Setting Up a Laundry Room
Wash & Dry Space
A laundry room doesn’t have to be a dull or boring place where you only go to throw your dirty clothes. Think about the great outdoors in summertime! There is nothing more refreshing than hanging laundry out in the bright sunshine. Bring that ambiance indoors with these setting up a laundry room ideas.
According to the Santa Cruz plumbing experts, it needs to be comfortable, cool and pleasant and at the same time, highly functional. Some of things that you may want to add to your laundry room could include: a small chair to reach the upper cabinets, stylish countertops, matching flooring and a desk or small office space facing the yard. Not sure about you, but it sounds like a dream room — if a laundry room can be one, says the most referred Duncan plumbing experts.
Good lighting is key to keeping from having a messy laundry room.
Plumbing Pro Tip of the Week
Tip #1 A washing machine needs hot and cold water and a drain. Install washing machine valves, which look like outdoor hose bibs but point straight down.
Tip #2 The washer drain hose hooks to a sink or a standpipe. The drain for either of these must slope down at a rate of 1/4-inch per running foot.
Tip #3 Many washing machines are self-leveling. Grab the machine by its control panel at the top rear, pull forward to slightly tilt the machine, and let it drop back solidly on all four feet. Adjust the front legs to make sure the machine is level in both directions.
Tip #4 Shut off the water to the supply pipes and drain the lines. To tap into a copper supply pipe, cut the pipe with a tubing cutter to install a T-fitting.
Tip #5 Apply flux and sweat the T-fitting in place. If there is not enough movement in the pipe, a piece of pipe and a slip coupling may be necessary. Or try a compression fitting.
Tip #6 Add lengths of pipe to reach the laundry tub, including tees to run pipes to the washer. At the end of each supply pipe, sweat on a brass supply stub out. Anchor the stub outs to the wall with masonry screws.
Tip #7 Run copper lines to the washer. Add supply stub outs and anchor them to the wall with masonry screws. Apply pipe-thread tape and hand-twist each hose bib into its stub out, then tighten with a wrench.
Tip #8 Install stop valves on the sink stub outs. A plastic utility sink is inexpensive and easy to assemble. Install a faucet onto the sink and connect supply tubes to the stop valves.
Tip #9 Tap into a drain line with a T-fitting and run a drainpipe (sloped at 1/4-inch per foot) to the sink. Glue an adapter to the pipe end and attach the trap.
PLUMBING TRADE SECRETS: Set the washing machine in place and level it. Screw the machine’s supply lines to the valves and tighten with pliers. Drape the drain hose over the side of the utility sink and clamp it firmly in place.