Tee tap for connecting a washing machine - selection and installation

It’s not enough to buy an expensive one famous brand washing machine, you need to install it correctly and connect it correctly. At the same time, it is important not only to take the work responsibly, but also to choose high-quality connecting elements and consumables. The tee tap for connecting a washing machine is one of these parts; the safety of use and ease of operation of the machine largely depends on it.

What is a tee tap and why is it needed?

There are several ways washing machine connections to the water supply, the simplest and most convenient is to use a tee tap. Its main difference from conventional shut-off valves is that it has three outlets, two of which are permanently connected, and the third is closed if necessary. Thanks to this feature, such a tap can be embedded into any pipe.

The tee tap makes it easy to connect the washing machine and helps avoid accidents. With its help, you can disconnect the machine at any time, perform any necessary actions and reconnect, which eliminates the need to shut off the water at the entrance to the apartment.

Among other things, installing a water tee is extremely simple. To install, simply cut the pipe and connect it again, but using a tee. To a greater extent, this statement is true in the case of systems with modern plastic pipes. In this case, you won’t even need special equipment and complex tools.

Main characteristics and features of choosing a tee

Various tee taps for washing machines are available for sale. They differ in material and design features. In order not to make a mistake when choosing, you need to pay attention to all their main characteristics:

Material. Cheap tees are made from silumin (an alloy of aluminum and silicon). The advantage of this material is obvious - low price. However, there are also significant disadvantages, the most important of which is the short service life. It’s worth overpaying and buying a reliable tee tap made of brass.
Mechanism type. There are ball valves and multi-turn valves. The former significantly benefit in terms of ease of use and durability. The ball valve-tee is simpler in design and has a longer service life.
Diameter of the connecting thread of the tee. Most often, standard models with ¾ and ½ threads go on sale, but exotic sizes can also be found.
Tee valve shape. It all depends on personal preference. The main thing is that the tap is convenient to use, and the valve fits well in the hand.
Manufacturer and country of manufacture. The tee is installed in a critical area; the safety of operating the washing machine depends on its reliability; you should not skimp on it. It is better to pay for products from a well-known brand than to deal with the consequences of an accident.

Main types of tee taps

Connecting a washing machine water pipes require an individual approach. It all depends on the system configuration, room parameters, and hose length. To make the buyer’s work as easy as possible, manufacturers offer a number of models of tee taps with different parameters; it is easy to choose the optimal solution for any project.

Straight-through and corner tees are available for sale. The difference is that in the first case, a straight section cuts into the pipe, and a washing machine is connected to the outlet. The second option, on the contrary, involves cutting into a corner, that is, the direction of the free flow of water is rotated 90 degrees.

A separate type are tee-through taps. They are not intended for insertion into a pipe, but for connecting the washing machine to any already installed tap.

Installation of a tee tap

These parts are primarily intended for insertion into plastic pipes. In the case of steel pipelines, the work becomes noticeably more complicated; welding is required, and adapters are often indispensable. Installation of a tee in a plastic pipeline can be described in the form of simple step-by-step instructions.

Step 1. Preparation

Before undertaking any repairs related to changing the configuration and location of pipes, connecting a washing machine is no exception, you must turn off the water. If there is a separate tap for the involved branch of the system, you can use it, otherwise you will have to turn off the taps at the entrance to the apartment.

You also need to prepare the tools and material for the job. Very little is required:

pipe cutter;
adjustable wrench;
FUM tape;
rubber seals.

It is also worth stocking up on a pipe calibrator; it will straighten the cut and make it much easier to connect the tee tap for the washing machine. It is advisable to install a flow filter in series with the tee. It will improve the quality of water supplied to the machine, thereby significantly increasing its resource.

Among other things, before starting work, you should check the connection parts that come with the washing machine. Often, a manufacturer supplies their products with a supply hose that is too short; it may be worth replacing it.

Step 2. Marking and cutting

Once everything is ready to begin installation, you need to decide on the insertion location. It is selected individually depending on the specific situation; in any case, it is important to ensure that the washing machine hose is not strained, and that the arrangement of the pipes ensures ease of operation.

Cut lines are marked directly on the pipe. The section to be cut must be equal to the length of the pass-through tube of the tee valve, excluding threaded sections. The pipe is being cut. You need to be prepared for the fact that some water will leak out of the cut; you should stock up on rags and a container to collect it in advance.

Step 3. Installation

Before installing the faucet for the washing machine, you should use a calibrator. With its help, it is easy to widen the hole and align the edges of the pipes, as a result of which the reliability of the fastening will significantly increase.

You can do without it, but then you need to work extremely carefully; if the tee becomes askew and water starts oozing from the joint, you will have to change the entire section of the pipeline.

Remove the mounting nuts of the tee valve and place them on the ends of the pipes. The faucet itself is installed. Be sure to use the supplied seals; they will ensure the required tightness.You need to immediately evaluate the quality of the work; to do this, just run water and check the joints for leaks.

After this, you can screw the washing machine hose to the tee, remembering to use FUM sealing tape to seal the threaded connection.

Features of connecting an angle tap

The procedure for installing a corner tee for a washing machine is almost the same as the sequence described above. The only significant difference is that the tap is connected to pipes located at right angles to each other. This requires greater precision in marking and a responsible approach to installation.

To prevent such a tee tap from becoming a weak link in the water supply system, you must work with all possible care; before cutting the pipe, you should once again make sure that the markings are correct.

Reliability and durability of the washing machine depends on a number of factors, the correct installation and connection being the most important of them. In this matter, everything requires attention, but first of all the quality of the parts used.

You should not try to save on inexpensive but important connecting elements. Such a simple thing as a tee tap can become not only a guarantee of the durability of the machine, but also the cause of an emergency.