Laundry installations fail in predictable ways. The shipping bolts stay in the washer and it walks across the floor on the first spin. The dryer is pushed back against the wall and the foil duct behind it folds flat, so clothes take two cycles and lint packs the vent. The drain hose is jammed too far into the standpipe and siphons the tub. RepairWell installs washers and dryers in Ottawa and Gatineau where the water, drain, power and vent connections already exist and are correct.
What the installation includes
- Removing the shipping bolts and spacers from a new front-load washer (a step manufacturers require before first use)
- Connecting new inlet hoses to the existing hot and cold taps and routing the drain hose to the standpipe or laundry tub with the supplied hook, not pushed past the point where it can siphon
- Levelling the washer on all four feet and locking the feet, then running a short cycle and checking every hose end for drips
- Connecting an electric dryer to the existing 240 V receptacle with the correct cord (haul-away and cord supply: [TO BE CONFIRMED])
- Connecting the dryer exhaust with rigid or semi-rigid metal duct, clamped, routed short and straight, and confirming airflow at the exterior hood
- Installing the manufacturer's stacking kit for a stackable pair and checking that the vent still has room behind the unit
- Written record of the installation on the same one-page form we use for diagnostics
What your home needs already
- Hot and cold water taps within reach of the washer's fill valves (Whirlpool specifies 1.2 m / 4 ft) with working shut-offs, and household water pressure in the normal range (Whirlpool: 20 to 100 psi)
- A standpipe or laundry tub for the drain; Whirlpool's instructions call for the standpipe top to be at least 991 mm (39 in) above the floor and no higher than 2.44 m (96 in)
- A grounded 120 V, 15 or 20 A receptacle for the washer; a dedicated 240 V receptacle for an electric dryer
- An existing dryer exhaust path to outdoors with a 4 in (10.2 cm) opening, within the manufacturer's maximum run and elbow limits
- For a gas dryer: an existing gas supply with a shut-off, connected only by a certified gas technician (see below)
- Clear access: the pair needs to be moved in and out, and stacked units need working room above
Work that needs a licensed trade
Electrical. A dryer needs a 240 V receptacle and a washer needs a grounded 120 V receptacle. If either is missing, is the wrong configuration for the new cord, or the panel needs a new breaker, that is electrical contracting work. In Ontario it must be done by a business with an ECRA/ESA electrical contractor licence; a homeowner may file a notification with the Electrical Safety Authority for their own home only. In Quebec, electrical installation work falls under RBQ licence subclass 16.0, and the CMEQ states the licence is mandatory to execute electrical work in the province. We plug the appliance into the receptacle the electrician leaves.
Gas dryers. TSSA states that fuel-fired appliances in Ontario must be worked on by TSSA-registered contractors employing certified gas technicians. Connecting, disconnecting or converting a gas dryer is that work. In Quebec the RBQ directs homeowners to licensed gas appliance contractors. [OWNER TO CONFIRM whether RepairWell can connect gas dryers with a certified technician; otherwise the gas connection is done by a registered gas contractor and we complete the vent, cord and levelling.]
Plumbing. A new standpipe, a laundry box, or replacing seized taps is plumbing work. Seized or dripping taps are common in older Ottawa and Gatineau homes; we will tell you before we connect to them.
How it goes
- Confirm fit and connections by phone. Model numbers of the washer and dryer, whether the dryer is electric or gas, a photo of the receptacles, taps and vent opening, and whether the pair will be stacked.
- Set up and connect. Shipping bolts out, hoses and drain connected, dryer cord and metal duct connected, units levelled, stacking kit fitted if ordered.
- Test and document. Fill, drain and spin on the washer with a leak check; a timed dryer cycle with airflow checked at the exterior hood; written record left with you.
Pricing
Installation is $189 per appliance where the existing connections are in place and correct. Anything extra — a new supply line, a stacking kit, a dryer cord, replacing a foil duct with metal — is quoted before we start. Whatever the rule, it is quoted before we start.
Questions
Why won't you use the foil or plastic duct I already have?
Whirlpool's venting guidance says rigid or flexible metal is recommended for all dryers and that foil or plastic is not recommended because it collapses or crushes; LG says to avoid plastic or vinyl ducting. A crushed or lint-packed duct is the most common reason a dryer takes too long and is a fire hazard. We replace it with metal, quoted in advance.
How long can the dryer vent run be?
It depends on the model and the number of elbows. LG's guidance, for example, gives a maximum of 65 ft with deductions for each 90-degree elbow and no more than four elbows. We check your run against the manufacturer's chart for the model you bought.
Do I really need to replace the water hoses?
Whirlpool's installation instructions say to replace inlet hoses every 5 years to reduce the risk of hose failure. A burst hose runs at full mains pressure until someone notices. We install new hoses with every washer.
Can you connect my gas dryer?
Gas connections in Ontario are done by TSSA-certified gas technicians working for a registered contractor, and in Quebec by licensed gas contractors. We diagnose gas appliances; work on the gas connection itself is done by a certified gas contractor we work with. If we cannot, we complete everything else and coordinate with the gas contractor.
My new dryer cord has four prongs and my receptacle has three. Can you swap it?
Fitting the correct cord to the dryer is part of the installation. Changing the receptacle or its wiring is electrician work in both provinces. We will tell you which cord to buy once we see the receptacle.
Can you stack my existing washer and dryer?
Only with the manufacturer's stacking kit for that pair. Not every washer is rated to carry a dryer, and generic brackets are not safe. Send both model numbers and we confirm.
Related
Sources
- Whirlpool: Washer installation instructions W11156977 (water supply, standpipe height, 120 V grounded outlet, hose replacement every 5 years, shipping bolts)
- Whirlpool Product Help: How to check venting (rigid or flexible metal only; no foil or plastic; 4 in diameter; clean every one to two years)
- LG Support: Dryer proper venting and installation tips (avoid plastic or vinyl ducting; maximum run and elbow limits)
- Electrical Safety Authority: Electrical contractor licence (who may do electrical work; homeowner notification)
- TSSA: Be Fuels Wise, hire registered and certified professionals (fuel-fired appliances must be worked on by TSSA-registered contractors employing certified gas technicians)
- Régie du bâtiment du Québec: licence subclass 16.0, electrical contractor (qualified by the CMEQ)
- Corporation des maîtres électriciens du Québec: mission (subclass 16 licence mandatory to execute electrical work in Quebec)
- Régie du bâtiment du Québec: Gas appliances, safety advice at home (licensed gas appliance contractors; qualification certificate for burner adjustments)
Reviewed 2026-09-24.
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