By Tom Martin, Water Tight Canberra
Your washing machine, dishwasher and plumbed fridge all have connections that need attention before they move. Planning those disconnections early helps avoid damaged hoses, leaking cupboards and delays while the removal truck is waiting.
My advice is to organise who will disconnect, prepare, transport and reconnect each appliance before moving day. Check the connections at the new home as well. An appliance that fits into the space still needs suitable water, drainage and power connections.
Here is what we recommend checking.
Organise appliance disconnections before the removal truck arrives
When arranging your move with a removalist such as Leader Removals, include your appliances in the discussion. Confirm whether they need to be disconnected, drained and ready to lift when the crew arrives.
For each appliance, work out:
- Who is disconnecting it? Confirm who will isolate the water, disconnect the hoses and leave the old connections secure.
- Who is preparing it for transport? Washing machines may need transport bolts or packing fitted. Fridges need time to be emptied, cleaned and defrosted where necessary.
- Who is reconnecting it? Arrange the installation at the new home, including any plumbing work needed before the appliance arrives.
- When will you last use it? Leave enough time after the final wash or dishwasher cycle for draining and preparation.
If the job requires a new or replacement isolation tap, changes to fixed pipework or a new waste connection, book a licensed plumber. A hardwired appliance or changes to fixed electrical wiring need an appropriately licensed electrician.
Take a photo of each appliance’s model label and any accessible connections. Those photos can help your plumber identify suitable fittings and spot potential problems before attending.
Check the new home before moving day
Measure the appliance space, including room behind it for hoses, cables and any required ventilation. Check that doors and drawers will open properly once the appliance is installed.
Then look at the connections:
- Does the washing machine have the water connections and drainage arrangement its model requires?
- Is there a suitable dishwasher tap, waste connection and accessible power point?
- Does the fridge space have a suitable cold drinking-water connection?
- Can the taps and connections be reached for installation, maintenance and emergency isolation?
If the fridge has an ice maker and water dispenser but the new kitchen has no water point, organise that plumbing before delivery where possible.
Avoid planning around stretched hoses, improvised adaptors or an appliance pushed hard against its connections. The installation needs enough room for the hoses to sit correctly without being kinked or crushed.
Check the appliance taps early
An appliance tap may have sat untouched for years. Moving day can be the first time someone discovers that it is seized, leaking or no longer shuts off properly.
On one of our dishwasher jobs in Griffith, the existing appliance tap was stuck open. It had to be replaced before the new dishwasher could be connected and tested. Finding that sort of problem before moving day gives you time to organise the repair.
Do not force a seized tap or assume the water is isolated because its handle has been turned. The person disconnecting the appliance needs to confirm that the supply has stopped before removing the hose.
Know where the property’s main water isolator is, too. Our guide to finding your water isolation tap explains where to look.
Moving a washing machine
Drain the water left inside
An empty drum does not mean the machine is completely empty of water. Water can remain in the pump, inlet hoses and drain hose.
Follow the draining and isolation procedure for your model. Have a shallow tray and towels ready, and allow any hot wash water to cool before draining it.
Switch off and unplug the appliance, and isolate its water supply as instructed before disconnecting hoses. Secure the drained hoses and cable so they cannot drag, catch or spill water during the move.
Find the transport bolts before you need them
Front-loading washing machines commonly use transport bolts, sleeves or braces to secure the drum assembly during transport.
Find the correct fittings before moving day. If they have disappeared since the original installation, arrange suitable replacements through the manufacturer.
Fit them after the last wash and after preparing the machine for transport, following the instructions for that model. Top loaders may use different transport packing, so check their requirements as well.
⚠️ Transport bolts must be removed before the machine is operated at the new home, including before a test cycle. Leaving them fitted can damage the machine.
A clearly visible reminder on the controls can help make sure this step is not missed.
Check the hoses and drainage arrangement
Inspect the inlet hoses and their sealing washers before reconnection. Replace damaged, cracked, bulging, frayed or corroded hoses. Where the manufacturer specifies a new hose set, use one.
Fit the correct seals and follow the tightening instructions. Cross-threading or overtightening a connector can create a leak.
The drain hose also needs the correct arrangement and height. Some machines use a standpipe or laundry tub; others permit a connection to a suitable waste spigot. Use the arrangement specified for your machine and secure the hose so it cannot come loose while pumping out.
Once installed, level the machine and complete its installation checks. Watch it fill, drain and spin before putting it into normal use.
Moving a dishwasher
Check how it is secured before pulling it out
Built-in and integrated dishwashers may be screwed to the surrounding cabinetry or benchtop. A kickboard, mounting bracket or furniture panel may also need attention.
Check these fittings before trying to move the appliance. Pulling against a fixing can damage the dishwasher or the cabinetry.
Locate the water tap, waste connection and electrical supply. Follow the appliance’s draining and disconnection instructions, then move it carefully without stretching its hoses or cable.
Keep the inlet hose and any AquaStop assembly intact. If a hose will not reach at the new property, use the manufacturer’s approved solution. Do not cut or improvise a join in an AquaStop hose.
Follow the transport instructions, including keeping the dishwasher upright where required. Residual water can damage components if it runs into the wrong part of the appliance.
Cap the waste connection left under the sink
This is a small job that can prevent a very wet cupboard.
Many dishwasher drain hoses connect to a small spigot on the kitchen sink’s waste trap. Once that hose is removed, the opening needs to be sealed.
⚠️ An uncapped dishwasher waste connection can allow water from the sink to escape into the cupboard. The dishwasher may be gone, but the sink is still being used.
A correctly sized DEKS PVC Trap Dishwasher Outlet Cap is designed to temporarily close a compatible waste-trap connection. Check the fit and secure it as directed.
If the dishwasher connection is being permanently abandoned, have your plumber confirm the appropriate permanent arrangement.
Water-supply outlets need their own suitable pressure-rated caps or plugs where required. The waste-trap cap is only for the waste connection.
Check the drain connection at the new home
A new or previously unused dishwasher waste connection may still have a blanking insert or sealed spigot. The installer needs to check that the connection is open and ready to drain before attaching the hose.
The drain hose must also be secured in the position and at the height specified for the dishwasher. That may include a raised loop or hose support beneath the benchtop.
Check the hoses again as the appliance goes into its final position. A connection can look fine while the dishwasher is pulled out, then become kinked or crushed when it is pushed back.
Moving a plumbed fridge
Find the water connection before moving the fridge
A plumbed fridge can have a small water tube running behind the appliance or through adjacent cupboards. Its isolation tap may be beside the fridge, under the sink or in another nearby cupboard.
Locate that tap and work out how the water line is connected before pulling the fridge forward. Allow for the available slack and stop if the tubing starts to stretch.
Some connections use a push-fit release mechanism. Pulling harder can damage the fitting or tube. Follow the model’s disconnection instructions or arrange for your plumber to handle it.
Switch the ice maker off before isolating its water supply, particularly if the fridge will remain powered for a while before the move. Keep it off until the water connection has been restored and the system prepared for use.
Prepare it for transport and restart
Allow time to empty and clean the fridge and defrost the freezer where necessary. Drain the water connection as instructed, and protect the tubing and fittings from dirt, kinks and crushing.
Tell your removalist about the water connection and any transport requirements for the model. Fridges generally travel best upright.
Check your fridge’s instructions for how long it must stand before being switched on after transport. The waiting period depends on the appliance and how it was moved. Also allow it to reach its operating temperature before putting food back.
Check the water supply and filter
At the new property, the fridge needs a suitable cold drinking-water supply and the connections specified for that model. Water pressure, filters and any required pressure-control or backflow devices should be checked as part of the installation.
An existing tap does not automatically mean the whole arrangement suits your fridge.
Check whether the water filter is due for replacement. After reconnection, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for flushing the dispenser and discarding the initial ice before using either for drinking.
Check for leaks before the fridge is pushed into place, then make sure the water tube has not been trapped underneath or behind it.
Check every appliance after it is reconnected
Reconnection needs a proper check once the appliance is in its final position.
Follow the manufacturer’s commissioning procedure, including the correct order for restoring water and power. Then check the accessible supply and waste connections while the appliance operates.
For a washing machine, watch it fill, pump out and spin. For a dishwasher, complete the installation checks and stay nearby during its first full cycle. For a plumbed fridge, check the water fittings and filter housing, and look again after the dispenser and ice maker have operated.
Use a good torch to inspect under sinks, around valves and along the floor beside the appliance. Start with dry surfaces so fresh moisture is easier to spot.
Keep an eye on every reconnected appliance over the next couple of days. A slow leak may take time to show itself, especially behind a fridge or inside a cupboard.
Watch for:
- Moisture around taps, hose connections or filter housings.
- Water beneath or beside the appliance.
- Damp cupboard bases, swelling or a new musty smell.
- Drains backing up or appliances failing to empty properly.
- Excessive movement, unusual noises or installation-related error messages.
If you find a leak, stop using the appliance, isolate its water supply and have the fault fixed.
Leaving the old home empty
Before leaving, check that the disconnected appliances’ water and waste connections have been left secure. Make sure any temporary caps are suitable for the period they will remain in place.
If the home will be unattended, plan its main-water isolation and hot-water settings as well. Different hot-water systems have different shutdown and frost-protection requirements.
Our guide to whether you should turn off your Canberra hot water system when going away explains what to check before leaving and how to restart the system.
Need help with the plumbing before moving day?
Water Tight Canberra can help with appliance disconnections and reconnections, faulty isolation taps, suitable water and waste connections, and plumbing changes needed at the new home.
Booking ahead gives us time to identify the work, organise the right fittings and coordinate the plumbing around your move.
Call Water Tight Canberra on 02 6195 9991 to organise your appliance plumbing before moving day.
