Hot water tap (washing machine) won't stop water flow

[MikeWilson]

Hello everyone,

I hope someone can help. I'm not a plumber and have limited everyday DIY experience.

Last week our old trusty Bosch WF2001 washing machine packed in. The pump broke after a solid 12 year+ service and so we ordered a new Beko one from an online etailer and asked them to connect it for us. However they couldn't disconnect our old washing machine from the hot water as the hot water tap when turned to the 'off' position would leak as soon as the flexible rubber washing machine connecting hose was removed.

The old washing machine was (is still) connected to the hot and cold water taps. The new washing machine only connects to the cold water tap and so we're stuck with two washing machines and no way to do our laundry! The broken machine and it's hose is currently stopping our room from flooding.

I'm not sure what to do. I presume that something in the 'tap' has broken as turning the hot water off doesn't fully close off the pipe. I assume that there's something I can pick up from B&Q tomorrow that I can fit to the end of the pipe to block it? I can't tell exactly what 'part' the water is leaking from but it seems to be simply that the hot water tap isn't stopping the hot water. The washing machine delivery driver said that the tap itself was broken and might need to be replaced, but I have no idea if that's correct or not.

I've attached some pictures and hope that someone can advise? Is there a product I can purchase that will block off this hot water or a way in which I can tighten the tap?

At this stage I haven't touched the tap at all other than to turn it to the off position. Could the tap be too loose (is that even right?).

The images can be found at: ImageShack Album - 7 images

Please help and thanks for your time and any advice you can offer!

Mike

Hot water tap and connected old washing machine hose

Hot water tap in context (those other two bendy pipes go up to a washing basin)

Hot water tap, cold water tap and waste water pipe

The new washing machine's cold water hose

 

[WaterTight]

Go into a plumbers merchants on monday and ask for a 3/4" cap and washer to cap off washing machine valve that is passing.
Sit by it with as big a bowl as you can fit underneath it, and a towel or two under that and calmly and carefully unscrew it and screw on the cap.

 

[WaterTight]

p.s. could have done with more pictures of the valve from different angles

 

[MikeWilson]

Thanks WaterTight.

Will the 3/4" cap and washer look like the current plastic hose end that screws onto the pipe?

I have attached extra pictures from other angles however it's hard to get in there to get them 🙂

 

[tamz]

Just turn the hot water off. If you have a HW cylinder the valve may be next to it (usually slightly above) or it may be in the loft. If a combi turn off the main stopcock. Or. Do as watertight said and remain calm. The worst you will get is a spray coming out so hang a cloth over it and let it run into a bucket. It will take 5-10 minutes fill it.

Another way is to get a hacksaw and a 10p piece before you start. Disconnect the hose then saw it between the metal crimp and the red nut. Push the plastic bit out and take the washer off it. Put the 10p in the plastic nut then the washer and tighten it back on. Hand tight plus 1/4 turn should do.

 

[kirkgas]

Just turn the hot water off. If you have a HW cylinder the valve may be next to it (usually slightly above) or it may be in the loft. If a combi turn off the main stopcock. Or. Do as watertight said and remain calm. The worst you will get is a spray coming out so hang a cloth over it and let it run into a bucket. It will take 5-10 minutes fill it.

Another way is to get a hacksaw and a 10p piece before you start. Disconnect the hose then saw it between the metal crimp and the red nut. Push the plastic bit out and take the washer off it. Put the 10p in the plastic nut then the washer and tighten it back on. Hand tight plus 1/4 turn should do.

tam if you do this for a customer what % uplift do you put on the 10p?

 

[clivetheplumber]

Have you tried taking the red plastic lever off, and turn the spindle with a small spanner?
After 12 years the valve may have seized & the lever is not gripping the spindle.

 

[kirkgas]

Have you tried taking the red plastic lever off, and turn the spindle with a small spanner?
After 12 years the valve may have seized & the lever is not gripping the spindle.

there is every chance this will work to allow the new machine to go in, but i would still cap the unused valve i have seen it many times where an unconnected valve drips and causes a lot of damage as it goes unnoticed for such a long time

 

[clivetheplumber]

there is every chance this will work to allow the new machine to go in, but i would still cap the unused valve i have seen it many times where an unconnected valve drips and causes a lot of damage as it goes unnoticed for such a long time

Agree, should of put this on the end😱

 

[tamz]

tam if you do this for a customer what % uplift do you put on the 10p?

10p for the 10p and £60 for knowing what to do with the 10p🙂

 

[kirkgas]

10p for the 10p and £60 for knowing what to do with the 10p🙂

aye right, NOBODY from the east sells a 10p for 10p

 

[WaterTight]

I'm really sorry - I was joking about the extra angles of the valve because you included so many already haha - but thanks for the rest of the pictures.... I couldn't find the smiley face to put by my post!! Now I feel guilty.

Anyway - plenty of decent answers to pick from but personally rather than play with potentially old gate valves / stop cocks as a non-plumber - considering that the valve is probably only passing a little when mostly shut - I'd still go with the live cap. UNLESS you've got a combi. Do not try if you've mains pressure hot. If you're not sure which you've got DO NOT try.

If tank-fed - go for it - even get a couple of caps and couple of washers if you want. If you're at all nervous, undexterous, worried, don't do it - get a plumber. Capping off a washing machine valve is not going to be cripplingly expensive (£30-£65)

It won't look like the red thing no, but will do exactly the same job and when you see it you'll understand what to do with it. Hand-tight should do too.

 

[tamz]

aye right, NOBODY from the east sells a 10p for 10p

To be honest i would probably cadge one from the cust and add a handling charge plus vat🙂

 

[MikeWilson]

Thank you everybody for all of your help an advice! I think it's done now, can't be 100% sure that it's not dripping very slowly but I think this is problem solved 🙂

Thank you again! 🙂

 

[royston]

Turn stop tap off (as gate valve might brake off in the closed position giving you a bigger headache) open all taps, hot and cold till water stops. Small bowl and towel under offending tap. Two pairs of spanners , one on valve other on valve nut. Undo, PTFE round olive, compression cap on, tighten up, turn all taps off, mains on. Hot w/m valve capped Done. Or you could hack sore the pipe just before the valve giving you enough room to put a compression cap on there. Not pushfit if used hack sore though.

 

[royston]

Bit late with above post, but as you have found with that drip that those caps never seem to be a good long-term seal. I prefer capping.

 

[MikeWilson]

Thanks Royston, and everyone else for your advice too. I would never have known there were actually so many options for the job. As you can see, we've put the cap on and it seems to do the job. I opened the tap earlier (water comes out pretty fast) and re-closed it tightly. At this point the water was just trickling out so the cap doesn't have a lot of pressure to hold back so to speak. This way the hot tap is still available later, should it be needed.

I laughed at the 10p idea and slept quite happy knowing there was at least a backup plan (I had made the 10p cap as a backup).

@WaterTight - I genuinely thought you wanted more angles so I took you seriously and tried all kinds of yoga positions to get them for you! 🙂 I expect you know what that's like 😛

While I was at B&Q I saw some plastic 'push fit' ends for about £1.50. What are these used for? Do people actually use these to stop pipes like these? They seem a little flimsy and liable to 'pop out' of the pipe. The brass 3/4" female cap is an elegant enough solution for the same price as a pint of beer 🙂

Hopefully this thread can help someone else in the future with a similar issue.

 

[Avatar]

watertight - you ought to be ashamed of yourself!

LOL!