Sounds just like my setup... 2nd floor laundry closet, in bath off the hallway... on ceramic tile.... don't have a tray under (the standard sized ones won't fit in the closet), although we have talked about building a "platform" with piping under into the outflow piping from the washer for "emergency"... mind you in 20 years we didn't have a problem with the old top load machine, but we're thinking about it now...

Just make sure they do a good job leveling the machine, front to back, side to side, and diagonals... I've had no problems...

Thanks, I usually only do laundry when I am home and would not leave it washing and go out. But where it is on the second floor, I still worry about that one time (and we know that is all it takes to cause problems) that it might leak. Anyone else out there have a washer on second floor without a tray????

We have the LG washer WM0642HW and matching dryer upstairs. There is no tray under it. I didn't even think of buying one. I am always home during laundry time, so I am not too concerned about leaks. I am young, but I have never had a washer leak on me, including a quite old one.

I don't know what the previous owner did to stabilize the floor, but even on high spin, there is no vibrations. Laundry was originally on first floor.

I have the Kenmore He4T washer and HE4 gas dryer installed on the 3rd floor of my townhouse. I have them standing side by side and I removed the tray the builder installed. It looked like hell. The amount of water that will leak out of a front loading machine is something about which I would not worry. I installed stainless steel braided hoses and make it a practice to turn off the water when I finish the laundry. There are times when the washer vibrates when it ramps up to full speed but frankly, it's not an issue with me.

We have the LG steam fl machines on the second floor on tile and although there is a bit of a vibration on the full spin cycle it is nothing like what I thought it would be like due to the reviews. We are very happy with it and probably wouldn't have noticed the vibration if we weren't warned. Just like the previous people said, it is important that it is leveled properly. We do not have a tray but we also don't have them on pedestal as the higher they are the more vibration you get apparently.

You may be home when you are doing the wash, but the pressure is on your hoses day and night and leaking/burst washing machine hoses is a nightmare nobody wants to deal with. I have the Intelliflow System. It only turns on the water when the washer is on (it senses the currect draw of the washer and opens the water valves) and has a leak detector that will shut off the water as well.

I have a 220 volt Miele and that requires a slight work around (any 220 volt machine does) - an extra hundred bucks for the "Intellitimer" I'm thinking your Bosch is 220 volt too?

I would not even consider a 1st or second floor laundry without this set up.

Wow, thanks for the advise. I just wrote it down for my DH. It sounds better then a tray. And not a lot more $$$ then the custom ordered ones for the larger machines.

The Bosch Nexxt is not a 220V washer, so it really shouldn't be too expensive to get a "Intelliflow" system or some kind of other safety valve.
Burst hoses can actually happen anywhere, the DW, the refrigerator with ice maker, etc.
A FL washer is safer compared to a TL since there is a lot less water in the drum. At any given time, there are a maximum of 6 or 7 gallons of water in there where a TL can easily hold up to 25! I don't think it is necessary to put a pan under a FL, but in some apartments or rental properties you are required to do so. In my own house, I wouldn't worry about it.

"Burst hoses can actually happen anywhere, the DW, the refrigerator with ice maker, etc."

100% FALSE. WHAT are you talking about? 99% of dishwasher lines are copper and cannot burst. most refrigerator lines don't burst either. dishwasher and refrig lines are are much lower GPM house lines as well!

Washing machines lines burst ALL THE TIME.

"A FL washer is safer compared to a TL since there is a lot less water in the drum."

BULL! a front load can vibrate a lot more -- especially on the second floor.

ask ANY one who manages real estate or works in insurance. washing machine overflows on second floors are in the top two or three of CATSTROPHIC damage frequency and amount of loss!

There is a LOT of complete false advice and speculation here. You need a pan!

It is NOT the water already in the in the drum that causes the damage. it is almost always a 1) failure of hose which will hundreds of gallons in 15 minutes which can cause 10,000, 20,000 or more in damage easy. 2) failure of a seal 3) failure of a shut off valve.

On any second floor you must have a pan. the pan must go to a floor drain. and you must have burst proof hoses!

Everyone but Deke gave 100% wrong advice.

tl45,

I agree that washing machine hoses are the problem. They are made of rubber and not reinforced like the braided "sister" hoses of the water closet or dish washer. (The rest is not directed at tl45, just general info).

Not all appliances have reinforced supply lines either
The problem results in washing machine "rubber" supply hose failure, which are always under pressure, regardless of an itelli? System. The only way an intelli? System would "possibly" work is if it was hooked *directly* to the "shut off" of the house plumbing.

If the supply hoses are before the washer AND inteli? System, the hoses are the weak link, UNLESS... A person physically shut off the valves (hot & cold, before the supply hoses. Meaning that you "could" remove the washer completly and have no water).

I recommend a washing machine supply hose be replaced no longer than every five years. I usually do every 3-4 years. (10-20 dollar investment).

On a side note, dryer fires are a concern. I had one. I now vacuum every six months.

river-rat4

We got the Intelliflow for our Bosch FL on our first floor because it initially was installed on top of a pedestal. I highly recommend it and it was not at all expensive.

99% of dishwasher lines used to be copper but I bet now with the way construction is going and folks installing things themselves, that 60% of new installs are NOT using copper lines.

Installers come in with the plastic hose flex-hose stuff and you have to stand over them and their companies to get them to connect using copper or you have to get a plumber to do it for you and the first thing out of their mouths is "well it will cost you more" like you are going to back down from your request for using copper lines.

The exception may be in places like where I live in which plastic pipe is forbidden but even then flex-hose is use.

I shut the water valves myself when my machine is not in use. I guess that would not help if a hose or solenoid valve broke while the washer was running, but I'm home then and would hopefully notice. I don't really understand why the amount of water used in a cycle would matter if a hose or solenoid valve breaks. In fact, if a solenoid valve breaks, water is going to spill out of the machine a lot sooner in a FLer than a TLer. I don't have a drain pan, but my first floor laundry room has a floor drain next to the washer (the floor slopes slightly to the drain) so between that, and shutting my valves when they are not in use, I feel pretty safe. And I have had a solenoid go out on a washer in another house. Good thing I had a basement laundry room, what a mess. Oh yeah, My mom has had to replace the water hose for her refrigerator 5 times in 15 years because of leaks (they tend to crack) which is why I don't have water and ice in my fridge.

These flow restrictors also work when a machine is on correct? So if a solenoid valve broke while the machine is running it would sense that too much water was flowing and shut off the flow? How does it shut off the water? Does it use a solenoid valve also?

I have the Bosch 500 set without the pedestals or a pan on the 2nd floor. They have seen A LOT of use in the six months I have owned them and, thus far, I am very happy with them. I didn't use the hoses that were supplied with the units, but instead bought some braided hoses with automatic shut-off (I don't recall exactly what they were called.) Make sure to use a level and lock everything into place after removing the shipping bolts.

Imagine 5 gal/min pouring through a burst hose while you're on the phone in some other part of house. At what point will you realize the problem? Ask your insurance agent what the average damages might be in such a situation. What's the freq of such an event? -haven't a clue. Again your insurance agent might have some useful information. BTW, the impressive looking steel braided hoses typically use a thinner walled hose in order to accomodate the steel braid. The weak point of a hose will be anywhere it kinks and at the end of the hose thread insert at the water inlet. It's recommended to replace hoses every 4-5 years.

That is why it is always a good idea to turn off the water to the washer after you've finished washing clothes. That is one item my insurance agent suggested when he did an inspection of my home a while back. I informed him that I always shut off the water when finished washing.

HI ZBACH!!!! Welcome to THE BEST Laundry forum on the net!

(He's my BIL)

Hey Jessy! I didn't think I could hide in plain sight. Nice place you have here.