Laundry · DIY guide
How to connect washing machine hoses
Connecting washing machine hoses is one of the few plumbing tasks Victorian regulations specifically allow homeowners to do. It is also behind a lot of insurance claims, because a burst hose at 3am fills a laundry very quickly.
Explicitly permitted DIY in Victoria
What you need
- Inlet hoses (replace, do not reuse old ones)
- Multigrips only if needed — hand tight is usually right
- Bucket and towel
- Torch
Step by step
Turn both taps off and check the hose age
Rubber inlet hoses have a service life of about five years. If you do not know how old they are, replace them — they are $20 and a burst one is a five-figure claim. Braided stainless hoses are worth the extra.
Check the rubber washers are in place
Every connection needs its washer seated flat. Most leaks are a missing, doubled or perished washer rather than a loose fitting.
Connect hot to hot, cold to cold
Sounds obvious, but reversed connections are common and will ruin a wash cycle. Most machines mark the inlets.
Hand tighten, then a light nip
Plastic hose fittings only need hand tight plus a very small nip. Overtightening splits the collar — often days later rather than immediately.
Set the outlet hose properly
The drain hose must be hooked over the standpipe or into the tub at the height the manufacturer specifies, and it must not be pushed down so far that it seals. A sealed outlet siphons water out of the machine mid-cycle.
Run a full cycle and watch
Do not just turn the taps on and walk away. Run a short cycle with a torch and dry paper towel under each connection. Check again the next day.
Common mistakes
- Reusing old rubber hoses
- Missing or doubled-up washers
- Overtightening plastic collars
- Pushing the drain hose too far down the standpipe
- Leaving the taps on permanently — turn them off if you go away
When to stop and call someone
Adding new taps, moving the outlet, or installing a machine where there is no existing connection is licensed plumbing work. So is anything involving the standpipe or trap itself.