Dishwasher and Washing Machine Installation.Done Right.

The plumbing side of an appliance

A dishwasher or washing machine needs a cold or hot water supply tap, a waste connection that drains properly and a safe route for the hose. A plumber checks the tap, the waste and the pipe position. A new power point, if needed, is separate work for a licensed electrician.

Washing machine connections

A washing machine needs two taps, one for hot and one for cold in many models, or a single cold tap in others, plus a standpipe or waste connection at the right height. Check the manual for the model, since connections vary.

Dishwasher connection details

A dishwasher needs a supply tap, often under the sink, and a waste connection to the sink trap or a dedicated spigot. The hose should loop high enough to stop dirty water siphoning back. A poorly connected waste is a common cause of smells.

Waste and drainage problems

A machine that drains slowly or a laundry that smells may have an undersized or poorly vented waste. A standpipe at the right height prevents siphoning, which drains the machine as it fills. Ask the plumber to check the waste if either happens.

Hoses, taps and flood protection

Rubber hoses perish and burst. Check them every few years and replace any that are cracked or bulging. Braided hoses are more durable. Turning the tap off when away adds protection. If a tap is stiff or leaks, replace it when the machine is installed.

Noise, vibration and levelling

A machine that walks or rattles may be unlevel or on a weak floor. Adjust the feet, and check the transit bolts have been removed. Persistent vibration may need a firmer base.

Fitting into a new space

Moving a machine to a new spot changes the plumbing. It needs water, drainage and sometimes ventilation. Get a plumber to look at the plan before cabinets are fitted so the connections end up where they are needed.

Questions people ask about appliance installation

Can I connect a dishwasher myself?

Plumbing work is licensed work in Victoria, so use a licensed plumber for new connections.

Do I need a new tap?

Often an existing tap can be used, but old ones may need replacing.

Can a machine drain into a floor waste?

It depends on the arrangement. Ask the plumber.

Why does my machine smell?

Often a waste or trap problem. A plumber can check the connection.

Before you buy or move an appliance

Check the connection style before you buy. Some machines need a hot and cold feed, some only cold. Measure the space including the hose bend behind the machine, because a tight cavity kinks hoses and restricts flow. If the machine is built in, check the cabinet cut-out against the manual. Take a photo of the existing taps and waste and show your plumber, so the right fittings arrive on the day.

If you rent, ask your agent before you change any connection. A machine installed on a poorly vented waste can drain slowly or smell, and the repair may become a dispute about who caused it.

What a proper installation involves

A plumber isolates the supply, fits or replaces the tap if needed, connects the supply hose, connects the waste at the correct height with a trap or standpipe, pushes the machine into place without crushing hoses and runs a full cycle while watching every joint. A test cycle matters, because some leaks only show when the machine pumps out.

Ask for the old hoses to be replaced if they are more than a few years old. A new machine on a perished hose is a flood waiting to happen.

Signs the connection is wrong

Water on the floor after a cycle, a sewer smell from the laundry, gurgling from the sink, a machine that fills and drains at the same time or a dishwasher with dirty water sitting in the base all point to a connection problem. Turn the machine off, close the supply tap and call a plumber. Do not keep running a machine that leaks, since water under a floor can damage cabinets and the slab edge.

Hot or cold fill, and why it matters

Some machines take only cold water and heat it internally. Others can take hot and cold. A hot-fill connection can save time on some cycles, but only if the hot water pipe run is short. Check the manual and ask your plumber which tap supplies each hose. A wrongly connected hot feed can overheat a machine that is designed for cold.

Testing after installation

A good installation includes a full test: fill, wash, drain and spin, with the plumber watching every joint and the waste. Leave the machine to run one cycle while you stand nearby, then check under and behind it for damp. Mention any smells or gurgles at once, since they are easiest to fix when the plumber is still there.

Space, waste height and noise

Check the cabinet cut-out and the waste height. A standpipe that is too low can siphon water out of the machine. Vibrating machines may need levelling feet adjusted.

Leave room behind the machine for hoses and avoid kinking them.

Water hammer and old taps

A machine's fast-acting valve can cause banging in pipes. A water hammer arrestor or new tap can help. Check old taps and hoses when you replace an appliance.

Replace hoses on older machines when you install a new one.

Before the plumber arrives

Check the delivery has the inlet hose and the waste hose, or tell the plumber if you need them. Measure the space, note the position of the tap and the waste, and clear the area. For a dishwasher, remove the old unit if it is being replaced, or leave it for the plumber to disconnect.

Have the manual available. If the machine is going on a floor that is not tiled, consider a drip tray, since a hose failure can damage flooring quickly.

Related plumbing services

• Rainwater Tanks and Pumps: Rainwater tank plumbing, pump installation and repairs.
• Water Filter Installation: Under-sink and whole-house water filter systems installed.
• Emergency plumbing is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Talk to GSA Plumbing Services

Call 0401 041 103 or send an enquiry on the contact page. We work across Geelong, Melbourne and surrounding suburbs.