A washing machine has long become a familiar thing in almost every apartment. The connection of the device can be carried out by the masters from the store where it was purchased, or by invited specialists. But many people prefer to install a washing machine on their own, especially since the process is not so complicated. If this household appliance was inherited from relatives or friends, or you simply don’t want to spend money on the services of specialists, then you can do all the work yourself. So how do you properly install a washing machine? For the normal functioning of the machine, you need to comply with all the requirements for its installation, correctly connect to the necessary communications, and also figure out how to ground the washing machine and why it is needed.
How to choose the right place for the washing machine?
The selection of a place for connecting a washing machine must be made even before choosing its model. This is explained simply: it is much easier to choose a unit with the necessary dimensions than to puzzle over where to put an already purchased device.
The washing machine will have to be connected to the sewer and water supply. It would be wiser to choose a place for installation near them. There are several options.
Bathroom
The easiest solution is to install a washing machine in the bathroom. Very often, washing machines are placed in it. The advantages are obvious: all communications are close, the drain hose can simply be directed to the bathroom. But there are also disadvantages of such placement.
- Due to the high humidity in the bathroom, you can not put a regular socket, it should only be waterproof.
- All parts and assemblies of the automatic machine will have to work in conditions of excessive humidity, which will not extend their service life.
- Most bathrooms in apartment buildings are more than modest in size. You have to sacrifice something to put a washing machine there. Sometimes in such cases, the sink is removed, which does not add convenience.
Kitchen
Here communications are also nearby, and there is more free space. In this case, the automatic machine is installed under the countertop, and for this it is not even necessary to select an embedded model. Please note that the under-counter washing machine must be placed on the floor, and not on the basement of the furniture, and the back of the box in which it will be located must be absent.
hallway or closet
With sufficient width, you can install a washing machine in the corridor. But it is better if there is a small closet next to the bathroom. It is ideal: it is easy to make a hole in the partition for laying communications, and comfortable conditions will ensure a long life for all units and mechanisms.
During operation, the washing machine is subjected to strong vibrations, so it is advisable to install it on a hard base - concrete or ceramic tiles. How to install a washing machine on a wooden floor that amplifies vibration? You can use special rubber stands that dampen not only vibrations, but also noise. You can buy them at the same store that sells washing machines.
Preparing the washing machine for installation
How to install a washing machine so that it does not jump and shake? If the car is new and just delivered from the store, then the first thing to do is to rid it of the box and fasteners that protect the product during transportation. It can be bars and staples.
When transporting the washing machine, the rotating parts are rigidly fixed with bolts. They should be unscrewed and the holes closed with plastic plugs from the delivery set. The drum should hang on the springs.After turning on a machine that has not previously removed these bolts, it is likely that a costly repair cannot be avoided.
When delivering from the store, all these manipulations should be performed even before signing the receipt documents. It is necessary to carefully check the washing machine for external damage and scratches. If you shake it a little, then there should be no knocks or other extraneous sounds. Without such a check, it is quite possible to receive a unit with a defect, and it will be almost impossible to prove that the device was not damaged by you.
The washing machine is installed on a pedestal and leveled with a level. Retractable legs are used for adjustment. The slightest distortion is fraught with increased vibration and noise during washing.
Connecting the washing machine to the water supply
The process of supplying water to the washing machine is simple. We will tell you how to install and connect the washing machine. Connection schemes may be different, but the general requirements must always be observed:
- The outlet of the pipeline supplying water to the washing machine must be equipped with shutoff valves. The use of ball valves is recommended. Then, if a leak occurs, it will be possible to quickly shut off the water supply to the machine.
- Pipe pressure should not be less than one atmosphere. With insufficient pressure, you will have to install a special pump.
- Clogged water can quickly damage the mechanism of the washing machine. As a rule, most of their models are equipped with standard mechanical filters. If water of increased hardness enters the apartment, it is recommended to additionally install a polyphosphate filter. It is a flask filled with an active substance that prevents scale formation. The filter media is easy to change as you use it.
It is important to remember that the water that has passed through the polyphosphate cartridge is only suitable for technical needs and cannot be used for food purposes.
To connect the washing machine is usually used flexible hoses ¾ inch diameter. The hot water supply is used very rarely, so one hose is enough to supply cold water.
- If there are metal pipes in the apartment, then it is easiest to make a do-it-yourself connection using a compression coupling. Its two halves are bolted to the pipe, securely fixing the gasket. After that, a hole in a pipe with a diameter of 10 mm is drilled directly through the outlet with a tap thread. A ball valve is installed, and a flexible hose going to the machine is attached to it. The joints are sealed with rubber cuffs.
- A tee is placed on metal-plastic pipes. After a tie-in is made in the right place and a fitting is installed, a faucet and a flexible hose are mounted. You can connect the washing machine to the water supply.
- Sometimes a method is used to supply water to the machine through a tee on the water outlet for a mixer or flush tank. But at the same time, before each wash, you will have to unscrew the flexible hose leading to the mixer. Therefore, this method can be considered only as a temporary option.
Connecting the washing machine to the sewer
In addition to supplying water to the washing machine, it is also necessary to resolve the issue of draining the waste liquid. Simply put, you need to connect a household appliance to the sewer. The easiest way is to attach the drain pipe to the hook that comes with each machine, on the edge of the tub or sink. But this method is also the most unreliable: you cannot use a bath or sink at the same time, in addition, the drain hose can simply be accidentally touched, which will lead to flooding of the neighbors. Therefore, it is more reliable to make a stationary connection of the washing machine.
There may be several options:
- Through the sewer communications of the sink, for which you need to purchase a special siphon with a tap for washing machines. It should be located above the knee of the siphon. In this case, the unit must be installed side by side, since the drain hose cannot be extended.
- Insert the machine hose into the plastic sewer pipe. It is not difficult to make a hole in it with a hacksaw, after which a tee and a section with a pipe are inserted into it. All connections are securely sealed, and the drain hose is inserted into a separate siphon.
Often in the design of the drain of many washing machines there is a check valve that prevents water from being sucked from the sewer. If not, then the drain hose must have an S-shaped bend and be positioned as written in the instructions. That is, the tie-in to the sewer should be below the level of the washing machine tank.
How to properly connect the washing machine to the power supply?
Modern models of washing machines have a fairly solid power, which averages about 2.5 kW. Despite the presence of double insulation, these devices are sources of increased danger. Therefore, their connection must be made through a separate machine with an RCD (residual current device), and the presence of grounding is also mandatory.
It is important to consider that many companies do not install washing machines if there is no grounded outlet. These expensive appliances are not covered under warranty if they are found to have been used without a ground connection.
In old houses, where sockets do not have a ground wire, grounding is organized through a shield, from which electricity goes to the apartment. If you do the grounding yourself, then remember that you should not connect the body of the washing machine to pipes or heating radiators. This can lead to damage to expensive equipment, and the possibility of electric shock to people in neighboring rooms is not excluded.
A difavtomat will save an expensive car from power surges, break the circuit when water enters or a person touches a bare wire. Modern difautomats combine the useful qualities of conventional automata and RCDs, so it is better to give preference to them. If you are not a qualified electrician, it is better to contact specialists. They will select a difavtomat that is suitable in terms of parameters and provide high-quality protection against electricity.
So that there is no situation when, when the washing machine is turned on, the machine (RCD) knocks out, you need:
- lay high-quality wiring, change the old one;
- install a difavtomat or RCD that is suitable for the network parameters and do it correctly;
- check the condition of the machine.
Washing machine installation cost
The cost of installing a washing machine in Moscow and the Moscow region at a prepared place is from 1000 to 1250 rubles. If plumbing work with a supply of communications is necessary, then the price increases, from 2400 to 2650 rubles. If additional electrician services are needed, then turnkey work will cost from 3400 to 3900 rubles. The cost of work in St. Petersburg is on average 200 - 300 rubles cheaper. For a more accurate calculation, we recommend calling the master at home, for a detailed calculation of the cost.
