Is it me but every few years the red/blue plastic taps, which turn through 90 degrees to allow water into the machine, round off. And I only turn the washer on once a week !
Any metal alternatives ?
In the meantime I’ll revert to using pliers....I suppose you could leave the water supply permanently on but I’d ( irrationally) prefer not to.
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I don't think I've ever touched them, apart from fitting a new washing machine. All the houses we've had they've tucked away behind the machine making it difficult to turn them on/off frequently.
I guess you could fit the metal one that are common in houses but you'd need a screwdriver to turn the valve.
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>> I guess you could fit the metal one that are common in houses but you'd
>> need a screwdriver to turn the valve.
I started fitting those for rarely necessary occasions, lavatory cistern, loft tanks. One in the loft started leaking past the screw. May have been leaking slowly for a long time before water started dripping out of a bedroom light fitting. Completely soaked much of the insulation that was a pain to then remove, but at least the ceilings stayed up.
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Ballafix valves, those that require a screwdriver should be bought, then immediately thrown in the nearest skip. They all leak.
Buy the lever variety.
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>>....I suppose you could leave the water supply permanently on but I’d ( irrationally) prefer not to.
>>
Never in my life have I had easy access to the water supply taps for our washing machines so they have always been left on.
Always had metal versions not plastic. Now our machine is cold fill only my risk is halved ? :-)
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I have never had issues with the hose taps on washing machines or dishwashers over many years. They are always left on. I have however had leaks past the screw on the screw type. My plumber confirms they are often prone to leaks. The last one I replaced in the feed to a boxed-in WC cistern I left a blue kitchen cloth knotted below it to wick away any drips and check it every few months. It’s been OK so far.
I suspect none of these fittings is very well engineered but that the ones fitted with the taps may be inherently better. Has anyone ever taken either type apart?
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Since removing an internal wall and turning the kitchen into a galley kitchen, thus losing one wall of storage and floor cupboards, the washing machine has lived in my garage.
I extended the CW feed and the blue plastic tap was directly behind the washer, easily accessible and I suppose I got into the habit of turning it on whenever the machine needed water.
Henceforth I’ll leave it permanently on, only turning off the garage CW feed when I go away.
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I've always understood the small 90o ball valves to be service valves. ie You leave them open until you need to isolate some particular section of pipework at which point you turn them to start them leaking.
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I had this issue with a rental I used to look after. Tap well hidden behind a machine I went to change. Tap was loose with a big conical hole where it should have had flats to grip the shank. Difficult to prove but it seemed to me that the machine might have been nudging the tap on the spin cycle. I laid some timber against the skirting to keep the new machine away from the cold water feed.
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The red/blue plastic taps are designed for servicing purposes rather than daily use. If the connection doesn't leak when in use, there's no rational reason to turn them off. Washing machine internals are all robot-assembled now, with every connection set to the correct torque.
Washing machine hoses are best connected by smearing vaseline on the rubber washer, then screwing on hand-tight and not using tools. The washer can bear far more than your domestic water pressure as long as the hose isn't overtightened with tools.
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Washing machine query - sooty123
