Basic Washer Installation Advice

Here are some installation tips for washing machines. This is meant to provide BASIC guidance and not meant to deviate from any installation criteria that may come with your washer. Follow your manufacturer’s recommendations if they differ from those outlined here:

- Water pressure requirements should be a minimum of 10-25 psi to prevent fill valve leaks and proper fill rates. A minimum pressure is required to keep the fill valves closed when not in the process of filling. If the water pressure is too low, you may experience symptoms of water filling in the wash tub when not in use and/or longer fill times.

- The drain line should be capable of handing 17 gallons of water per minute. If not, you could experience overflows from the standpipe during the drain cycle.

- The standpipe should be 2 inches in diameter, be a minimum of 34” from the floor to prevent siphoning, and should not exceed 72 inches in height. DO NOT seal the top of the standpipe, or place the drain hose too far down into the pipe. This can also cause siphoning. 4 to 6 inches is sufficient when placing the drain line into the standpipe.

- The operating temperature for the washer should be above 60 degrees F. It is not safe to place a washer in an environment where it is allowed to freeze. Residual water in the drain lines, fill hoses and pumps could freeze and damage the washer. This is something to consider when placing a washer in a location outside the home like a garage.

- The drain hose length must not exceed 10 feet in length. Excessive drain hose length can cause drain problems and back wash.

- When leveling, make sure the washer is level SIDE-TO-SIDE and FRONT-TO-BACK, and that you place the washer on a FIRM foundation. Weak flooring is the number cause of washer vibration and out-of-balance problems. If the flooring flexes when the washer is in the spin cycle, the washer will vibrate, no matter if it is level or not (this is particularly a problem with front loaders). If you do not have an alternative, the flooring can be firmed up by placing a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood (at least ¾ inch thickness) under the washer to help distribute the weight more evenly.

I hope these tips are informative and help prevent some of the more common washer problems that can easily be remedied by double checking your installation.