This box has easy-turn valves.

single handle for both hot and cold
B. Better. This box has a single handle for both hot and cold.

single easy-turn handle and anti-shock valves
C. Best. This box has a single easy-turn handle and anti-shock valves.

water and drain boxes side by side
D. Placing the water and drain boxes side by side onto a stud gives you the option of putting the drainpipe in a different stud cavity.

 

Installing a Washer Drain

WASHER DRAIN SPECIFICATIONS

washer drain

A washer drain consists of 2-in. drainpipe (typically schedule 40 PVC) with a stand pipe of around 36 in. that feeds into a 2-in. horizontal P-trap A,B,C.

a standard box, a 2-in. trap may not
A. Using a standard box, a 2-in. trap may not fit a 16-in. cavity if the horizontal run pipe is kept at 4 in. (twice pipe diameter) or longer.

washer trap
B. A washer trap fits easily if the stud cavity is lengthened to 18 in.
Using a split box
C. Using a split box allows the washer trap and stand pipe to be in the same wall cavity without interference from the water lines.

 

WHAT CAN GO WRONG: Codes require a horizontal run after the trap of at least twice the pipe diameter, or 4 in. for a 2-in. drain. This horizontal run keeps the P-trap from functioning as an unintentional and illegal S-trap. The horizontal distance reference is from the trap weir (the water in the trap) to the bend of the elbow or T-fitting, not the length of horizontal pipe between the two.

 

Hooking Up a Washer

Once the valves and drain are in place, it’s time to hook up the washer. This means connecting the washer hoses to the washer and the valves in the washer box as well as connecting the washer drain.

WASHER AND DRYER CLEARANCES

Washer and Dryer Clearances

Just before you push the washer in place, tighten the washer hoses on the washer solenoid 1. Attach the opposite end of the washer hoses to the valves in the washer box 2. Be sure to keep hot to hot and cold to cold when you attach the hose ends to the valves in the box. Then insert the end of the washer drain hose into the drainpipe of the washer box 3. Turn the water on, and check for leaks. To verify hot is hot and cold is cold, turn the washer to cold wash and check that cold water is going into the tub.

 

WHAT CAN GO WRONG: In new construction, most codes require washer outlets to be roughed in, even if the owner doesn’t want them.

 

Attach the hoses
1. Attach the hoses to the washer outlet on the solenoid.

attach the other end of the washer hoses
2. Attach the other end of the washer hoses to the valves in the washer box.

insert the washer drain
3. Insert the washer drain into the drain pipe.

 


Taunton's Plumbing Complete bookExcerpted from Taunton’s Plumbing Complete by Rex Cauldwell.

Available at Amazon.com.

 

Previous: The Laundry Wall Laundry List Next: The (Often Painful) Evolution of Residential Fire Sprinklers

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View Comments

  1. Somo | Dec 29, 2024 04:17pm | #1

    I have a Costway semi-automatic washing machine. How can I connect it with the water supply? Which hose and the other parts name to buy?

    Thank you.

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