The design life of the typical washer and dryer is 20 years. These major appliances almost always come with a pre-existing home when you buy a house for your family. No one wishes to move these bulky appliances, and it is usually a part of the agreement when considering buying a home. If you need to install a washer and dryer, this article will help you accomplish the task.
Most major appliance stores deliver their sold merchandise. They have the crew and equipment needed to deliver these bulky objects. They will of course install them for you for a fee. The object here is to help you save that fee and hook up these appliances by yourself.
If you are installing the washer and dryer in a new area of the home, you may need to run hot and cold water lines to the appliances and terminate them with shutoff valves. If applicable install a water hammer arrester to control water pressure shock. The water hammer arrester will eliminate the banging and thumping in pipes. Your home should have a water pressure of approximately 60 psi. If there is any doubt, check the water pressure with a water pressure gauge. All necessary new wiring should be handled by a professional.
A washing machine is very heavy. Many washers use concrete to make them stable during the spin cycle so they do not "walk" across your laundry room. These machines are designed to operate on a level floor. It is advisable to get help when positioning the washer. When you have it in place, installation can begin.
When installing a washer and dryer, be sure that all hose connections and cords can safely reach their sources so that you don't run into difficulty during installation. Never use an extension cord, especially on a dryer. Hoses and vents should reach their source with out straining or causing flow constriction.
Almost every major brand of washer is operated by 120 volts, so the existing wiring will be available in your laundry room. Before plugging the machine in and doing final installation, cut off the power to the machine through the appropriate circuit breaker in your home. Using a level, insure that the washing machine sits evenly on the floor, and there is no rocking motion to the unit. Washing machines have feet that are adjustable to accomplish this. Be sure to take time with this step.
Attach the hoses to their proper outlet, observing hot and cold connections. It is wise to use silicon tape in this process. Some modern washing machines have a water suppression valve. Be sure to connect this according to directions in the owner's manual.
If you have an existing laundry sink, you can hook the washer's drain pipe over the edge to allow drainage. If not, a standpipe must be utilized. A standpipe is a 2 inch PVC pipe that attaches to an existing drain system. A trap is installed in the standpipe. The standpipe should be 18 to 30 inches above the trap, with the trap being 6 to 8 inches above floor level. These standpipes can be purchased at your nearest plumbing outlet, r can be built by scratch if you prefer.
Turn on the circuit breaker to the washer, insure the water valves are on, and turn on the machine to begin filling the washer. Check for any leaks. If none are observed, you have successfully installed the machine.
A dryer is simple to hook up. A gas dryer is much more energy efficient than an electric, but if you don't have a gas supply and a proper vent to your laundry room, you might opt for an electric dryer. Electric dryers us 240 volt hookups because of their high electrical needs. Gas dryers only require a 120 volt plug. If you have a gas outlet in your laundry room, connect the gas supply to the shut off valve, using silicon tape manufactured for gas installations. Connect the flexible gas supply line to the dryer. Check the gas fitting for leaks using a 50/50 ratio of liquid detergent and water. If you see bubbles around any gas connection, insure the fitting is tight and no bubbles arise.
Vent the dryer by attaching metal ducting pipe, and using appropriate lengths to reach the outlet. Use sheet metal screws to attach all elbows and fittings, and wrap the connections with duct tape. Never vent a dryer to a crawl space or attic. This can cause mold and mildew.
The installation of a washer and dryer is a simple task. By insuring the machines are level, and there are no water or gas leaks, the installation is a good Saturday project for the do it yourselfer.
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