Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Nov 29, 1999 11:47pm | #1

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   Yeah, I've seen it done, and it sucks. Putting aside the logistics of water supply, waste and vent, there will always be lint in the air and, more importantly, moisture. Clothing will be damp and musty, and there is a good chance of mildew. Not to mention noise in the bedroom.

   And when the washer overflows, they'll have a master swimming pool. Find another place.

   SHG

1. 
   Guest_ | Nov 30, 1999 02:47am | #2

   *Mike: 1st, look at the thread this site"floor drains in bathrooms"Next, if you had an alcove in the master closet, I would consider putting it there. But the washer needs a pan, and no matter what you do , the dryer will leak some lint. So I think the best place is a special laundry closet in the bedroom hall, JUST for the laundry.I do believe that the laundry belongs as close to the bedrooms as you can get it, because this is where 90% of the laundry comes from and goes to.Be sure to get the specs of your unit before you frame, and make sure that you provide for the dryer duct work before the sheetrock / plaster goes up. Leave enough space so the vent can be conected with an elbow (galv., depending on how you will duct it) and so you can still close the doors.I like bi-fold doors for the laundry, you can take them right off the track to service the units if you have to pull them out of the closet. Also the bi-fold lets a lot of air move so the dryer will not be starved. Consider a secondary lint filter, a lot of lint bypasses the one IN the dryer, and also people tend not to clean them after EVERY use.This is a good place for a vinyl floor remnant, to protect your floor as you drag the unit in and out . Think about a sanitary ceramic tile cove baseboard for easy cleaning.And , get rid of the water supply hose that you have and buy one of the stainless steel braided ones with the good connections, this is another aprt of your insurance policy.Have the plumber install one of the IN-WALL laundry supply/drain modules and make sure that it has the quick-throw single lever ball valve so you can shut off both HOT&COLD with one flip of the lever. Shut the supply OFF if you leave the house for the weekend.If you install it right , you should never have a problem, and it sure beats trekking and schlepping laundry out to the garage or down to the basement.b Now that Mr. Mom has to do the laundry, lets make it as easy as we can.

1. 
   Guest_ | Nov 30, 1999 05:17am | #3

   *I agree with SHG, worst place in the whole house.

1. 
   Guest_ | Nov 30, 1999 07:05am | #4

   *Really? (Regarding bad experiences.) Could these just be bad installs? I wouldn't put in right in the bedroom either, but perhaps in the hall, with hermetic exhaust...?I suppose a general bathroom-type exhaust fan to keep slightly negative pressure in the alcove while the unit is running couldn't hurt, either. It's my experience that gas dryers work better; there are now gas stackables available.

1. 
   Guest_ | Nov 30, 1999 07:48am | #5

   *Best bet for a stackable unit in a closet is Miele equipment. It's hideously expensive, but so well designed you can sleep at night knowing the likelihood of it failing is next to nil. Plus it's MUCH quieter than the average el cheapo stuff. Also more efficient than conventional equipment. Between using less soap, less water, less electricity, and making clothes last a lot longer they probably pay themselves back over 5-10 years, especially if you have kids.

2. 
   Jack_Durre | Nov 30, 1999 08:04am | #6

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   Just to add my two cents...I lived with a separate washer and dryer in a hall closet, two or three feet from the M. bedroom door, for almost 20 years. Never had any plumbing failure, but I wouldn't consider it without a pan/drain, as you mentioned.

   I was in a house in S. Florida, where the floor was terrazzo, the air conditioning ran 24/7, and I vented the dryer directly to the return air space at the foot of the air handler. Somebody had pointed out to me that you should _never_ attempt to vent a dryer vertically (up), since the lint falls back as soon as the dryer stops. An exhaust fan would simply load up and stop, so that left (for me) only the horizontal. I capped off the end of the vent hose with an old panty hose, and emptied it once a month (your mileage may vary)...

   If you're on wood floors, not running A/C full-time, etc., you are bound to have the problems pointed out above. The mold/mildew on your clothes would be the pits, so I would say keep them apart.

3. 
   Guest_ | Dec 01, 1999 04:48am | #7

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   My comment is just an oppinion based on the original question relating to a location "in a Master closet". I agree that a closet or loction/room outside the bedroom would be good,in fact ideal as most laundry is generated near bedrooms/baths. I don't feel it's good practice inside a bedroom for all the reasons previously stated.

1. 
   Guest_ | Dec 02, 1999 12:36pm | #8

   *Just installed a Maytag Neptune Stackable in a closet. Quiet, efficient, convenient. What else could you want? About a year ago put another brand stackable in a hall closet. Except for the noise(much greater than the Neptune) it was great. The homeowner loved it.No problem is either installation with lint or anything else. Just be sure you vent with ridgid galvanized ducting that is properly sealed and meets the dryer manufacturer's instructions for length, diameter and bends.It was a bit of work getting the utilities to the sites but the whole endeavour was worth it.Pay no attention to the grumps! Go for it!

1. 
   Guest_ | Dec 02, 1999 04:48pm | #9

   *Grumps??? I'm no grump. I agree that a laundry room near the bed rooms is ideal, and inside a closet providing there's venting is fine. Just not a clothes closet.Posting about how one application didn't have a failure isn't going to help you at all if your application does. What do you tell the washer when the water's all over the floor? Don't create a situation where failure is a potential and you won't have the problem. If you do it, and you are the one in a hundred that does fail, you live with the consequences.But I'm no grump.SHG

1. 
   Guest_ | Dec 02, 1999 05:48pm | #10

   *SHGlaw: Good Morning to you !You sound a little grumpy this morning, but I'm sure he must have been referring to some other grump.I understood your distinction (clothes closet vs. dedicated laundry closet near bedroom). Indeed , it is an opportunity fraught with danger, but if you take a lot of planning and attention to detail, the rewards are years of convenience.

1. 
   Guest_ | Dec 04, 1999 01:35am | #11

   *Re the washer/dryer upstairs, I liked the proposal here to drain the emergency pan to the basement floor drain area. No trap, no trap priming, etc. ... it's technically not even plumbing I suppose.

2. 
   Guest_ | Dec 04, 1999 03:07am | #12

   *I have a stacked Asko off my bedroom and it saves the lugging of clothes up and down stairs if you have a basement with the ususal laundry area. It has worked great, although I would opt for the dryer with the external vent.Washer is so quiet you can watch TV at the same time -- If you go stached think about rasing the whole unit -- take a 2x12 and add a 'floor' to raise it close to a foot and you are in business. I did not put a pan under mine and am thinking I should have from the earlier posts.good luck

4. 
   Donna_Smeaton | Dec 04, 1999 05:25am | #13

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   Michael
   I'm not sure that I would put the laundry right in a bedroom but certainly nearby makes sense. As has been mentionned, alot of laundry is generated by bedding, towels etc. One concern with a closet location is extra space...afterall, you need to store more just the appliances...there is the soap, softener, bleach, and hampers or baskets. I try to incorporate a cabinet in laundry areas with deep high open shelves to store at least three laundry baskets-darks, lights and cleans. Oh and remember a spot for a waste bin to dispose of the lint and those softener sheets.
   One more thought...if you have kids and want to encourage them to do laundry, a more accessible location than Mom and Dad's bedroom might be appropriate.
   Good luck
   Donna

5. 
   Michael_Hehmann | Jan 04, 2000 11:53pm | #14

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   hey out there. I'm new to this message thing but here goes. What challanges will I have with placing a stackable washer and dryer in a moderate sized master bedroom closet. We'll need a pan and drain. what about wierd lint floating around. Has anyone seen this done? thanks, Mike H