Moving washer/dryer from basement to 2nd floor master bath?
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Our laundry room is in the basement of our 2 story colonial with all the bedrooms upstairs. It is SUCH a pain to haul laundry for a young family of 4 up and down 2 flights of stairs.
We also have a large garden tub in our master which we never use and takes up a ton of space. We have long wanted to replace the tub with a large shower/bench and it occurred to me that we could replace the shower with a stacked washer/dryer. It seems like the space would look very symmetrical (see my very rough sketch).
I'm hoping this wouldn't be astronomically expensive to do as hopefully the plumbing would not be THAT complicated and we wouldn't be knocking out walls, etc.
We do have another tub upstairs in the hallway (kids) bathroom. And I think we'd likely also keep the laundry room in the basement should future owners prefer that. We do plan on being here for another 15-20 years so resell isn't a huge concern. Plus it seems like it would be easy to convert the new washer/dryer closet into a linen closet if preferred.
Any reasons why this isn't a decent plan?? There really isn't another good place to put a washer/dryer upstairs (without losing a bedroom) and we aren't looking to spend a fortune.
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LG Steam Washer on the 2nd Floor
Comments (4)You did not mention the following: Location of the laundry in regards to the floor plan? Does the laundry area have a floor drain? Now, of course, I can't remember exactly what he said, but he didn't think there would be a vibration problem. He said the floors were not done with plywood, but instead are done with concrete backerboard (this might not be the right term). He said it is what is being used in laundry rooms now. And the floors are tile. Concrete backerboard is used as a quick means of providing a level surface for tiling as most tile contractors today are not seasoned or generationally trained so they are not good at hand floating a level surface to lay tile on. Durock is an example of concrete backerboard; these substrates are fastened to subflooring on flooring surfaces (see this link). Also, I am not sure that I understand why there would be such a big difference in vibration between a first floor that's over a basement, and a second floor? Basement walls are typically embedded in the soil so they act as dampeners and can absorb vibration. The higher you go in wood frame construction the more movement has to be accounted for in the building's engineering. This becomes even more accountable if you reside in an area with seismic considerations....See MoreSewer smell in 2nd floor laundry room with F&P ecosmart washer
Comments (4)Are you sure it's a sewer smell and not grossness in your washer? I got rid of my 6 year old ecosmart washer a couple months ago because it broke, but I was happy that it broke because it stank horribly starting when it was about 6 months old. I always left the lid open and used HE detergent but still the washer stank horribly of mildew/mold/general disgusting funk. I had to run cleaning cycles with bleach about once a month to keep the stench at bay, and even then it was there, it just wasn't unbearable. Another GW poster had a similar issue - her dh took the washer apart and it turns out she had all kinds of mold growing on the outside of the drum. http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/laundry/msg1116132918352.html Here is her post with the picture: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/laundry/gal1116003129042.html?1 I'm guessing this might have had something to do with our water (it's well water through a softener) since lots of people here have ecosmarts and don't have problems like this. But then again, in the 7 months I have owned my frigidaire Affinity front loader, there's no hint of smell or mold or anything else I was afraid would happen with a front loader. So who knows? All I know is that you couldn't give me another F&P washing machine - never again!...See Morehow to move Laundry - 2nd Floor?
Comments (5)CJ You need to vent the dryer to outside. The problem is not heat, it is moisture. You need a plumber to come and give you an estimate, the drain in the bathroom might be able to be used, but you have to have a certain size for the washer and it has to be vented. If the bathroom sink is on the same wall that the washer will go, it is likely that it can be used. The drain for the pan is an emergency drain and code in your area may not require that it be connected to the drain. It has the purpose of draining in the rare occasion that your washer leaks or overflows. This prevents damage to the structure. Again, you need the advice of someone who is knowledgeable about the local codes. If you are rebuilding the room, pay attention to the floor and how supported it is. A springy floor is going to be problems for a washer because they all depend on placement on the floor for part of the damping of the machine. Front Loading machines use a shock absorber type of damping and the could be problematic with old floors and joists. Top loading washers normally use some form of floating damping system that may have quite a bit of vibration. Anything that can be done to reduce vibration and spongy floors during the build will serve you well....See MoreMoving laundry from basement to 2nd floor
Comments (5)We brought our washer and dryer up from the basement for the same reason. We converted a first floor bedroom into a laundry room. Our house is 100 years old with original wood floors. We were able to run new water lines up through the floor, as well as vent the dryer thru the basement. In your situation, you will have to tie into your bathroom water lines and bathroom drain. The dryer will need to be on an outside wall in order to vent outside. If unable to do the conversion yourself, you can hire a professional. We started with the traditional agitator style washer and dryer and it was fine. We just purchased new HE top loader washer and matching dryer. With our old floors, it was very important to level both. The washer spins at such high speeds, we were concerned about the vibration in the floors. After inquiring on this forum, we did install anti-vibration rubber feet to absorb the spin cycle. They work fine, the floor now has no vibration. Good luck with your new project!...See MoreRelated Professionals
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