I have never used them and don't know if they are reliable. Never had a hose break or any other water issue.

I just turn off the water to my washer when not in use. It takes about 15 seconds before/after each wash session, and best of all it's 100% reliable and free. :)

Nope. No floor drains, nothing, and my laundry room is on the second floor with hardwood right outside.

That is why I turn water off when not in use. It could conceivably burst during a wash, but I check on my laundry frequently during washing and would catch it before much water went anywhere (unlike my fear of it happening at night and running water out for hours).

You could install a manual shut-off valve, like this one in the handy link below. This would make it very easy to shut off - just move the lever.

If you can't find an automatic shut-off valve, you can buy one (Intelliflow) from the same Watts valve manufacturer:

http://www.watts.com/pro/divisions/watersafety_flowcontrol/learnabout/learnabout_intelliflow.asp

Not affiliated (yadda, yadda), don't own one, just providing info,
CMC

Here is a link that might be useful: Manual shut off valvle

I'm assuming now that this is a remodel. Also, a drain is not required by code in your area.

Is this closet on an outside wall? If so, you could put a pan under the washer and a drain to the outside. (This is what I have with my water heater.)

Otherwise, a floor drain should have been part of the contract up front. If not, and he intends to connect to the plumbing stack, he's telling you the truth: the water in the elbow can evaporate. Simple solution: mop the floor. And you'll want that drain where you can see it.

Go with a dual-valve 1/8-turn lever shut-off like cmc97 suggested. About $30.00 at any of the big-box stores. Common, simple, and solid. On/off takes seconds. Much simpler and more reliable alternative than "automatic" anything.

I have never had washer hoses burst or leak but I have heard the stories. Even a small leak can cause a terrific amount of damage. Having just had a heater-tank fail on a slab floor (typical leak-failure) I can tell you that it only takes a few hours to be in deep do-do. I just wrote the check for a little under five grand for mitigation and repair. If it had remained undiscovered for days instead of hours, it could have been many times more. You don't want that -- or the risk of that -- in your life. Especially when its so cheap and easy to prevent it.

I have had water leaks in every house I've owned -- every single house! Something has invariably gone wrong, and then I've had a huge mess to deal with.....plus insurance claims, etc. So, I have great respect for water and the damage it can do.

I have washer & dryer on the second floor, in a long, narrow closet. Prior to remodeling my house, there was no floor drain in the closet because house was built in 1978. While I had no problems with washer during time I lived here from 1989-95, one of the renters did have quite a leak that caused problem with the carpet and sub-flooring outside of the washer area.

When I remodeled my home in 2005, as I was preparing to move back to the house, one of the things I did was install a floor drain which connects to an existing drain pipe. I also finished off the utility room floor with tile floor that slopes from all sides, so water will automatically fall into the drain. I also had the tile guy use tile for the molding around the floors of the laundry room closet, to further increase the "leak protection" for that room.

And, because I have arthritic hands, I had the plumber install lever shut off valves at the washer. When I'm through washing, I push the levers to turn off the water. And I never worry now about whether I'll have a leak that will damage the hardwood floors which I had installed throughout the entire house, including outside the laundry closet.

Stick to your guns. I think it very wise to install the floor drain since you're remodeling or making structural changes to the laundry room area. You will not be sorry you did it.

And, I have never poured water into the drain to keep it open and smell-free, nor did the plumber or anyone else say this type of maintenance would be required. Plumber absolutely agreed with my decision to install the floor drain.

Hope this helps.

I like the idea of a floor drain, too. However, I would NOT install any drain that doesn't have a trap in it. That's bad news! There may well be a trap already further down the line, but I'd check it out.

Isn't there some special mixture that you can buy or make to retard the loss of water in the trap to evaporation? For some reason the notion of people using mineral oil comes to mind.

Strongly agree with beth4 - install a drain pan AND shut-off valves. The kind where a single lever operates both H/C are nice.

The single-lever shutoff valve is a good idea. As is the floor drain. My home inspector recommended mineral oil in the trap as a way to prevent water from evaporating and allowing the trap to remain open.

Don't let them talk you out of a drain.

Mineral oil in the trap doesn't cut it. Poor substitute. And it will be washed away with any/every discharge.

Don't know correct terminology, but they have little "tickler valves" (I'll call them) that are designed for no other purpose than keep traps in seldom-used drains full. That's the right way to do it. Just replaced one in mom's house after 30 years trouble-free service. Common and reliable.

asolo,

Could you elaborate on why mineral oil isn't a good choice. Is it something beyond the wash-away factor? Certainly that is a negative, but how often does an overflow occur?

Is the part listed in the link below what you are talking about? Certainly a nice way to go.

As a tangent, I believe some local plumbing codes may allow an emergency overflow to pass independent of the regular drains and go into a drywell. If that solution is available it side steps the need for any trap.

Here is a link that might be useful: Automatic Trap Primer Valve

I plan on buying the hoses sold at the site below. Spoke to the very nice man who owns the company and he also remarked that the auto shut-off things are not reliable and frankly are not needed when his hoses are use.

They don't sell these for DW, unfortunately.

Here is a link that might be useful: Floodchek washing machine hoses

clnewberry1 Trust me, I have gone through all this with a fine tooth comb and I have all your answers! I have an Intelliflow and it is great. I would not have laundry our of the basement without it. Why gamble? Washing machine hose leaks are the #2 home owner claim after refrigerator water lines.
Sure you can manually shut off a valve yourself, humans forget, the Intelliflow never will. It takes just one time. Is that chance worth $150? Can you sense a leak on the floor when the washer is on? The Intelliflow can. It is the perfect solution to worrying about leaks. Think of NASA (in the old days) and "redundant backup systems."

Regarding the drain, a trap will not work. Unless you want to somehow pour water in there every few weeks it will absolutely dry out and your house will smell when the sewer gas is no longer "trapped" by the water in the trap (this is what it traps!). :-) My brother has a drain in his 2nd floor laundry, but there is no trap. Instead it runs straight to the side of the house and the exit point has a little flip lid that will open if/when water comes down the pipe. This prevents bugs from getting in the house. However, with an Intelliflow or some other shut off valve (automatic) a drain is probably not needed, though of course coupled with an automatic valve would be the ultimate fail safe multi layered system in leak prevention redundancy!

smarge beat me to it!
That is what we installed last yr - best hoses for washer!
also w/a lever shut off valve

I have those hoses too! Between all of us we can win the fight against washing machine leak damage! Prevention is the answer!!! :-)

OK, so what do you all do about the DW hoses/potential leaks? Isn't it the same issue as w/the laundry?

The Floodchek guy said the DW should be hard-plumbed w/a coil of copper and no hoses. Is that what everyone does?

(Sorry for slight thread drift!)

Code installation for DW is hard. Typically coiled copper of lesser diameter than washer hoses. Also DW's only have one supply line. The risk-factors for leaking supply are waaaaay less than with washers.

Smarge....plus jejvtr and deke....thanks for the link and feedback. I was unaware of these hoses. Have done some additional research and concluded these Floodchek hoses are, indeed, superior. Ordered a set today -- along with their gooseneck fittings to avoid sharp angles at the attachment points.