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Laundry Areas

Laundry areas have changed over the past few decades. What used to be simple open areas located in basements has morphed into finished rooms with designer amenities and high tech equipment. Here are some of the things we look for in our day to day travels related to the laundry area:

  • Is the 110 VOLT outlet grounded
    • A laundry appliance plugged into an ungrounded outlet is a shock hazard. If your house was built in the 1960’s or earlier, we need to make sure that this outlet is properly grounded.
  • Is there an overflow pan under the washer (if located adjacent to or above a finished area)
    • These pans came into being around 20 years ago. They are designed to dispose of water in the event that you have a washer-related plumbing mishap.
    • They are usually drained to “open air”, sometimes poking out a sidewall of the house or possibly leading down into a basement deep sink or sump crock.
    • They may never come into play, though on the rare occurrence of a washer leak, they are well worth the investment.
  • Is the 220 VOLT receptacle secured to the wall
    • We often find these boxes hanging or lying on the floor.
    • The wire and receptacle should be attached to a running board if located in an unfinished area.
  • Is there an unused gas line lacking a cap.
    • A gas line that is relying on the shutoff is not properly terminated and may be prone to gas leaks. An inexpensive cap is the answer.
  • Speaking of gas lines, is yours a brass flexible line
    • If so, it’s time for replacement. These items were recalled several years back due to leakage problems at the connectors. Any appliance or hardware store will have a replacement whip. Best to bring the old one in with you to insure you get the right size. Also, "one per customer". You should not use multiple whips connected together.
    • NOTE TO SELF: Make sure you turn off the gas before disconnecting.
  • Is there a potential cross-contamination condition in the deep sink
    • Often, there is a short hose lying in the bottom of the tub that is connected to the faucet. This creates a condition where waste water can siphon into the public water supply, possibly contaminating whole neighborhoods. Simply removing the hose corrects this potential problem.
  • Is there a “handy-dandy” dryer diversion gadget installed on the vent pipe-
    • These gadgets are said to retain some of the heat from the dryer vent gases. Only thing, these are not a good idea, as they increase the moisture levels in the basement, leading to mold and mildew growth.
    • We strongly urge people not to use these items, regardless of how readily available they are at your neighborhood home store.
  • Is the dryer vent piping flexible plastic
    • Why not! Isn’t that what they sell it for? In a word...no.
    • This material has a bad habit of twisting and turning, restricting air flow, allowing lint to build up and generally do a poor job in venting the dryer. It also habitually cracks, defeating its purpose.
    • Worst yet, in instances where the clog up, they may start a fire. All one needs to do is read the newspaper to see instances of clothes dryer fires.
    • Our perfect vent material – Smooth walled metal piping. We like the galvanized over the lighter gauge aluminum, as it is sturdier and easier to work with. (Over a long period of time, galvanized piping may begin to rust, though in our opinion, the durability makes it worth it.)
  • Length of vent
    • In our book, the shorter, the better. The maximum length for a clothes dryer vent should not exceed 25 feet. This length should be decreased by:
      • 5 feet for every 90 degree turn the vent pipe makes.
      • 2 ½ feet for every 45 degree turn the vent pipe makes. The elbow in the wall at the dryer connection should not be computed into the formula.
    • The pipe used should be smooth. Screws should not be used in the pipe. Flexible pipe should only be used to __make an angle or connection to the dryer.
    • Duct size 4" minimum, terminating in a back draft damper (dryer vent) without a screen.
    • How often are we cleaning out our vent pipe- under the best of circumstances, these should be cleaned out at least twice a year, although you should check it monthly.
  • What are our water feed hoses made of
    • If they’re rubber, we suggest that you invest around $30.00 for a set of stainless steel hoses. These are much more durable and will not burst. If a laundry hose bursts, it will run until you get home. (And that may be a long time if you are, say, vacationing in Tibet.)
  • Make it a habit to pull your washer and dryer out annually
    • If for no other reason, a good cleaning of the floor and wall behind works wonders. That’s also a good opportunity to re-level the equipment and pick up the loose change and odd socks that have fallen behind over the year.
  • Does your deep sink drain into the floor drain
    • Many older houses have this configuration where the concrete around the floor drain is lower to provide a better source of drainage. These drains may become clogged with lint, towels, tennis balls, and such, and may need occasional snaking.