Un- Plumbing A Washing Machine

[Scarlett]

I am having kitchen flooring laid tomorrow and I have to unplumb the washing machine and fridge in advance of the men coming, as they won't do it and won't be held responsible for it. I have never done this. Please can you tell me how to unplumb (detatch) the washing machine- is it a valve on the pipe that comes out the back of it? Does it mean I can't use my sink tap? I have no stopcock in my flat, does it matter? Thanks in advance

[Slide-Rule]

Pull the washing machine out so you can get behind it. There will be one or two flexible hoses connected to the water pipe(s). There should be a little lever which turns by a quarter turn where the hoses meet the water pipes. The levers are usually red and/or blue. You need to turn these to the off position before unscrewing the hoses. Then, unscrew the hoses at the washing machine end first. There will be a little water still in the hoses, so put a basin or something underneath before lowering the pipes to to catch the dribbles.

[Sam1960]

hope this helps .......
you can still use your sink taps......

[pjgriffo]

Normally there is a hose going from the back of the machine and emptying into a waste outlet attached /built into the main building. You simply lift the hose out of the outlet pipe, carefully as there will be water in it.
All that remains is to unplug the machine from the socket.

[Slide-Rule]

Yes, I forgot about the waste pipe which will need to be disconnected too.

[Slide-Rule]

The inlets at the back of the washing machine will probably be marked H and C or coloured red and blue for when you come to reconnect the hose(s), or mark these yourself with a marker pen so you can reconnect them the right way round.

[Scarlett]

I've had a peek round the back and can't see any isolation valve- no red or blue. Just a long pipe. Any idea how I can unplug it and not cause a leak?!

[tonyav]

You will have to isolate the water supply to the washing machine somehow, Scarlett. Is their not a stopcock underneath your kitchen sink ?.

[Mamyalynne]

Does the pipe go through the undersink cupboard? The valves may be in there.

[Scarlett]

There's no stopcock. It's a very old house and I believe there is only one for the whole building and I've never seen it!

[Scarlett]

Are the valves likely to be right next to the wall rather than near to the washing machine itself?

[tonyav]

Were you in the flat when the washing machine was originally installed ?, whoever installed it turned the water supply off to install it.
Strange that there is no ( obvious ) stopcock though.

[Scarlett]

I was in the flat and there was no washing machine when we moved in but I didn't see what my friend was doing to install it unfortunately.

[tonyav]

Scarlett
Question Author
Are the valves likely to be right next to the wall rather than near to the washing machine itself?


Scarlett, follow the ( plastic / rubber ) water supply pipes from your washing machine to to pipe that supplies them with water. Their has to be some kind of isolater tap on them.

[Mass_Hysteria]

There will be either a red or blue pipe/ or both, attached to the machine leading to taps which need to be off then disconnected/unscrewed from the water pipes. The taps are at the end of the pipes. The taps are the isolaters