Washing machine plumbing.

Ihatethinkingofusernames11

Hello. I wonder if anyone could tell me if I can use the old drain pipe from a washing machine as I'm buying a new washer.

The washing machine attaches to a sink spigot and runs past three cupboards right at the back followed by a right angle making it around 8 feet long at least needed.

I want to know can I take the old one out of the Beko and keep that or do I need to use a new one and extension then run it through somehow?

Unless stainless steel kick plates would need removing I don't know if I could do it myself and have watched a lot of videos regarding installation but don't go into that much if it's inaccessible.

If it was where the dishwasher is it would be no issues but unfortunately not.

Unless I could attach the new machine pipe tube to the old pipe out of the Beko with a connector or something and those hose clips that screw tight?

I'll attach some photos to show what I mean.

Thanks in advance.

grumbler

I think a more correct term is 'hose', not 'pipe'.

It's very unusual for a WM to be supplied with such a long hose. Usually it's shorter and there are special kits for extending it.

If the original hose was extended, there has to be a connector somewhere behind the drawers cabinet.

If it was replaced with a longer one, you'll have to remove the top of the WM (and possibly the back panel) to disconnect it and then reconnect the same way to the new WM - if this is possible and doesn't invalidate the warranty.

ThisIsWeird

Have you pulled the drawers right out to see if that unit has a back panel in it? Although, yes, it does appear to be running at ground level, so access behind that plinth is more like it.
These metal plinths (never seen that before - nice!) will, almost certainly, pull away, most likely held by springs clips - possibly magnets?! Look at each end, and see if you can slip in a piece of wire - is there a 1mm-ish gap? If so, a few inches of solid copper electrical wire - insulation stripped off, and a wee hook bent in the end - pushed in, turned, and pulled might do it. Or, do you have a powerful fridge magnet - the type that's hard to pull from your door?!
I'd be inclined to not modify the new machine's hose for warranty reasons, so that means a hose-to-hose connector, but make darned sure it's watertight and secure. The hose running along ground level before only going up at the sink to the waste will mean it'll remain full of waste water - really not at all ideal. Much better if it went through that first side panel at top height (as in the instructions), and then fell away steadily towards the sink, coming to that waste connector from above.
There is the potential to do this - all doors and drawers off, and run the hose where there is usually a gap between the top of the back panel and the underside of the worktop - clip or suspend the hose up there throughout its run - slow downhill slope. But, that's work!

Ihatethinkingofusernames11

Right thank you for your replies. I thought that it wasn't in right anyway after reading a bit and watching videos I take it you are meant to let gravity do the work then.

The kitchen got installed about 2008-2010ish and I think there have been corners cut everywhere when we had central heating put in. I'll show a pic of what is in the bedroom to house the pipes to central heating near airing cupboard where boiler is and floorboards never got put back properly so makes loads of noise on creaky floorboards that were perfect beforehand. Sorry for the tangent but just some background on it.

Sounds like it's a job for someone skilled then if I can't just take the end of the pipe out of the Beko and install a connector to that. Not ideal but no the drawers have nothing no holes or anything. 

My mum has said she'll pay for installation if she has to and is upset enough with the job the guys did on central heating and more or less everything they did (I've just asked her and that's what she said) bathroom tiling, doors, holes in walls etc. Not everything they did was bad but a lot of it.

The guy doing the install moaned a bit about having to put this wooden box (in pictures) over the pipes "because that wasn't his job" so it stayed like this.

Theres a lot needs doing really and still need a job done under the sink when (can't remember exactly what happened whether a stopcock was stiff and then snapped off or something) which got partially repaired but means we don't have full water pressure anymore so when in the shower with washer on the water pressure/ flow rate drops considerably. Only remember the guy said to put right it's a big job so may actually give us a push to do that at the same time and get things done right.

Appreciate the replies but if it sounds like a safety issue I may just have to get it done properly. The LG I ordered was supposed to have installation etc with it but not sure about that anyway now and was looking at another machine.

The thing is with the gradual drop is the other cupboards and access if it was located right at the top would that mean drilling through a lot of units? Seems complicated but if I could get hose to hose connector it seems doable but obviously not ideal.

I will have a look at seeing if the metal plinths or kick plates? come out but don't want to destroy anything in my mum's kitchen. I thought it sounded simple and was just a case of access but now I think it's a hazard as it is and maybe should be looked at professionally. I don't know as I haven't done anything like this before and if that means drilling through cupboards on a downward trajectory.

Ihatethinkingofusernames11

Just to add sorry for the tangent. I was prepared to give it a go but as was pointed out the safety issue about water remaining on the pipe at ground level making it to the spigot uphill isn't ideal. 

Probably an excuse to get things done properly which honestly we need work done anyway. 

Don't know whether it's best getting everything done at once. Radiator TRV'S are stuck on full in three radiators but maybe that's a different type of plumber. Is that a different type of plumber to do radiators? More gas engineer type?

We don't even have a thermostat so way behind on that front too.

Think I best try to cancel the delivery and see if I can get some quotes or something but unsure who to go for and if things could be tackled at once. I did have some savings for this purpose anyway so not giving up but looking at things a bit differently now.

ThisIsWeird

Ihatethinkingofusernames11 said:

Right thank you for your replies. I thought that it wasn't in right anyway after reading a bit and watching videos I take it you are meant to let gravity do the work then.

Sounds like it's a job for someone skilled then if I can't just take the end of the pipe out of the Beko and install a connector to that. Not ideal but no the drawers have nothing no holes or anything.

Appreciate the replies but if it sounds like a safety issue I may just have to get it done properly. The LG I ordered was supposed to have installation etc with it but not sure about that anyway now and was looking at another machine.

The thing is with the gradual drop is the other cupboards and access if it was located right at the top would that mean drilling through a lot of units? Seems complicated but if I could get hose to hose connector it seems doable but obviously not ideal.

I will have a look at seeing if the metal plinths or kick plates? come out but don't want to destroy anything in my mum's kitchen.

Re the BitsInBold above, this is not a 'hazard', but is just not the way it's meant to be. The hose exits the WM near its top, and should then ideally be positioned in an 'arc' with one 'top' point and it then it descends to the waste connection. This way, no water remains in the pipe after the end of cylce. In practice, with many people's setups, some water will remain.

Your layout takes this to a silly degree, tho'! For a start, all of that hose as it travels presumably under the units will remain full of water. And then you have a connection there, hidden out of sight, and always full of water.

Almost certainly, if your remove that first plinth, you'll find a double-ended spigot and a couple of jubilee clips! Provided you can connect the new WM in the same way, and fully ensure the connection is watertight, then it 'should' work.

Obviously, if it keeps leaking out of sight, then you'll have a long-term issue.

Yes, to run the hose at a higher level will require inter-unit holes to be drilled, but this should actually be straightforward enough for a competent handyperson/kitchen fitter/DIYer, and the holes would be located behind-and-above the back panels, so out of sight. This would ensure the hose drained after use.

In theory. 

I am not going to suggest you do this. I am only pointing out the situation. And the care you should take with that to-be-hidden connector.

ThisIsWeird

Ihatethinkingofusernames11 said:

I'll show a pic of what is in the bedroom to house the pipes to central heating near airing cupboard where boiler is and floorboards never got put back properly so makes loads of noise on creaky floorboards that were perfect beforehand.

The guy doing the install moaned a bit about having to put this wooden box (in pictures) over the pipes "because that wasn't his job" so it stayed like this.

Lol! Plumbers!

No, that ain't a plumber's job to do - unless they are multi-skilled and offer. If they ain't - and this fellow wasn't - you end up with that mess.

It is sometimes unavoidable having to run pipes visibly like this. Or, to hide them would come with an extra cost. That is why when having retro-fitted CH, you discuss with all the GasSafe quote-providers what you want, and what they are prepared to do. There should be no surprises.

What's all over these pipes - silicone sealant? If the pipes are good - no leaks whatsoever - you can consider having them boxed in properly, and that will blend in with the wall and be painted the same colour.

Or, if you are getting a plumber out for other jobs - the undersink stopcock, the TRVs, etc, then you can always ask what it would cost to have these pipes placed under the floor (assuming it's a suspended floor?)

Oh, and since the boiler itself won't be touched, then any plumber can do your TRVs and stopcock. Mind you, most will likely be GasSafe as well anyway.

What is actually wrong with these TRvs? Usually it's a case of the pins seize - fixable - or the heads fail - replaceable. 

Ihatethinkingofusernames11

Hello thisiaweird. Thanks for your reply. 

I will have to see if my brother can have a look as I don't want to break anything and he's more competent than myself but failing that a proper install somehow would be needed and maybe for the best.

I think best case would be to do what you said and see if I can get a diy handyman/ fitter and get things done properly. 

I don't think anything is in the pipes but dust and maybe oxidation or corrosion or something. I mean fair enough it isn't his job but they had a few tradespeople in who hung doors and could do tiling and woodwork and other things we had done at once. 

It was probably my mum as well minding the budget and not complaining enough about how it ended up but should a floorboard creak after pipes are installed if cur properly it was perfect then just noise on most boards now.

I will see if I can get some quotes and for to stop the delivery of the washer too first but it's a message service and not just a cancel order button. I'll have to see what my brother says who's been out so couldn't really talk to him about it this weekend. 

The TRV'S are jammed and I have tried the fix myself but they won't budge so the bulldog can't depress the valve when you turn it.

Thanks for the replies and it makes sense to me that would be how it's installed currently and not ideally.

Ihatethinkingofusernames11

Yeh it is the pins or valves that seized btw after you take the bulldog screw valve thing off.

ThisIsWeird

Ihatethinkingofusernames11 said:

Yeh it is the pins or valves that seized btw after you take the bulldog screw valve thing off.

Could you post a pic of one of them with the head off showing the pin? And of the head itself, so we can ID it - does it have a make on it?

It's not unusual for boards to creak after they've been lifted for access. Sometimes they aren't secured properly back down, so a few screws should sort it, making sure that they won't go in to a wire or pipe below! Also, the 'tongue' will often need to be cut off to enable the board to be lifted, so that makes it less secure too. Again, carefully placed screws! 

Ihatethinkingofusernames11

Indeed I hope to get someone to fix that I. Time too but ripping up carpets and floorboards is not first on my to do list.

The brand of TRV is bulldog or whatever they're called and the pin is shown in photo two.

I did try to listen or with taps with a hammer on the side nor directly on the pin and penetrating fluid but some are just seized and there is very little travel compared to some pins I've seen on videos.

Thanks again.