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enduring

Is putting a washer dryer set in a bathroom a good or bad idea?

enduring
11 years ago

This is a cross post from the bathroom forum. Here goes. I want to consider getting a stacked set w/d in the next few years and put it in a highly used bath with a shower. I could put in a side by side but it would mean moving a wall a few feet to make room, so for now I am thinking a stacked set. Currently my thought is that it may be too humid to do this even with an exhaust fan. Our current fan is marginal at best, but would be upgraded. I worry about the humidity causing problems for the steel and the circuit boards. What are the thoughts on this forum and if any one has recommendations as to brands, that would be helpful. I understand there are multiple issues to consider but I want to know this one first before I go any further down this road.

Thank you.

Comments (14)

  • fahrenheit_451
    11 years ago

    Do you have layout of the proposed bathroom and remodel to post here as that will help? Are there any windows in said bathroom? Can you add a window(s) in the remodel? Excellent bathroom fans are available; most separate laundry rooms have fans too. A properly designed and implemented HVAC system also removes humidity from the air. You did not say where you are geographically located which will have a bearing on humidity.

    Depending on the size of the bathroom I would caution that your laundry dryer will be intaking the air from its immediate surroundings so whatever odors are present will also be scenting your clothes when the dryer is running. Also, when the dryer is running it too becomes an exhaust fan for the surrounding area in addition to the room exhaust fan. Washers and dryers are designed to be around moisture and I would not be concerned about the humidity unless it is a constant.

  • whirlpool_trainee
    11 years ago

    Laundry appliances in the bathroom are a common thing in Europe. I never had a problem with our hair dryer, which also gets quite damp from humidity. Just make sure you're not steaming up the room so the machines get dripping wet like here.

    Alex

    Here is a link that might be useful: moisture test

  • enduring
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    fahrenheit_451 Thanks for your response. No plan as I am just in the dreaming stages. The tub would have to come out of this room to make room for a stacked set W/D. The shower would have to be small. But I don't want to sacrifice the size of the shower just to get a W/D in there. I don't have a window in the room, which could change if I took the tub/shower comb out. The exhaust for the dryer could be easily sent out the wall to the outside. You bring up some things to consider about the surrounding air going into the dryer:) Again thanks for taking the time to respond.

    whirlpool_trainee I love that video thanks for linking it! That is exactly the issue I was concerned about. I didn't know that it was common in Europe to have the laundry in the BR. It makes sense to utilize the BR like this though.

  • oregpsnow
    11 years ago

    It is also very common in most of the rest of the world to have the washer in the kitchen, under the counter. But they just have a washer - no dryer. And it is small. But many of their houses are not sealed up like newer American houses and I suspect they have fewer moisture issues - from inside, at least.

    If you want to see how folks live in different countries and what their housing is like I recommend checking out House Hunters International on HGTV. It is on most days at 7PM and 10PM Pacific Time - not sure about other time zones. Fascinating look at a wide variety of cultures and lifestyles.

  • fastonetime
    11 years ago

    My friends set up is weird, never seen anything like it. He has a dryer in the kitchen and the washer in the detached garage. Weird to me

  • mara_2008
    11 years ago

    OP, when my husband was in the military and we lived in many different places, one of our rental homes had the washer hookup in the bathroom. (The dryer hookup was in the kitchen, which was odd indeed, but I mostly used a clothesline.)

    At first I thought the washer location was odd, but I soon loved it. It was so handy having the washer right where our dirty clothes were taken off before we took showers or baths, especially since we had small children. If the dryer had been there too, it would have been even handier.

    That bathroom was quite large, had a full bathtub with shower and a window. Never had any problem with humidity at all.

  • enduring
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks you guys. I have gained confidence that this will work. But I might have to move the wall a foot to make enough room.

    My plumber was here today to look at things for my other bathroom remodel that I am doing. I had him look at this new laundry space idea in the other bathroom. He suggested that I just put the washer/dryer in the bedroom next to the bathroom instead of moving the wall into the bedroom. I was concerned about making the bedroom too small. His response was "but you're not using it as a bedroom any longer, and as a guest room you don't need too much room anyway...you don't want to make it too comfortable for guest" then he grinned. I might just consider this as an option. I could create a small closet in the bedroom on the other side of the bathroom wall that could accommodate the stacked set. This would leave the bathroom layout as is. I just might do that :)...Next year.

  • Cavimum
    11 years ago

    @enduring - if you move the wall, make sure it is not a load-bearing wall.

  • enduring
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Cavimum, the wall isn't load bearing, its just a wall they put in 35 years ago to make a bathroom out of a larger room.

    But, my plumber was here today helping plan for my current remodel project and I had him look at this bathroom/laundry idea. He said why don't I just leave everything as is in the bathroom and put the washer dryer in the bedroom (next to the bathroom). This bedroom is awkward already and this carve out for a laundry stack wouldn't pose any big issues I don't think, other than reenforcing the floor as needed, and plumbing, which would have to be done anyway. I'm kind of liking this new idea. The bedroom is a spare/guest room currently.

  • enduring
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Cavimum, the wall isn't load bearing, its just a wall they put in 35 years ago to make a bathroom out of a larger room.

    But, my plumber was here today helping plan for my current remodel project and I had him look at this bathroom/laundry idea. He said why don't I just leave everything as is in the bathroom and put the washer dryer in the bedroom (next to the bathroom). This bedroom is awkward already and this carve out for a laundry stack wouldn't pose any big issues I don't think, other than reenforcing the floor as needed, and plumbing, which would have to be done anyway. I'm kind of liking this new idea. The bedroom is a spare/guest room currently.

  • Lynn Miller
    3 years ago

    Did you ever undertake this project? I have the same idea and came across your older post when researching ideas. Would love to know how it turned out for you!

    enduring thanked Lynn Miller
  • enduring
    Original Author
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    Here is the link, but because years ago this was a Gardenweb site, everyone used photo bucket. Photo Bucket is no longer supported so the photo link in the first post no longer works.

    https://www.houzz.com/discussions/3333818/my-west-bathroom-reveal-from-project-in-2013-to-2014#n=17

  • enduring
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    here is a post from the laundry forum from back when it was completed. it may be helpful too:

    https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2332395/sneak-peak-vanity-and-laundry-cabinets#n=21