Moving washer/ dryer from 1st to 2nd floor

sebastien1

Has anyone completed a project like this?

I'm planning on moving them almost directly above there existing location into a linen closet on the 2nd floor. I have a pretty good handle on how to move the electrical, however I'm a bit confused on what to do about the vent. Can I vent it out the through the roof or would it be best to route it accross the cieling joists through the vinyl siding? Many thanks for any imput.

Double A

Where is the vent for your washer now? If you're moving upstairs almost directly over the old location, it should be nearby.

Why not just reuse the existing drain and vent for it?

sebastien1

It currently vents down and through the main floor joists (crawspace) and outside about a foot off the ground. My first thought was to try an reuse the existing path, however this just isn't possible as I would have to add a lot of 4" pipe and cross too many 2nd floor joists.

I do plan to tap into the existing plumbing (water and drain) and move the electrical up as well. The location is upstairs is overlapping the current 1st floor location by about 25%. The electrical can be snaked around and I plan to use some of that flexible woven reinforce tubing for the water and drain. Its this 4" pipe which is in the way

redline

The shortest run for the vent is advisable.

AtlanticWBConst.

Run the vent out the side of your house...across the space between ceiling joists...through the vinyl siding. Make sure that you use a 'hood' style vent cover and seal it up weather tight.

__________________
- Build Well -

sebastien1

Many thanks; this is the answer I was looking for...

sebastien1

Something I was just made aware of:

Put a drain on the washer drip pan that leads outside using pvc... Whats the best way to get this accomplished? Couldn't I splice this into the main drain? Also this drain from the drip pan should probably be large enough to keep up with a lot of water which may gush out...right?

AtlanticWBConst.

I'm not a plumber, but I am familiar with what you are writing about. I definitely agree about the drain pan installation.
The standard installations I have always seen are (I believe a - 1/2"?) line that leads to the drain line. It is positioned off to one side of the drain pan.

__________________
- Build Well -

Double A

I saw washer and vent and was thinking plumbing vent, not dryer vent. Sorry.

A pan will catch leaks and spills. Use a 1" i.d. drain at a minimum.

A burst hose will still most likely flood the house and take the ceiling down below. The only way to prevent this is to put the entire room in a 'receptor' like for a shower, with a membrane in the walls to deflect the water down and to a floor draim. This drain will require a trap primer under most model codes and should be 2" minimum.

Replacing your hoses often can help prevent this to a great degree. I would also recommend an automatic valve on the washer box that only allows water flow with the machine is running. This can help with an unattended burst hose situation.

I would also put a moisture alarm in the pan if you go that way, or on the floor at a minimum.

sebastien1

A burst hose will still most likely flood the house and take the ceiling down below. The only way to prevent this is to put the entire room in a 'receptor' like for a shower, with a membrane in the walls to deflect the water down and to a floor draim. This drain will require a trap primer under most model codes and should be 2" minimum.

Replacing your hoses often can help prevent this to a great degree. I would also recommend an automatic valve on the washer box that only allows water flow with the machine is running. This can help with an unattended burst hose situation.

Lots to think about here... I plan on doing this correctly the first time so I certainly appreciate all the feedback... What is a "trap primer"? Also how would this membrane work with the door accessing the washer/dryer room? I picturing a big rubber box that surrounds the washer...?

AtlanticWBConst.

Good points. Yes, these should be standard components on a 2nd floor washer...in addition to the drain pan and drain line.

__________________
- Build Well -

Double A

sebastian, this room would be built, except for the door, much like a custom shower stall. If a hose burst, the idea would be to limit the water damage to the wall board or plaster in the room. Its not an inexpensive room to build.

The pan idea can be worked with just fine, but understand there is a bit of risk involved with it. Its just not meant to catch all the water from a burst hose. Using the other components, like the auto-shut off, the moisture alarm, and changing out the hoses will be the most economical way to go with good coverage for problems, but not the best.

Best you can do is to build this room like a giant shower stall. A regular door, even a hollow core would be find as it will take water spraying on it directly for a period of time, but regular drywall with nothing behind it will not.

A trap primer is a device that puts a small amount of water into the drain in the floor. It does this to recharge the water seal. If it didn't, the water would dry up and the room would smell of flatulance and allow sewer gasses into the home. This device keeps the seal 'primed' all the time, automatically.

The rubber membrane would be under your drywall. The point would not for it to be completely waterproof, but to deflect the water down to the floor to go out the drain if the dry wall material failed in case of a burst hose. You would not see it in the finished room.



You can see the web page for this roll-in shower receptor here.

This is a bit small, but a faux marble fabrcator in your area can make one large enough for your needs.

This is what a regualr "washer pan" looks like.

If the water doesn't come straight down on this pan, at a slow enough rate for the small drain to handle it, its useless at best. A sheet metal shop can make you a larger one that will work better than these things.

GL

mdshunk

The washer hoses with the stainless steel outer braid are almost a "must" for washers installed over finished spaces. They are superior hoses, but they cost about 50 bucks for a pair. Cheap insurance, but still no guarantee.

redline

stainless braided water supply lines and metal vent hose/duct.

redline

Is this a gas or electric dryer?