Having a washing machine in your home is a great way of saving time and money when doing laundry. Whether you live in an apartment or a house, there is a good chance that there will come a time when you will need to install a washing machine.
However, this task can be a bit complicated if you are not familiar with installing these appliances.
We will try to give you some insight on how to perform best in this process, and, the most important thing is learning how to connect the plumbing hoses and how to maintain your washing machine.
Firstly, we are going to present to you a few options on how to connect your washer drain hose to a drain pipe.
Connecting Your Washer Drain Hose to a Drain Pipe (2 Options)
When you buy a new washer or relocate your old one, you will need to make connections to a water supply and a wastewater drain.
Having a standpipe or laundry sink is the most common solution for connecting the drain hose. Let’s take a look at how these connections work.
Utility Sink Connection
Although utility sinks are considered as an easier solution, it does require a bit of plumbing knowledge to install them correctly.
It’s important to place the sink as close to the drainpipe as possible and to leave a sizeable air gap between the end of the drain hose and the bottom of the sink (this prevents water from going back into the washer).
Keep in mind that if you don’t already have water lines and piping set up in your household you may have to call a professional.
Remember to make sure that the drain pipe from the sink drain is large enough to handle the amount of water being drained from the washer. Otherwise, the basin can overflow causing the drainage to fail.
That’s why it is important to make sure beforehand that the sink is designed to handle the flow of water being pumped from the washer.
One more thing to remember is, if you have a sink strainer, be sure to have it checked and cleaned regularly because if it gets clogged it can cause flooding.
Dedicated Washing Machine Drain Pipe
This system is considered to have an advantage over the utility sink. It may be harder to install but it is way more practical. The difference between the two is that a dedicated drain pipe is often a larger diameter than a sink drain. There is less chance that it will get clogged or displaced.
Another advantage is that it connects at a higher ground, above the washer.
Warning: Be sure to always carefully follow the instruction manuals on the package. Connection height, length, materials, and fittings are all key configurations to pay attention to. If you don’t install the connection properly it can lead to poor draining that leads to flooding.
Washing Machine Discharge Hose Maintenance
Professionals recommend that washing machine drain hoses should be inspected regularly and replaced every 3 to 5 years as a part of a regular household maintenance program.
Inspection should include:
- Checking if the hose connections are secure. If your washer is relocated or if it gets out of balance drain hoses can become loose.
- Notice if there is any rust on the connectors or cracks in the hose.
- Dampness is a sign of a leak, in that case, replacement should happen immediately.
Adding a filter to the end of the hose drain is also a good idea. You can either use socks or some old pantyhose (homemade filters) or you can purchase a ready-made filter made of aluminum. The filter prevents dirt from your clothes from getting stuck in the drain pipe.
Whatever filter you use make sure to remove it from time to time. If there is debris gathered in your filter you can clean it by spraying it with water from a garden hose. It is crucial to get rid of debris and lint as it can also lead to clogging.
Washer Drain Hose Common Materials
There are two basic types of washing machine hoses: a rubber drain hose or a stainless steel braided hose. Both can be found either in home improvement stores or online (Amazon is always a great choice).
Rubber Drain Hose
Rubber hoses have been around for decades, but modern ones differ from the older models because they are additionally strengthened with a braided rayon or polyester mesh.
This type of hose is less expensive, but when buying it make sure that the label says ‘’reinforced’’ for best quality.
Stainless Steel Braided Hose
This is actually a very flexible plastic hose covered with a flexible mesh of stainless steel wire.
This type of hose is a bit more expensive than the rubber one, but it’s more reliable and durable to physical damage such as cutting or twisting.
Although they are usually labeled burst-proof, stainless steel isn’t always failure-free.
Why Do Washing Machine Plumbing Fail?
Did you know that water damage from hose bursts are one of the leading insurance claims? If you happen to have this problem, hopefully, you will be at home to address it before it causes some serious damage.
Here are some of the reasons why hoses can fail:
- Age of the hose (if the hose is older than five years there is a greater chance that it will fail)
- Poor water quality creating degradation inside the hose
- Installation errors
These are important to mention in order for you to have an insight of what might go wrong with your hose.
Conclusion: On Washing Machine Plumbing Connections
Although almost every household has a washing machine these days, people don’t know very much about them.
We hope this article helped you become a little bit more informed about the types of connections and hoses that exist and gave you some insight into how a washing machine functions.
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