Dual Washing Machine Shut Off Valve Brand Recommendations

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JIMMIEM

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I have done internet searches and have seen many different brands. I would like to buy a high quality product and would appreciate some brand recommendations.
I also have a question about installation. My current shut off valves are MIP Boiler Drain valves. The center points of the handles/supply pipes are approximately 6 inches. The center points of the Dual valves are around 3 inches. I don't want to move the supply pipes and need a solution using elbows or whatever?
Thank You.
 
I don't think you can go wrong with any name-brand Brass-body valves that use stainless ball valves to actually shut the water off. The no-name valves I installed in my laundry-room, maybe 12-15 years ago, have been faultless, no leaks, drips, cracks, calcification. Just my two-cents.
 
I don't think you can go wrong with any name-brand Brass-body valves that use stainless ball valves to actually shut the water off. The no-name valves I installed in my laundry-room, maybe 12-15 years ago, have been faultless, no leaks, drips, cracks, calcification. Just my two-cents.
Thank You. The prices seem to run the gamut from high to low. I just have to do some piping to get the water supply lines to line up with the dual valve. We are the original owners of our house (31 years) and the original plumbing work wasn't the best work......lots of problems over the years.
 
Stopped over at Amazon to see prices, wide range, around $18 - $65
When installing your new valves, think about adding water-hammer arrestors to your system; the newer front-loaders seem to use such fast acting solenoids that many have problem with knocking noises.
Here's my installation, the "pointy tubes" are what I bought to stop hammer noise, years back.

2-Shut_OFF.jpg
.
 
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Stopped over at Amazon to see prices, wide range, around $18 - $65
When installing your new valves, think about adding water-hammer arrestors to your system; the newer front-loaders seem to use such fast acting solenoids that many have problem with knocking noises.
Here's my installation, the "pointy tubes" are what I bought to stop hammer noise, years back.


.View attachment 23840
Thank You for the picture. We don't have a front loader but our water pressure is high. While I'm reconfiguring everything would probably be a good time to add water hammer arrestors.
 
I'd suggest one of the types that don't have the water and trapped air exposed to each other as with a plain section of pipe.
Here are examples of the many that are available. Many make it easy to retrofit, if desired, my incorporating a hose end connection.
index.jpgindex2.jpgindex3.jpg
 
I haven't met anybody yet who could tell me what the advantage is of a dual shut-off valve over two individual valves. I rather consider it a disadvantage. What do you do once it starts leaking?
 
I haven't met anybody yet who could tell me what the advantage is of a dual shut-off valve over two individual valves. I rather consider it a disadvantage. What do you do once it starts leaking?
A quick look at the lever will tell if the water is on or off. I have the braided hoses installed for extra safety too. I tell my wife to shut off the water after use but she doesn't always remember and just looking at the boiler drain handle doesn't tell whereas the position of the dual lever would. The dual lever leak rebuild youtube videos don't make it seem like a difficult job.
 
Well, I learned something here. We got our first washing machine about 50 years ago and
it never occurred to me to close the valves when the washer is not in use. In the last two
places we moved into I replaced the ancient and leaky boiler drain valves with small handle
ball valves (see picture), never had a problem.P1010001.JPG
 
Well, I learned something here. We got our first washing machine about 50 years ago and
it never occurred to me to close the valves when the washer is not in use. In the last two
places we moved into I replaced the ancient and leaky boiler drain valves with small handle
ball valves (see picture), never had a problem.View attachment 23859
The bigger concern is one of the hoses bursting......the hot more so than the cold. Over time the hoses weaken.....especially if there is constant water pressure in them. There are hoses that have a braiding around them which help with this and there are also hoses that have valves in them which will prevent the water from flowing into the hose.
 
I renovated my laundry room last year, and replaced the valves with a single-lever shutoff. I suppose the advantage is one action to shut off--one action to turn on. This unit replaced two separate multi-turn stop valves. These took a long time and many turns to turn off and on, and that helped in my decision to go with a single lever style. I also had a shutoff for the cold in the basement just underneath the cold supply for this, but not for the hot; I added a shutoff there. So, I had now, two shutoffs: one set, individual ball valves in the basement to turn off the water supply to the washer set to facilitate service, and the washer set with the single lever controlling both hot and cold.

The original plumber had long-column site-built water hammer arrestors, but I nipped these off and installed sweat style units in their place; they are in the wall. When the home was built, in 1992, these water hammer arrestors were not common, and on all faucet areas of the home I've seen, the plumber had added these site-built arrestors.

Fast acting solenoids on washing machines have been around for decades and are not related to the front or top load style. My 30 year old Kenmores and Whirlpools had them, but the built in arrestors kept the hammer at bay so to speak.

I actually had to install the washer box twice; the first time I tried it, I followed the instructions for the Watts sweat style install, but because you had to install the valves (they snap into the styrene plastic frame and box) first, before getting the plumbing ready, I learned quickly that styrene catches fire before solder melts. I have no idea what they (Watts) were thinking--they even show in the instructions someone sweating the joint with a propane torch and the flame an inch or so from the styrene. I'm here to tell you that's not possible.

What I ended up doing is use female sharkbite adapters on the valves, with a 16"-18" length of copper tubing on the end. THAT distance was far enough away from the styrene that I could sweat those joints.

My new home in North Carolina is all PEX and all push fittings.
 
A quick look at the lever will tell if the water is on or off. I have the braided hoses installed for extra safety too. I tell my wife to shut off the water after use but she doesn't always remember and just looking at the boiler drain handle doesn't tell whereas the position of the dual lever would. The dual lever leak rebuild youtube videos don't make it seem like a difficult job.

I do not use braided hoses
I prefer to use a rubber hose with a crimped brass connection
https://www.classlawgroup.com/ez-flo/I replace washer hoses every 5 years and have never turned off the valves for any other reason.

just my opinion..but you may want to rethink the braided hose choice
 
I renovated my laundry room last year, and replaced the valves with a single-lever shutoff. I suppose the advantage is one action to shut off--one action to turn on. This unit replaced two separate multi-turn stop valves. These took a long time and many turns to turn off and on, and that helped in my decision to go with a single lever style. I also had a shutoff for the cold in the basement just underneath the cold supply for this, but not for the hot; I added a shutoff there. So, I had now, two shutoffs: one set, individual ball valves in the basement to turn off the water supply to the washer set to facilitate service, and the washer set with the single lever controlling both hot and cold.

The original plumber had long-column site-built water hammer arrestors, but I nipped these off and installed sweat style units in their place; they are in the wall. When the home was built, in 1992, these water hammer arrestors were not common, and on all faucet areas of the home I've seen, the plumber had added these site-built arrestors.

Fast acting solenoids on washing machines have been around for decades and are not related to the front or top load style. My 30 year old Kenmores and Whirlpools had them, but the built in arrestors kept the hammer at bay so to speak.

I actually had to install the washer box twice; the first time I tried it, I followed the instructions for the Watts sweat style install, but because you had to install the valves (they snap into the styrene plastic frame and box) first, before getting the plumbing ready, I learned quickly that styrene catches fire before solder melts. I have no idea what they (Watts) were thinking--they even show in the instructions someone sweating the joint with a propane torch and the flame an inch or so from the styrene. I'm here to tell you that's not possible.

What I ended up doing is use female sharkbite adapters on the valves, with a 16"-18" length of copper tubing on the end. THAT distance was far enough away from the styrene that I could sweat those joints.

My new home in North Carolina is all PEX and all push fittings.

I do not know how other plumbers do it.
But I sweat the female adapter on a long length of pipe
let it cool then install it into the box. .

Been doing it that way for years and years. never has been a problem
 
Reading about a member replacing hose washers every two years, prompted a memory.

Washing machines usually have a "water filter", often plastic today, metal screen integrated with rubber washer earlier. When these screens get full, the water will flow slow. Performance goes down; Whoever does the laundry complains; and sometimes people will get a new machine because the $#&%$ filter is clogged.

The same is true of Dishwashers, the manufacturers put those filters down at the entrance to the water valve / solenoid. These are really simple machines, basically pump, solenoids, and timers. Almost no reason for them to die young. But, when the machine doesn't get enough water, performance goes to H@LL in a handbasket, and the dishwasher quickly gets replaced. As much of a PITA as it is, pulling the whole DW out, try cleaning the water filter if dishwashing performance drops. Better than buying a new $400-$1,000 dishwasher, and besides, helps save the planet.
.
 
Reading about a member replacing hose washers every two years, prompted a memory.

Washing machines usually have a "water filter", often plastic today, metal screen integrated with rubber washer earlier. When these screens get full, the water will flow slow. Performance goes down; Whoever does the laundry complains; and sometimes people will get a new machine because the $#&%$ filter is clogged.

The same is true of Dishwashers, the manufacturers put those filters down at the entrance to the water valve / solenoid. These are really simple machines, basically pump, solenoids, and timers. Almost no reason for them to die young. But, when the machine doesn't get enough water, performance goes to H@LL in a handbasket, and the dishwasher quickly gets replaced. As much of a PITA as it is, pulling the whole DW out, try cleaning the water filter if dishwashing performance drops. Better than buying a new $400-$1,000 dishwasher, and besides, helps save the planet.
.
good tip
also look behind the fridge , for a kinky water pipe if water volume drops off from the norm
 
...I sweat the female adapter on a long length of pipe
let it cool then install it into the box. .

That is essentially what I did, except I used a SharkBite fitting. The photo on the box indicates sliding the half-inch copper tube into the male threaded fitting, and sweating the tube right onto the valve, not using an adapter. On the model I had the valve needs to be snapped into the box before you attach any tubing. With the valve snapped into the box you can’t sweat a fitting that way.

Their photo and instructions are incorrect. See the image in the upper right hand corner of the box? They have the copper tube inserted into the male fitting, and they show a torch heating that up while all assembled, for a sweat solder job. Doing it as they show will catch the styrene on fire in a heartbeat!

What you did is fine of course and so was my shark bite solution.
 

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I do not use braided hoses
I prefer to use a rubber hose with a crimped brass connection
https://www.classlawgroup.com/ez-flo/I replace washer hoses every 5 years and have never turned off the valves for any other reason.

just my opinion..but you may want to rethink the braided hose choice
Looking for something to do......maybe I'll replace the washing machine hoses.
 

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