Laundry Remodel

[dieselscout80]

We are re doing our laundry and I have a couple of questions.

1. We want to stack our washer and dryer, but where is the best place for the connections so you shut off the water if needed?

2. Currently our dryer has a 3 wire plug should we switch to a 4 wire plug?

 

[RNeumann]

The dryer specs should specify if they need a neutral. Typically this is so the appliance can run parts at 120v. If it was a standard dryer the existing two power wires and a ground would be fine.

Typically the height of the water and waste box is set at 40ish inches. That would hold true for the stacking machines too. Typically the dryer is on top. If space is tight you will want to plan the dryer exhaust duct carefully. Your washer and dryer will have all the specs- I’d have the specs before I did a rough in.....if space is tight.

 

[sodamo]

Many appliance models you can find the User / Install manuals online.

 

[3Ts]

The 3 wire vs 4 wire - The 3 wire is 2 hot wires plus a neutral that also has the ground tied to it. The 4 wire is 2 hot wires plus a neutral (by itself) and a separate ground wire. The newer machines are going to 4 wires.

 

[dieselscout80]

I guess question two wasn’t clear most of the time the washer connection is directly behind the washer.

However, with a stacked washer/dryer I would not be able to reach the valve to shut the water off in an emergency.

 

[ovrszd]

Yeah, if you are building a slide-in cabinet that will be a problem.

Not knowing your situation, is it possible to locate two shutoff valves outside the cabinet but hidden such as under a sink cabinet nearby??

 

[dieselscout80]

I have a blank slate to work with as long as it fits in a 87” x 164” (inside room dimensions).

 

[KennyG]

If you stack them, you definitely want to move the water lines so that shutoffs are easily accessible without moving the machines. These typically have in wall boxes for the connections but you can also put them inside a cabinet or adjacent to the machines. I have two laundry rooms and both are behind the washer, so I have to lean over them to reach the shutoffs. I wish they were beside them but it's not practical. If you are completely redoing the room and putting in tile, consider adding a floor drain. It will save a mess if the drain line gets plugged. I added this to the laundry room I remodeled but the time the drain plugged it was in the room I didn't remodel and it was a mess.

 

[dieselscout80]

I wonder what’s the best way to get slope I would need in that sized room.

 

[3Ts]

I wonder what’s the best way to get slope I would need in that sized room.

And you'll need a trap and a way of keeping the trap filled, otherwise you'll end up with sewer gas in the room.

Note: there are valves that fit in a cold water line feeding a sink or other appliance that trickles water into a side port (which runs to the trap) when the water runs. However, I took mine out because the plunger got stuck frequently and it would just run and run.

 

[EddieWalker]

Everybody that I know who stacked their machines hated it and either went back to having them side by side, or just complained about it all the time. The biggest issue is working the controls of the dryer. Even though they are at the top edge of the machine, they are hard to see, and some machines, they are just buttons that all look and feel alike. One of my clients has to have a stool to get up high enough to use her dryer!!!

As for the water valve, I've never seen then anywhere but right behind the machines. You have to pull them out to turn them off. I'm not aware of any code or regulations that require them to be behind the machines, and since it's just hoses and drain pipe, you should be able to put it anywhere you want. I just added a laundry room into my master closet and I put the water/drain box down just below the Washer so you cannot see it. It's still accessible, but I have to pull my machine out a foot to get to it.

If you already have a 3 plug set up for you dryer, then stick with it. If you are buying a new machine, just use the old wire that's on your old machine and put in on your new machine. If I remember correctly, dryers do not come with a wire, so you have to buy one extra when you buy a dryer. Odds are very good that if you have a 3 prong outlet there now, that you only have a black, white and bare copper wire run to that outlet. Switching over to a 4 prong outlet doesn't accomplish anything unless you are going to run new wire from your breaker box.

 

[MossRoad]

If you're not redoing the floor, consider adding a washing machine drain pan instead of a floor drain.

washing machine drain pan - Google Search

 

[Industrial Toys]

This is how I did my Stacked Maytag connections.. Sorry, you need to look at it sideways.

I had one of the first Digital controlled stacked sets, and since stuff was always getting blasted by lightning and I don't have insurance, I found it imperitive to have disconnects on the 120 and 240 receptacles. No trouble since the late 80s!

 

[Damifino]

If I was going the stacked route, I would install this. https://www.amazon.com/Floodstop-Washing-Machines-FS-4-H90/dp/B00PM9A3TC

 

[dieselscout80]

Everybody that I know who stacked their machines hated it and either went back to having them side by side, or just complained about it all the time. The biggest issue is working the controls of the dryer. Even though they are at the top edge of the machine, they are hard to see, and some machines, they are just buttons that all look and feel alike. One of my clients has to have a stool to get up high enough to use her dryer!!!

As for the water valve, I've never seen then anywhere but right behind the machines. You have to pull them out to turn them off. I'm not aware of any code or regulations that require them to be behind the machines, and since it's just hoses and drain pipe, you should be able to put it anywhere you want. I just added a laundry room into my master closet and I put the water/drain box down just below the Washer so you cannot see it. It's still accessible, but I have to pull my machine out a foot to get to it.

If you already have a 3 plug set up for you dryer, then stick with it. If you are buying a new machine, just use the old wire that's on your old machine and put in on your new machine. If I remember correctly, dryers do not come with a wire, so you have to buy one extra when you buy a dryer. Odds are very good that if you have a 3 prong outlet there now, that you only have a black, white and bare copper wire run to that outlet. Switching over to a 4 prong outlet doesn't accomplish anything unless you are going to run new wire from your breaker box.

Eddie, thanks for info on reaching the dryer controls.

I had to run new wire for the dryer, so I went with 10/3 and a 4 prong plug.

 

[dieselscout80]

If I was going the stacked route, I would install this. https://www.amazon.com/Floodstop-Washing-Machines-FS-4-H90/dp/B00PM9A3TC

That cool, but a lot of $$$.

 

[goeduck]

When I added a 2nd laundry room closer to the bedrooms, I put the valves up high enough to reach without pulling out the wash machine. I also put both the dryer and washer electrical outlet high enough to easily pull the plugs out in an emergency. I figured it is a laundry room, no need to make it too pretty. Mine was a new circuit so I ran in a 4 wire.

 

[dieselscout80]

Well it seems she decided to not stack them.

 

[tomplum]

Ours is stacked and I don't mind it. Reaching to the back would be difficult if one was vertically challenged though. Our room is due for a redo and I'm thinking about building a base to get both off the floor with storage. I'm thinking that way there could be usable storage both above and below. We'll see. The pedestal bases are nice but I think specific to the machines and get replaced with each set. Our set is 15 years old already and they don't run forever.

 

[goeduck]

Ours is stacked and I don't mind it. Reaching to the back would be difficult if one was vertically challenged though. Our room is due for a redo and I'm thinking about building a base to get both off the floor with storage. I'm thinking that way there could be usable storage both above and below. We'll see. The pedestal bases are nice but I think specific to the machines and get replaced with each set. Our set is 15 years old already and they don't run forever.

At my last house I built a base for the front load washer for my wife who has a bad back. At the current house I bought a top load washer, no base need. Amazing concept. The dryer does not bother her.