[credmond311]

Hi all,

We moved into this house about a year. I have a laundry shoot that runs from a second floor guest room to the first floor hall. The previous owners painted over both the shoots so at some point they stopped using it. We're moving the laundry to the second floor, so I'd like to remove the shoot altogether, mainly because it runs through our garage (attached pic) and so there is no insulation or sealing in that section of garage wall. It's next to the appliance chimney, and both need to be sealed on the sides and top. Recently found some mice inside too, and droppings near these gaps tell me this was likely an entry point.

I can find a lot of articles on how to install a laundry shoot but nothing on how to remove one. Anyone have experience or suggestions for the best way to do it? Is it as simple as prying loose the shoot openings on both floors (cutting surrounding drywall if needed) and pulling the shoot out from the bottom, since so much of it is exposed in the garage? Or is this more complicated than I'm thinking? It isn't near any bathrooms so I don't think plumbing would be an issue. There is one outlet near the shoot on the second floor, so may have some electrical nearby. I should also mention the shoot is made of duct work.

Appreciate if anyone has input.

Chris

 

[rjniles]

Cut it out, install insulation and drywall over the holes.

BTW it is a chute not a shoot. Pronounced the same, meaning quite different.

 

[Chris616]

I’m a bit dubious about it being a laundry chute. In the photo where the duct goes through the ceiling is seems to be about 4 inches by 12 inches. Most clothing wouldn’t fall freely down something so small. And a laundry chute wouldn’t typically end in the front hallway.

In any case, the ease of removal will depend on how well it’s attached to the house structure. I’ll guess that there is a least one point where the ducting has been fastened to the wall studs behind a finished wall on the second floor. If part of the duct is in uninsulated interior walls there would be no downside in leaving parts in place.

Chris

 

[mark sr]

I agree with Chris - it looks too narrow to be a laundry chute.

 

[HotRodx10]

I agree with Chris and Mark; it's not a laundry chute, it's a duct. It may be a cold air return, which may or may not be needed for the heating system to operate properly. I would suggest consulting a heating and AC tech before removing it. It's likely a leftover from an older heating system, but it's best to be sure, so you don't tear out something you need.

 

[credmond311]

Here is a picture of the painted over opening. The opening looks the same as a laundry chute opening I had growing up, and come to think of it, I remember jeans and sweaters always getting stuck going down. This house was built in '74, same time frame of the house I grew up in. Any chance the chutes were narrower back then?

In any case, thanks for the suggestions on how to proceed, and the spelling correction. Turns out I needed more help than I thought!

 

[3onthetree]

You'll figure it all out once you open the door. It should be only attached at the upper door level and the bottom level, but since this is a DIY one not done right, who knows where they fastened it to your structure.

BTW it is a chute not a shoot. Pronounced the same, meaning quite different.

Ha! He meant, "Shoot, I can't figure out how to remove this"

 

[mark sr]

The house I did most of my growing up in had a laundry chute. It was real simple, basically just the void between 2x6 studs in the wall. It had a similar looking door in the upstairs hallway, another in the half bath off of the kitchen with it exiting in the basement laundry rm. That house was built in the late 40s