Place a bucket or tub underneath the hot and cold water outlets you'll be hooking up to and run some water through each. This will clear any debris that might clog your valve screens. Move the washing machine into place. Make sure you have enough room to navigate either to the side of the washing machine or behind it to hook up the water supplies.
Most hoses only have a reach of a few inches; you may need to leave yourself room on the side to hook it up. Attach each of the water supply hoses to the faucets. Make sure the hot water hose is connected to the hot water faucet and the cold water hose is connected to the cold. Many hoses are color coded, with red for hot and blue for cold. Others are not marked, so it will be up to you to remember which is which when it comes time to connect to the washer. The end of the hose that has a filter screen in the coupling attaches to your faucet.
If the filter screen is not yet in the hose, insert one into the coupling before attaching the hose to the wall. The screens should be included with your hoses. Then, with a pair of pliers, tighten the coupling by rotating it another quarter to half a turn. Do not over-tighten, as this may cause leaks. Attach the water hoses to the hot and cold water inlets on the back of the washing machine.
Make certain the correct hose is attached to the correct inlet. The ends of the hoses with plain rubber washers attach to the washing machine.
If the couplings do not have washers in them, insert the washers first, otherwise your hose will leak. As with the screens,washers should be included with the hoses if not already inserted. Tighten the couplings as in step 3. Turn on the water and check for leaks. If hoses are leaking, turn off the water and double check that your couplings are tight and correctly threaded.
Connect the drain hose to the washing machine. The drain hose should screw onto the water outlet similarly to the water hoses. With some washing machine models, you may find it is already connected, so you can skip this step. Run the drain hose to the drain receptacle.
Depending on your plumbing, you'll need to feed the hose into a drain on the floor, the wall, or into a laundry sink, or there may be a rigid pipe that extends down to a floor drain. Consult the manual for your machine to learn how to use these parts correctly in conjunction with your plumbing. Make sure to leave a space of several inches between the end of the hose and the bottom of the drain or sink, otherwise your machine may siphon drained water back up the drain pipe.
Plug in the washing machine and push it into place against the wall. Check to make sure both machines are level. Uneven floor or incorrectly adjusted legs may prevent the machines from sitting flat. A level, available at any hardware store, will make it easy to tell if this is the case. Failure to level your machines may result in damage to your machines or floor. Adjust the feet at the bottom of each machine as needed. Lift or tip the machines slightly off the ground to adjust the feet.
Some feet will self-level and will fall down to the floor as you lift. Others will need to be twisted counterclockwise to loosen and level the machines' feet. Some machines require you to install feet or pads before you begin installing the machine.
You may already have a volt electrical outlet near the washer and dryer, and if you do, you should verify that the outlet has ground fault protection. Staying cool during the summer extends to the car. A gas dryer, on the other hand, needs piping to supply it with gas. No more ugly box in the wall, but the faucets are still easily accessible in case you need to get to them. Washing Machines and Dryers.
Run both machines to ensure that they are working. The washing machine should fill and drain completely, while the dryer should heat up quickly. If only three feet are firmly on the floor with the fourth nearly down but not bearing weight it can wobble and walk.
Also verify the machine is level using a bubble level, any imbalance can cause strong forces during spinning. These are shown in steps and above. Not Helpful 0 Helpful 3. Why are the new connecting hoses to the water taps each over four feet long even though the washer is one foot from the taps? Also, why wouldn't I get warm water unless I cut back on the cold water hose?
The extra length is there in case you need to move the washer further away from the wall than just one foot to clean behind it, etc. As to your second question, you may use up the water if you don't cut back. Not Helpful 1 Helpful 3. If the hook ups are not color coded, how do I know which is hot or cold?
Put a bucket underneath them both and run your water to see which one is cold and which one is hot. Not Helpful 8 Helpful 4. Run the water into a bucket and touch it. If it's hot, that's the hot water. Not Helpful 5 Helpful 1. They may be required as part of the local building code, in that case you need them. Otherwise they are optional. Washers are designed to prevent backflow by having an air gap inside the machine to the tub, and another air gap from the drain line to the drain. Step above mentions the air gap on the drain line, but probably could be more visible. Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0.
How do I hook up a washer and dryer when the drain is coming out of the wall? Answer this question Flag as What if I only one line? What do I need? The opening of the standpipe should be higher than the overflow level of the washing machine and a minimum of 34 inches above the ground. It empties into a P-trap which in turn empties into a convenient waste line. It's common for the washing machine to share a drain with a sink or toilet.
The P-trap must be vented within 5 feet of the trap. Plumbers often run a vertical pipe from the horizontal trap outlet to a point where they can tie it into an existing vent. Installing the dryer vent, on the other hand, only takes a few carpentry skills.
The vent should exit through the side of the house or the roof, so you need to cut a hole for it and seal the gap after installing the vent. Dryer manufacturers recommend smooth metal duct pipe, and the maximum length you can make the vent is included in the dryer specifications, although 25 feet is a standard maximum for a vent with no bends.
Chris Deziel has a bachelor's degree in physics and a master's degree in humanities. Besides having an abiding interest in popular science, Deziel has been active in the building and home design trades since As a landscape builder, he helped establish two gardening companies.
Skip to main content. Home Guides Home Home Improvement. Electricity You may already have a volt electrical outlet near the washer and dryer, and if you do, you should verify that the outlet has ground fault protection. Water Supply The washing machine may be close enough to the water heater for you to tap into its inlet and outlet lines for the cold and hot water supply. Drainage The drain for a washing machine is called a standpipe, usually constructed with 2-inch ABS pipe. Standpipe Drains The Family Handyman: How to Install a Dryer Vent. About the Author Chris Deziel has a bachelor's degree in physics and a master's degree in humanities.