What would we do without our washing machines? It pretty exciting when you get a brand new one and bring it home. But do you really want to tackle unboxing it and installing it yourself? Let’s go over the steps to this DIY project and then you can decide. This guide will walk you through connecting your machine to your water lines.
Step One: Locate Your Home’s Main Water Shut-off Valve and Turn It Off
You will need to connect your washing machine to the water lines, so the first thing to do is to find the main water line and shut-off. This valve is often found in your garage-near the water heater. You should always know where this is anyway because if there’s a leak in your home, turning off the main water shut-off valve will stop the water flow and help to prevent serious water damage.
Step Two: Determine the Designated Space and Get Ready to Connect
Connecting your washing machine to the water lines is pretty easy-unless you happen to want it in a different spot than is designated. Even moving it a few feet can get complicated if the machine’s hoses don’t reach the desired location. You don’t want a lot of excess hose either that can get pinched behind the machine. If you need longer hoses, you may be able to find replacement ones and their fittings at a hardware store. Your measurement needs to be right on to ensure that you have enough hose to connect the washing machine to the water lines easily.
“Measure twice and cut once!” Great advice, but not everyone gets this step right. If measurements give you pause, you may be wondering if it’s time to hire a plumber. A licensed and professional plumber will measure the proper distance from the installed water line shut-off valves to the washing machine and then install the correct length of hose.
Step Three: Connect the Hoses to the Hot and Cold-Water Lines
This step involves connecting the machine to two separate lines. This connection ensures that water flows properly from the valves to the machine. The cold-water line should have a blue valve and the hot-water line should have a red valve. Follow the machine manufacturer’s instructions carefully and double-check all connections. If the hoses are not tightly connected, water may leak, causing damage to your home.
Step Four: Discharge pipe
In this step, the focus is to run the discharge pipe from the back of your washing machine to the designated hole for drainage. There should be ample room for the discharge hose to bend into the hole and allow for a little movement that can occur when a load is running. Again, this is pretty easy unless you want it in a new location. If that is the case, it is best to call a plumber.
Step Six: Test and Check Your Connections
The last step entails turning back on the main water shut-off valve and checking all connections for leaks. If there are no leaks, you’re done. Plug in the electric cord and run a short test cycle to make sure everything is good to go. You can now enjoy using your new washing machine without worry.
While it may seem daunting to connect your washing machine to the waterlines but the process is actually quite simple. By following the above steps, you should be able to do it yourself in no time. However, if you are unsure or not comfortable with doing it yourself, there is no shame in hiring a Las Vegas Plumbing company to do it for you. After all, ensuring that your washing machine is properly connected to a water line is important for your machine and your home.
