Where Will You Plug It In?
Washing machines and dishwashers come fitted with a plug, but if the machine is fitted beneath a worktop and the only available power points are above the worktop, you have a problem. Some people solve this by drilling a hole in the worktop to pass the flex through, but this is ugly, lets water and dirt through, and involves cutting off the moulded plug and replacing it with a wired-up plug.
A better answer is to have an electrician install a low-level power point below the worktop, which is connected by cable buried in the wall to a switched fused connection unit, mounted in or on the wall above the worktop. The low-level power point can be a single one and does not need a switch, since you can turn the appliance off at the switched fused connection unit above the worktop.
You will only need to unplug the machine when you pull it out for cleaning behind it or if the fuse in the plug blows. If there is a fault, however, the accessible fuse in the switched fused connection unit should blow first.
What Plumbing Will You Need?
Permanent plumbing makes using a washing machine much easier - and is a must for a dishwasher. This means connecting it to the water supply and to the drains.
The first essential for a washing machine or dishwasher is to connect to the hot and cold water supply pipes under the sink (normally only cold for dishwashers, but check your appliance instructions). The normal way of doing this is to cut through both water supply pipes and fit compression tee fittings, with new lengths of pipe leading to the position of the washing machine. A pair of special appliance valves (often known as washing machine valves) need to be fitted to take the washing machine supply hoses.
If the washing machine is close to the sink, a simpler alternative is to fit a self-cutting tap (see Connecting a Washine Machine for a description) to each supply pipe. The washing machine hoses can then be fitted directly to these taps.
A washing machine or dishwasher needs to have its own waste pipe leading to the drains. The normal method is to hook the washing machine drain hose into a new standpipe connected to a trap and then to a new waste pipe taken outside to the drains - usually it can simply be led into the gully outside the kitchen.
If the washing machine or dishwasher is close to the sink, there is a simpler alternative, which is to re-arrange the waste pipes under the sink to accommodate the washing machine waste hose.
Installing a washing machine or dishwasher shouldn't be too much of a challenge to a reasonably competent DIYer. But if all of this sounds too complicated, get a plumber in to do the job.
