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steve_a_gw

Closet Laundry Install Done (Asko)

steve_a
14 years ago

We have finished our laundry machine installation in a (small) first-floor closet so Im sharing the details and lessons learned. Our original laundry room is in the basement and our bedroom is on the second floor. As we plan to stay in this house for many years, the multiple flights of stairs are becoming more of an issue. This change should make our lives easier and may help with resale eventually. The original machines will remain installed in the basement, to be used for large items.

We first considered the Bosch Axxis compact and Maytag compact machines. The closet is in a spare bedroom (now a den), and isnÂt very large. The door opening is 48". So we needed 24" machines, and did not want to stack them. Partly because of helpful feedback from my prior post, we decided to eliminate the Maytags. With further research, I found the Asko models and their pricing was somewhat comparable to the Bosch. We have a 7 yr old Asko dishwasher which we like. Other factors in favor of the Asko: ability to vent the dryer at rear, right or left (Bosch only rear and left, which would have been difficult for us.), and the fact that Asko offered black and titanium as well as white for colors. WeÂd just finished putting quite a bit of thought and work into decorating this den, and my wife thought that white machines in the closet would be very jarring. We had some concerns over the capacity of the washer. Bosch claims 3.4 cu ft, to AskoÂs 2.7. However, as stated in my previous post, the Bosch and Maytag (2.4) washers looked so similar in drum size that IÂm skeptical of BoschÂs numbers. So we decided on the Asko W6222 washer and T712 dryer, in black.

The closet backs up to a bathroom, so the plumbing work was possible. The right side wall of the closet is an outside wall, so the dryer vent run is very short and straight (but through brick). A floor-mounted drain pipe, water supplies, dryer vent and an emergency pan, drained to the outside, were installed by the plumber. The machines are both 220v and the washer plugs into the dryer, so only one 220v, 30 amp outlet was required. We opted to have an additional 120v outlet installed at the rear of the closet for convenience.

I opted to install the machines myself, after delivery by the dealer. There were two problems with the installation: I had to reverse the door swing on the dryer, which is possible. However, the lower hinge bracket just would not work as instructed. I got it to work (modified), but I need to talk to Asko about it. The emergency pan under the washer is about 2" high. Getting it up and over the front lip in that tight space is going to be difficult, so the washer is temporarily installed without the pan. We will get this done one way or the other.

All that being said, itÂs a pretty nice setup and we are happy with it. The machines are completely within the closet, and we have a new curtain which can be closed to cover them. Our initial experience with the first loads of laundry were fine, once we got over the long washing times. All of the loads came out clean (and dry from the dryer), using 1.5 tablespoons of either powder (from the sample supplied with washer), or liquid Tide HE classic. The capacities of the machines seems fine for us. WeÂve read the washer guide carefully, and we will eventually figure out the best way to sort and consolidate loads. Sorry if this is too long. Questions are welcome.

Comments (15)

  • Rudebekia
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Steve, any chance you can give us an update? I'm about to purchase these units for a second floor condo. I was leaning heavily toward the Bosch compact but the noise factor seems significant--lots of complaints about it on the web and a Youtube video with the sound that is downright scarey! Please let me know how your Askos are performing. What detergent are you using? Also, no one is able to answer this question for me--does the dryer come with a three or four prong cord for the wall? I ask because the electrician comes this week, before I even order the units, to install the 220/240 volt line. Any update appreciated!

  • steve_a
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Marita, I can answer some of your questions. The Asko dryer does not come with a cord, you (or the installer) has to install one. It can be 3- or 4- prong, there are instructions for each. I installed the 4-prong as that's the type of outlet my electrician installed. You can buy the cords at Home Depot, they're a bit pricy but I don't remember exactly how much. I thought that was standard for the US, but your electrician should know; I'm sure he will install whatever is required by code. We are using one of the Tide liquid HE detergents, 1.5 Tablespoons per load, per the Asko instructions. We've had no complaints really about the washing performance. The noise level seems reasonable, but I haven't heard the Bosch. When it spins at the 1200 RPM max, it makes a high whine, but I don't find it extreme. Otherwise, the washer is pretty quiet. The dryer sounds pretty much like our old Whirlpool dryer; not too loud. Before I finalized the installation and wedged the two machines in place, with a foam pad between them, washer did move a bit. Now it doesn't seem to walk at all. I don't know if you are stacking, ours are side-by-side. If you are installing yourself and have to reverse the dryer door, let me know. I had a big issue with that, but the solution is quite simple. Asko is very particular about not dealing (covering under warranty), anything involved with installation. So if you don't get professional installation, you're on your own. Not that installation is that hard. I did both my machines (but did not stack), and would have been fine if the instructions for the door had been better. Also, if you're doing a saftey pan (highly recommended), it's going to be difficult to lift washer (or stack) up and over the pan lip. So I hope this helps. Steve

  • Rudebekia
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Steve, thanks so much for your answer. I'm glad things are going well with the Asko. A couple of other questions, if you don't mind. First is about the drop down door on both the washer and dryer. It seems some versions of the w6222 come with a drop down door, and some don't (this information according to the latest Asko brochure.). I would prefer not to have the drop down door as the area where I'll be loading and unloading laundry is very, very tight. Did your come with a drop down door and, if so, can it be removed? Second, do you find the hoses supplied adequate? They looked just like plastic on the showroom floor, and if so I would like to replace them with Floodchek (heavy duty) hoses. I am very worried about hoses breaking as the units will be on a second floor. Third, does the washer suffer from the same type of mold/smell that other FLs do? Do you leave the door cracked when not using them? And last, are the intake and drainage hoses on the back of the washer? Very oddly, on the Asko sitem in the W6222 manual (which can be uploaded), pg. 22, it shows a diagram of the washer with the drainage hose on its right hand side (as you face the washer). But other illustrations seem to contradict that. Since the right side of my washer needs to go against a wall, this will be impossible to work with. Thanks again for your help! I never expected it would take me a full two weeks to research these things. . .

  • momof3kids
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Just wanted to throw a couple of recommendations out for closet launderers - since we finished our very tight closet last year via lots of recs from this site- 2 items I loved- special hinges for by-fold doors so they open flush to outside wall and don't take up inside closet space found on johnsonhardware.com (sorry I don't know how to do that add a link thing) and a fiberglass drain pan w/ a removable front lip (much more sturdy and easy to slide in) find a distributer on Mustee.com it was called a durapan- I have Bosch 500's and this pan was nice and big. Good Luck w/ your project!

  • steve_a
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Mary, The dryer does not have a drop-down door; it came hinged on the left, we had to change it to the right (as I well know!). There is a drop-down door on the washer. You can leave it open to be entertained by the washing action through the glass door. I don't think the manuel has instructions for removing the drop-down door, but if was removed, it wouldn't look too bad as the inner front is the same color as the body. A repairman or installer would have to do that, I guess. Hoses: I had already bought a stainless braided hose at HD, having heard about disasters from flooding caused by broken hoses (sister-in-law). You only need one hose, it only hooks up to the cold water. No, I wouldn't trust the plastic hose supplied with the machine. We have not experienced any odor or mildew; it's only been a few months. We do leave the inner door cracked by default, as it's hard to shut due to the suspension system of washer tub. It's like an inner and outer body. Once you see it spin, you'll understand why. But it works well. Our water supply and drain hoses are at the rear of the machine. I can't imagine them any other way. But I CAN imagine a misleading illustration in the literature. That's one of my major gripes with Asko. I take it you don't have a dealer closeby to see them in person. Feel free to ask questions, and I hope your purchase and installation goes well. It should be worth it in the end. Steve

  • Rudebekia
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks Steve! You've answered all my questions. Yes, the diagram in the Asko installation literature with the hose on the right side is so irritating! It is exactly this information consumers need, and it is not rocket science to note that the picture isn't accurate. I, too, am amazed at the lack of accurate information on many of the washers/dryers I am looking at. And while there are several Asko dealers in town, no one has these models on the floor for me to look at, and I've not been able to find a knowledgeable salesperson yet. Glad to hear you replaced the plastic hose with something more durable. My Floodcheck hoses are on the way (guess I'll only need one), but I had heard someone say that Asko won't honor the warranty is parts like this are replaced. I don't know if that's true or not but I can't risk a cheap hose on the second floor (even if the literature calls them part of their Acqua stop system).

  • steve_a
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    A few follow-up comments (on hoses): I just looked at the washer manuel and I don't see an illustration on p. 22. All of the pictures I see show the hoses correctly, on the rear of the machine. The hoses are on the left side of hte machine, when looking at it from the Front. When I said I bought a stainless braided hose, I was only talking about the water supply hose. The drain hose on washer is also plastic, but I don't think it's easily replaceable. I wouldn't worry about it, as it's not under pressure like the supply hose, which is under pressure at all times. If the drain hose leaks, at least some of that would go into the safety pan and hopefully you'd notice it. In any event, I didn't replace the drain hose.

  • Rudebekia
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I went back and looked at the manual on the Asko site. Actually it is page 31 in the w6222 manual (there seem to be several w6222 manuals, all the more confusing). Don't know whether this copied link will work, but it does show hose coming out the right side of the machine and emptying into a sink. For what it is worth!

    http://194.14.129.136/brandsite/DocumentOpen.aspx?did=7515&mid=43&lid=2

  • steve_a
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Mary, I looked at the picture on p. 31. The dotted lines are supposed to represent that the hose is in the back of the machine. It is misleading, and this is exactly the kind of thing that messed me up with the dryer door reverse. I wouldn't worry about that hose, it's in the back. I posted my previous post before I'd seen yours. I'm sure you'll be fine with your installation as long as you have enough room. And you really don't need much room with these machines. However, if you have to vent the dryer out the rear (rather than one side or the other), you will need several inches to the rear. Good luck, Steve

  • Rudebekia
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks Steve! The first hurdle is the electrician who arrives in 1/2 hour to tell me what the bad news (cost and feasibility) of installing the 220/240 volt outlet. The nook established for laundry in my second floor condo, I realized as this project started, was made specifically for only one--and I mean one--laundry unit, a Whirlpool Thin Twin with gas dryer. No other gas dryer comes in a 24" model except this all-in-one unit. And it has been a nightmare from the beginning. So what I thought would be an easy fix is turning into a monumentally long and involved research project. Live and learn! You've been very helpful, and I really appreciate it. Mary

  • steve_a
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My pleasure, Mary. Please let me know how it all turns out, email if you'd prefer. Yeah, those electricians are the something. The more I read here, the more I realize that we are not alone in our struggles. Hang in there, it will be worth it.

  • jeanwedding. zone 6
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hello all
    I have had the Asko washer for years. Mine has the exra door. I got mine from local dealer. ordinarily it wasnt a stock item. Luckily for me someone returned it. Salesman said the lady didnt like the long wash times. Smile. Mine too is in a tight converted 1/2 of a very small bedroom with a toilet, bidet and little corner sink.
    I always prop open the outer door with a rubber bumpy ball and the inner door ajar.
    Iv had the same fill hose that came with it, Havent had a lick of trouble with the fill hose.My regular laundry older set is in the basement and there I have the stainless steel braided hose.
    I love my Asko. I love the way it heats its own water. We plumbed both hot and cold anyway. Had to replace the motor several years ago.We sent for it and installed it ourselves.
    Mine empties into the little corner sink or outside during the drier weather to water lawn etc.
    Hubby drilled a hole in floor to crawl space then drilled thru the house brick. this is behind shrub. We used that 1 1/4 " sump pump corrugated hose I rather had a solid pvc pipe going thru the small crawl space run but the hole in floor is close to a stud etc.
    The outlet hose fits neatly into a pvc pipe thats prob 18 inches tall under sink. so I can easily switch back and forth.
    Another house we have both Asko washer and dryer stacked. That washer hs no outer door
    Unfortunately the other nite while sko baby was running I heard a pop ,like the sound of a "circuit breaker tripping" So Im sad and will have to ask this forum what it might be
    Course I checked the circuit, no it was not tripped.
    Unfortunely being 220 I cant jut check the receptacle with
    a nite light etc.
    Jean
    Just chiming in with my opinions and observations.

  • jeanwedding. zone 6
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hello all
    I have had the Asko washer for years. Mine has the exra door. I got mine from local dealer. ordinarily it wasnt a stock item. Luckily for me someone returned it. Salesman said the lady didnt like the long wash times. Smile. Mine too is in a tight converted 1/2 of a very small bedroom with a toilet, bidet and little corner sink.
    I always prop open the outer door with a rubber bumpy ball and the inner door ajar.
    Oh the laundry washer pans ,nice ones anyway, wasnt available so I had one in heavy aluminum, made up and welded from a metal shop.
    I've had the same fill hose that came with it, Havent had a lick of trouble with the fill hose.My regular laundry older set is in the basement and there I have the stainless steel braided hose.
    I love my Asko. I love the way it heats its own water. We plumbed both hot and cold anyway. Had to replace the motor several years ago.We sent for it and installed it ourselves.
    Mine empties into the little corner sink or outside during the drier weather to water lawn etc.
    Hubby drilled a hole in floor to crawl space then drilled thru the house brick. this is behind shrub. We used that 1 1/4 " sump pump corrugated hose I rather had a solid pvc pipe going thru the small crawl space run but the hole in floor is close to a stud etc.
    The outlet hose fits neatly into a pvc pipe thats prob 18 inches tall under sink. so I can easily switch back and forth.
    Another house we have both Asko washer and dryer stacked. That washer hs no outer door
    Unfortunately the other nite while sko baby was running I heard a pop ,like the sound of a "circuit breaker tripping" So Im sad and will have to ask this forum what it might be
    Course I checked the circuit, no it was not tripped.
    Unfortunely being 220 I cant jut check the receptacle with
    a nite light etc.
    Jean
    Just chiming in with my opinions and observations.

  • Rudebekia
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks for your comments Jean, and hope the "pop" isn't anything serious. I found out that a local appliance store had the titanium color units on the floor. Evidently, their stock room had them on the floor and needed to make room for other inventory so, although unused and under full warranty, I got a pretty good discount on the pair! I was amazed that this worked out because they had just arrived in that store and previously I had been unable to see them anywhere. The washer has the drop down door, which I've decided I can live with (I just have to stand to the side when loading and unloading). Based on your experience, steve, I wrote into the contract that they will reverse the dryer door in the shop even before the units are delivered. The saleswoman said that she had not heard issues of smell/mold with the ASko thus didn't necessarily recommend keeping the door open between washes. Anyway, on top of this "find" the electrician's bill was actually fairly modest, equal to the savings on the machines, so I'm doing the happy dance! They will be delivered and installed next Wednesday. O happy day--to be done with this project!

  • steve_a
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hey Mary, Congratulations on your purchase! I hope everything goes smoothly from here on. And thanks for the write-up, Jean. Sounds like you have a nice setup. I can't advise on the pop sound, unfortunately.