Washing Machine Plumbing UK Members

[aeg03]

Hi all,

I'm in process of buying a new place and going through the usual stuff that goes with getting a new home. The flat is 11 years old but when I went to look at the kitchen, I didn't recall seeing any pipes for the washing machine in the empty slot, just pipes for the boiler that is above.

I thought I checked under the sink, but again, didn't recall seeing any plumbing under there for the washer, but I did check very briefly and didn't expect to get it.

The question is, is it easy to put a tap on the main water tap pipe under the sink and create some sort of outlet for the washing machine. Maybe changing the bit underneath the sink. Has anyone ever had to do this before?

The next dilemma I will have is what washing machine to buy. I really want one with a water jet that I can afford. I normally wouldn't go for a Hoover Candy machine but I like the look of the Pulse 8 jets or perhaps a Beko with jets in it.

Thanks in advance.

 

[BoschExxcel]

Do Beko do jets for the UK market? I'd probably buy a Whirlpool or Bosch but not everyone is so keen on them.

 

[lamont]

I do not know if it's legal to use in the UK, but I would look into the "sharkbite" style of PEX fittings. The fittings do not need to have copper pipes sweated together, instead, you cut out the templated distance between the 2 pipes(PEX,Copper or PVC)push the fitting onto each side of the cut pipe and run a PEX line from the newly added T fitting, to the new washer hookups with a shutoff. Sharkbite even makes hose bibs with the push-fitting design, making it a true cut and push install.

I used PEX and Sharkbite fittings to re-plumb a 1902 home that had the copper stripped out. I did the entire home in a DAY with PEX and those fittings.

http://www.sharkbite.com

 

[ronhic]

Any plumber should be able to sort it out for you....this would be routine work in the UK.

 

[dascot]

I'd be surprised if there wasn't fittings for the washing machine somewhere in the property - it's such a standard thing in any place that's been built in last 20-30 years or more. If not it is, as ronhic says, an easy job. Won't cost much for a plumber or, if you are feeling competent, it isn't too difficult to do yourself.

 

[aeg03]

Perhaps there's something under the sink. I'm just surprised that there are no holes on the side linking pipes through to under the sink. It's a shared ownership flat, so belongs to a housing association, I just own a percentage.

I'm wondering if maybe the side cabinet was repaired with a new side panel when it became empty as I heard that it was unfortunately repossessed.

If there are no fixings, I wonder how on earth the previous person washed their clothes!!

 

[yogitunes]

heres a quick look at adding a faucet or two......

tapping into your drain under the sink should be just as easy with a variety of "T" fitting configurations....you should be hooked up and running in no time...

a dishwasher drain "T" should work for something like this, and installed in minutes....

adding faucets.......

wanting to finally finish hooking up the Neptune stack, I needed to add part of a station, mainly the faucets.............add in a few simple pieces.....in less than 30 minutes, this machine is now washing/drying clothes.... let's start with a few simple pieces of pipe, 2 drop elbows, 2...

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[vacbear58]

Plumbing

As has been noted above, it is surprising that there is no existing plumbing in that space, are you sure it has been used for a washing machine before? It is a bit of a pain that the central heating pipes run down this area as a standard depth machine will stick out, avoid putting the connections behind the machine for the same reason.

Are you kitchen units on adjustable legs? If so the connections might be under the cupboards, that show I normally do it.

Plumbing is the proverbial piece of p*ss as long as you know what you are doing and take care when you are doing it. It is well within the scope of a "do-it-yourself" project

There should be plenty of advice on line or if you are near a Wickes they have instruction sheets for all sorts of activities around the home. If you are anywhere near south or west London give me a shout (email addy in my profile) and I will be glad to have a look at it for you and advise the best way forward.

Al

 

[hoovermatic]

I had a similar situation in a flat I had in Luton many years ago and I bought one of those self tapping things from B&Q. I confess that I was nervous about tapping into the mains water supply especially in a rented property but luckily it was ground floor so no other residents to flood. It worked a treat, never leaked and I highly recommend it!

http://www.screwfix.com/p/self-cutting-tap-15mm-x/21250

 

[aeg03]

Hi guys,

Thank you all for your responses. I went back to the flat at the weekend and I went to look in the slot in the kitchen and luckily, there is an outlet pipe and taps under the sink and there is holes for the pipes for the washing machine.

I didn't look properly when I first went to view the place as it was an open day.

Just can't decide on what type of washing machine I want. I probably wont move in until 2015 now as its a long process. I was thinking about an 8kg 1400RPM Hotpoint quiet washing machine. I considered Hoover Candy but the drums don't look as big. But I do quite fancy the jets in the machines, I do miss my AEG which had a Jetwas. A friend of mine told me to go for a secondhand Miele from Ebay. I really don't want a second hand washer as I know some people wash on low 30 degree programmes, shut the doors when damp and I don't want any mouldy surprises.

I quite like this machine:

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/household-appliances/laundry-dishwashers/washing-machines/hotpoint-wmfug842p-smart-washing-machine-white-22092951-pdt.html?gclid=CKKnyrmfhMICFfMZtAodqUAAkg&srcid=198&cmpid=ppc~gg~0100+%28DTP%29+MDA+Generic+TV+Deals+-+Laundry~~

 

[aeg03]

Thanks for your help Vacbear,

The flat is in High Wycombe so its not a million miles away but luckily I found out it has plumbing, so I'm very pleased )

 

[washboy2005]

That Hotpoint would be a very good choice.
I have the previous model to this the WMFG741 and its never skipped a beat.

It performs beautifully, never failed with any stain i've thrown at it and the 1400 spin out-performs my mothers 1400 AEG machine.

It's now 15 months old and still performing as great as the day we installed it.
Hotpoint have definitely upped their game with these new ranges and are worlds away from the older WF/WT ranges in terms of performance, build quality and programming.

Dan

 

[aeg03]

Hi Dan,

It looks like it will be the Hotpoint. I too agree that the latest machines seem to be really good and an improvement over the previous ones.

The Indesit Innex which is basically the same look really nice too.

 

[glenfieldmathk1]

agree with Washboy2005

my one that's 1 year 3 months old, is still going strong, as new.

That WMFUG model, is a Curry's Exclusive, and IMO great They really are better built over earlier models, and their latest range is even better built over the previous round door range - and there's now the benefit of the 10 year parts guarantee too.

Hope you enjoy moving in, it will be great (once you've unpacked of course)!

 

[aeg03]

Thank you Glenfieldmathk1,

Now I'm in my early 30s. I thought it was time to get on the property market. The flat is the type I wanted. The kitchen and living room is open plan which is why I wasn't a quiet machine.

I noticed the Hotpoint says SMART something on it. I've never noticed an Indesit/Hotpoint having fuzzy logic of some sort of smart technology before Sonia this genuinely true do you think?

The Hoover Pulse 8 also appealed as it has a 'smart' system and also jets inside the drum.

I really want to buy the machine now, but I'd feel safer once I have the keys in my hand.

 

[dascot]

One thing to bear in mind is how far the machine might stick out, particularly if there are pipes behind it that may stop it being pushed right back. Some of the Hotpoints that have the quieter motors are the bigger machines that will stick out further, not all the machines with less than 60cm depth have the quiet motors. That machine you've linked to above doesn't have the super silent motor in it.

 

[aeg03]

The Hotpoint link I out above has a wash sound of 54 dB (A) so it's quieter than their non silent ones which are normally 58 dB (A) to 60 dB (A) so I think it is one of their silent ones. I don't mind it sticking out slightly. As it's boiler pipes behind,it needs to be away from those.

 

[glenfieldmathk1]

SMART Tech - is basically 3 options, you choose via a button: Speed+ (a fast wash, consuming more energy & water, but faster duration, around 50% faster). Auto+ (the most energy efficient, adjusting to the load, like fuzzy logic). Clean+ (longer duration, deeper water levels, occasional periods of higher agitation -so distri wash, extra rinse - to ensure that stains are removed).
It will default to Auto+.

The machine linked, does have a Super Silent motor (the noise levels are the same as on mine, you can see vids on my Youtube channel). Its pretty quiet, and I certainly wont be swapping to a non brushless motor is future.
Also it may stick out about once the pipes are in, but generally most do (all brands, including forthcoming Ebac models) these day's, ours for instance is out by about 6cms (because the dryer wont go back no further), so we pulled it forward to match it.

 

[glenfieldmathk1]

If you look at the machine, theres a display (with 3 buttons below: Temp, Spin, Delay), theres 3 buttons next to it (Extra Rinse, Reduced Creases, Key Lock/Child Lock), then theres a round button (the round button is the SMART Button).
On The older models it was called wash agitation. It had a delicate option, but they've replaced it with speed, as obviously people weren't using that?