Many apartments, especially Soviet-era houses, do not have large kitchens or bathrooms. And these are exactly the rooms where it is most convenient to place an automatic machine: in this case, minimal alterations are required to connect to the water supply and sewerage. The lack of space forces the owners to either completely abandon the sink in the bathroom in order to install a washing machine there, or place them on top of each other. For such a scheme, it is important to choose the right siphon for the sink above the washing machine.
How can I organize the draining of water from the washing machine?
Washing machine manufacturers offer two main drain options:
- Dirty water from the washing machine is drained into the sink, bathroom, toilet (in the case of a combined bathroom) or shower tray. To do this, the delivery set includes not only a drain corrugated hose, but also a special mount that holds it on board another plumbing fixture. The disadvantages of such a scheme are obvious: the hose will have to be fixed with each wash, it is impossible at this time to use the device where the drain is carried out. In addition, there is a possibility that the hose will slip out if it is touched by an inaccurate movement. The flood in this case is guaranteed.
- Waste water is discharged into the sewer with special siphon. This scheme is more reliable, but will require some effort to install. As a rule, a separate sewer pipe is not laid for the washing machine, but combined with the drainage of water from the sink. It is much more convenient, and siphons of this type are easy to find in the store.
Advantages and disadvantages of placing the sink above the washing machine
The advantages of this arrangement are obvious:
- In the small space of the bathroom there is a place for the simultaneous placement of both the sink and the washing machine. Moreover, the latter occupies the little-used space under the washbasin, where, at best, a small bedside table would be located.
- The proximity of sewer and water pipes will ensure the convenience of connecting the washing machine.
- A large assortment of flat washbasins, namely these will need to be used in this scheme, will allow you to organically fit the sink into the bathroom interior.
The disadvantages of this arrangement will be expressed in the difficulties in selecting the components of this pair and the necessary plumbing equipment:
- First of all, you will have to purchase a flat washbasin. Such models are called "water lily": they have a slight depth, only 18-20 cm, but rather wide. They should overlap the washing machine located under them with a margin.
Water lily shells differ in the location of the drain hole. It can be in the middle, behind, on the side, or in one of the rear corners. Draining in the center of the sink is the most common, but if it leaks, water will get on the washing machine, which is fraught with its breakdown. Therefore, preference should be given to models with an offset drain, and there are much fewer of them on sale.
- To reduce the gap, you will need to purchase for the sink above the washing machine flat siphon. It is very good if it comes with a washbasin, otherwise the search for it may be delayed. In such a siphon, an additional outlet must be provided for connecting a washing machine. The only drawback of this variety: for cleaning or prevention, it will have to be completely removed, which is rather inconvenient.
It is recommended to use flat siphon models with jet breaking function. They reliably protect the room from unwanted odors from the sewer. For example, it is these models that require installation in catering establishments.
- There is a possibility that water will stagnate in a flat sink due to its design.
- When choosing a washing machine, its dimensions will be of particular importance. The maximum height is no more than 80 cm, and this is provided that the sink is located at a distance of 1 meter from the floor surface. The depth also should not be large, it should be noted that there should be free space between the machine and the wall for the supply of communications. So, with a washbasin depth of 50 cm, the maximum depth of the machine is 36 cm, with 60 cm - 50 cm. It is clear that with this arrangement, only machines with horizontal loading can be used.
- A gap is required between the siphon and the body of the washing machine. Otherwise, the vibrations that occur during washing and spinning clothes will be transmitted to the body of the device. Naturally, this will not lead to anything good.
Relatively recently, models of built-in siphons appeared on the market. They are partially wall-mounted. Installation of such devices is quite difficult: most of them are located in the wall. But this is offset by serious space savings. In addition, many of these siphons have a check valve that prevents the movement of wastewater from the sewer in the opposite direction. This is very important for residents of the first floors of apartment buildings.
Assembly and installation of a siphon under the sink above the washing machine
Installation of the product is not particularly difficult. As a rule, the instructions included in the package are sufficient. But there are some points that you should pay attention to to achieve the desired result:
- Before starting installation, check the presence of all parts, as well as the absence of defects on them. This is especially true for sealing and threaded elements.
- The plastic nuts included in the design of the siphon are tightened by hand, without the use of any wrenches. So there is no risk of damaging them by overtightening.
- Conical seals made of rubber are installed with the wide side to the nut that fastens the parts of the siphon.
- When assembling a flat siphon, it is better to use silicone-based sealants: the structure is unlikely to be disassembled often, and additional protection for such expensive equipment as a washing machine will not hurt.
