Washing machine inlet: Leak from the spindle of the inlet stop tap

[aspiringtoDIY]

Hello All,

I recently had an issue with my boiler that required me to move the washing machine that was below it. I hadn't connected the (old) washing machine originally and found the hot and cold plastic taps both broke when turning off the water. I was able to turn off the water by using a spanner on the rectangular spindle.

Upon reconnecting the washing machine I am unable to turn on the cold water tap without a small shoot of water spraying out of the spindle - I suspect the previous owner who left the washing machine may have had the cold tap off. Note I have been able to connect the hot tap without any problems and the plastic hoses for the hot (and cold) are fine and don't leak.

I've been googling this but given that this isn't a bathroom/kitchen tap I don't see a way to access the headgear nut (or even if the same system is used in this sort of tap) without turning off the main water and draining the system.

Can anyone please advise why this would happen, whether it can be repaired or the tap should just be replaced and if the system would need to be drained? The tap is at the lowest point in the house below the boiler cold water supply, so I'm concerned that draining the system would result in further issues with air in the boiler pump, etc.

My setup is similar to the below picture (minus the black plastic tap).

 

[kirkgas]

the cold valve is on the rising main, so turn off your main stopcock, remove the w/machine hose, get a pot and open the valve catch the dribble of water remove the valve and refit the new one onto the existing nut and olive, IF you have a combi simply repeat for the hot as the water will be off, IF YOU DONT HAVE A COMBI you will need to turn off the water feeding the bottom of the hot water cylinder (sometimes there is a valve on the pipe just as it enters the cylinder and sometimes you need to go to the loft and close a valve coming out of the bottom of the tank), DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN THE VALVE IT WILL PROB BREAK AND NOT RE-OPEN, better to have the water passing thro slightly if you havent rammed the valve shut, open hot tap in kitchen to run off supply then repeat as for cold, even if the water is passing slightly it will drip into the pot and you can change the valve in a minute, refit wash mach hoses turn on water and test, there will be no need to drain heating so no issues with air getting into the heting system as you will only be working on domestic side, either a 10 min job or a 20min job if you need to go up the loft, what you need is a pr of 15mm wash machine valves, (the pic you have show the hoses connected the wrong way round, the angled end goes on the machine so that the hose hangs down behind the machine, the other end is straight, so when refitting swap the hoses round and the machine should slot back in better without kinking the hoses

 

[aspiringtoDIY]

Thank you Kirkgas - I should have mentioned I have a combi boiler.

Will there be any consequences for the boiler from draining the system? The boiler is close to but above the valve that I need to replace, so presumably any water in the boiler that is in an open circuit will come out - might I have to bleed the boiler pump afterwards?

 

[kirkgas]

Thank you Kirkgas - I should have mentioned I have a combi boiler.

Will there be any consequences for the boiler from draining the system? The boiler is close to but above the valve that I need to replace, so presumably any water in the boiler that is in an open circuit will come out - might I have to bleed the boiler pump afterwards?

no dont do anything or bother with the boiler, you are only working on the domestic turn off the cold rising main, open hot and cold taps at sink, disconnect hoses(and swap round) open valves catch drips in pot, refit new valves ce=onnect hoses and get some wahing done, look at the size of the pile of dirty washing!!!!!!!!!!!