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Washing machine
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==Installation and flood prevention== Flexible rubber hoses are typically used to connect from a building water supply to a washing machine. These hoses are often exposed to full water pressure on a continuing basis and can deteriorate over time, developing bulges or weak spots that eventually cause leaks or catastrophic bursting and flooding. Since the hoses are often hidden from view, they may be difficult to inspect and easily forgotten until a problem occurs. If a hose burst occurs when nobody is present to notice the problem, a huge volume of water can be delivered over a short time, causing extensive interior flooding damage or even structural damage. It has been estimated that a burst supply hose can deliver two tons of water in an hour.<ref name="Phil">{{cite web |last1=Phil |date=20 August 2013 |title=Bulging Hose? You Need a TimeOut! β Automatic Shut Off Valve |url=https://homefixated.com/timeout-automatic-shut-off-valve/ |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Home Fixated}}</ref> To reduce these risks, it is a common recommendation to use flexible hoses which have been jacketed with a braided stainless steel mesh. This jacketing cannot prevent leaks from developing, but it can slow the development of large bulges or "aneurysms" which can burst suddenly without warning. However, even braided metal jackets often cannot withstand the enormous pressures generated by water freezing within an enclosed volume. An additional precaution is to install a washing machine inside a shallow metal or plastic pan, which can collect minor leakage and divert the water to a nearby drain, or to the outside of a building. Drain pans can also divert water released by other problems, such as a jammed [[solenoid valve]] in a washing machine. A serious limitation of drain pans is that they typically cannot handle the large volumes of pressurized water released by a burst supply hose, so a drain pan is no substitute for hose burst precautions. In the absence of a drain, a pan may still be useful to confine leakage temporarily, while a local or remote water alarm is triggered. In addition or instead of an alarm, a [[water detector]] may signal the main water shutoff valve to the building to be automatically closed to prevent flooding.<ref>{{cite web |title=Water valves for washing machines |url=https://www.smithinsurance.com/uploads/Washing%20Machine%20Water%20Valves%20-%20CAU%20Insurance.pdf |publisher=Community Association Underwriters of America, Inc. |access-date=2023-03-24}}</ref> A very effective precaution is to install a shutoff or isolation valve which stops any water from being supplied, except when a washing machine is actually operating. The simplest method is to manually open and close the hot and cold water shutoff valves (traditionally [[globe valve]]s) behind the washing machine, each time it is used. This method relies on the washing machine user conscientiously operating the two valves each time laundry is done, in spite of the awkward location of the valves and the tedious process of turning the handles through multiple rotations. An improvement over the traditional setup is to install a specialized laundry shutoff valve.<ref name="Kelvin">{{cite web |last1=K |first1=Kelvin |title=Best Washing Machine Shut off Valve in 2023: How to Choose |url=https://houseownersguide.com/best-washing-machine-shut-off-valve/ |website=House Owners Guide |access-date=2023-03-24 |language=en-us |date=9 June 2022}}</ref> Typically, it consists of two [[ball valve]]s connected to a single handle, so they can be operated by a horizontal or vertical lever moved by 90 degrees. This makes the operation of the valves a quick procedure, but the washing machine user must still remember to turn off the water, even though the failure to do this produces no immediately obvious problems. To close this risk exposure, some shutoff valves have a spring-energized mechanical timer which is started when the user pushes a lever to open the valves. After a preset time of several hours elapses, the spring-powered mechanism automatically closes the valve without further user intervention.<ref name="Phil"/> A variant of this setup requires the user to press a button to open the valves for an electrically-timed interval. Other automatic valve operating mechanisms electronically detect when a washing machine draws electrical power as it starts, and then open the water supply valves. Typically, the power plug for the washing machine is connected to a special detector receptacle or cable, to allowing monitoring of the power draw.<ref name="Kelvin"/> Although pressurized water supply leaks can cause the most damage in the least amount of time, water drainage can also cause problems if not handled properly. Washing machine drainage hoses should be secured properly to prevent accidental dislodgement, and drains should be inspected and cleared periodically to prevent buildup of [[Lint (material)|laundry lint]], mold, and other deposits.<ref>{{cite web |title=Washing Machine Shut Off Valve (Smart Valves) |url=https://keymicrosystems.com/washing-machine-shut-off-valve/ |website=keymicrosystems.com |access-date=2023-03-24 |location=Tauranga, New Zealand |date=19 June 2018}}</ref>
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