stevie_b Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 A quick question about domestic plumbing: I appreciate any replies but especially those before tomorrow afternoon. I have an issue with the washing machine in my newly-fitted kitchen. The mains water supply first enters the house by coming up the floor into the kitchen, near the rear of the space where the washing machine fits. The problem is that the pipe doesn't come up right next to the wall, it sits away from the wall by a few inches. This prevents me from pushing the washing machine back against the wall, hence the machine sticks out. Given that the floor is concrete, is there an easy-ish way of getting the pipe out of the way (maybe making it come up through the floor so that it's snug against the back wall) so I can push the machine back? I don't think there is but I thought I'd ask here. The pipe is black, comes up more-or-less vertically from the floor and appears to be 22mm. There's a 90-degree copper compression joint where it drops down to 15mm. I'm guessing the black pipe is copper but I'm not sure. Is it plausible that it's plastic? What I don't mind doing is turning off the water supply and digging out a bit of the floor. What I definitiely don't want to do is have to remove parts of the kitchen to re-route the pipe. I appreciate it's difficult to advise without photos, but any thoughts are welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Sachs Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 The pipe sounds as though it's Alkathene, which is more flexible than copper. It's a sort of high strength plastic material. What I'd be looking to do is turn the water off, dig out the small part of the floor directly behind the pipe, and use brute force to push it back if you can. Only thing is that when doing this you may disturb the bent union and reducer. Just keep that in mind when turning the water back on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_b Posted May 13, 2010 Author Share Posted May 13, 2010 Thanks Harry. Good first post! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edge Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 If its the main feed into the house be careful as if you get a leak you will have no water when you turn it off to stop it. Sounds like it could be a bad can of worms. Just cut a section out of the washing machine. Get a quote from someone too as it maybe cheaper to let them have the risk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 If its the main feed into the house be careful as if you get a leak you will have no water when you turn it off to stop it. Sounds like it could be a bad can of worms. Just cut a section out of the washing machine. I'm of the same thought... I hate plumbing with a passion, and if it is the main feed pipe it could go wrong VERY wrong.... The last time I had something like that, a rat chewed it, and left the pipe with about 1/2inch too short to get a coupler on...not an experience I wish to repeat... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edge Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 Make sure your outside stopcock works before aswel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_b Posted May 13, 2010 Author Share Posted May 13, 2010 If its the main feed into the house be careful as if you get a leak you will have no water when you turn it off to stop it. Sounds like it could be a bad can of worms. Just cut a section out of the washing machine. It is the main feed, it's upstream of the house's interior stop valve so if I wanted to muck about with it I'd definitiely need to turn it off at the external value in the manhole cover thing. I have actually considered cutting a section out of the washing machine, in all seriousness! The problem is it would weaken the structure of the machine (all the strength is in the edges of the chassis as I'm sure you know), and I'd need to cut a sufficiently large section out so that when it's on a fast spin it wouldn't chafe against the pipe: I don't fancy doing the breast stroke to get from one side of the kitchen to the other. Gav, I know what you mean. I've done a beginner's plumbing course at BCOT, and that helped with my confidence a bit, but I'm still not confident with it. I just like the simplicity of electrics. I've decided to take the coward's option: shallow depth washing machine FTW! Thanks for the help and advice guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaz1 Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 Alkathene pipe is plastic and uses pushfit connectors, its easy to cut and fit a 90 degree bend to get it back to the wall, best let a plumber do it if you are not diy minded though;) oh and if it is Alkathene it will be either 20 or 25mm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_b Posted May 13, 2010 Author Share Posted May 13, 2010 Alkathene pipe is plastic and uses pushfit connectors, its easy to cut and fit a 90 degree bend to get it back to the wall Good to know for future reference, thanks Gaz. It probably wouldn't help with my current problem though because the washing machine would still snag on the Alkathene pipe as it pops out of the floor unless I change the position where it first pops up. That would presumably involve non-trivial excavation work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 Yet more evidence of rubbish housebuilders not actually caring about "end-users." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter richards Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 i think what gaz is saying , that its easy to alter . dig out around the pipe and back to the wall , cut the pipe down then refit the 90 now facing the wall and flush with the floor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sikb0y Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 sounds like 20mm black alkathene mains, turn off bib tap (outside) chase floor to wall, stick a couple of elbows on and roberts ur fathers brother! just make sure ur turn the mains back on slowly. are u sure it your mains? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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