What's involved with moving a washer/dryer to second floor?

Question

Hey folks,

I want to move my washer/dryer to the second floor in a room next to the bathroom. I have a few questions for what's involved.

1) My understanding is that I need to:

a) Get the water lines installed

b) Handle the exhaust for the dryer vent

c) Ensure the electrical outlets are present

d) Install a drain pan for the washer and have a drain pipe coming out

Is there anything I'm missing or not thinking of? Perhaps something related to preparing for floods from the water lines?

2) Do I have to cut up the floor and install the drain pan there, or can the drain pan sit directly on the floor? I'd prefer not to cut a 3 foot square in the hardwood floors.

3) Can the exhaust go straight up to the attic (right above it) and hook into my bathroom vent that's in there, or do I need to have it go right out the house next to the dryer?

4) What should I anticipate (very round about) for how much the plumbing would cost to put the water lines there?

Thanks!

Answer 1

First of all, you are just about correct in what you need to do.....

-Is it a Gas or Electric dryer? If it's gas, you'll also need to run a gas line upstairs.

-No, you do not need to cut a 3' square section of the floor, but if you already have to tear apart the ceiling of the floor beneath to run a natural gas line, I would also run a drain out from the catch-pan under the washer.

-When you run the water lines to it, put them to a "Grey Box". It has the water valves for the supply and it has a built-in drain to set the washer drain hose into. You should be able to tie that drain into a drain from the upstairs bathroom....I'm sure it's close.

-Run the dryer exhaust directly out of the house without tying into a f**t-fan exhaust...the dryer has so much more exhaust than a bath fan and you wouldn't want to just be piping hot air into your bathroom.

-Depending on where the water lines have to be run from, you're looking at anywhere between $500 and a couple of thousand. They can be run from the main lines that feed the upstairs bath as long as you don't have more than two fixtures being fed by a 1/2 inch copper line. Any questions.....email me: [e-mail]

    I hope that I helped.

Answer 2

Lots of muscle.

Answer 3

What about the waste line for the washer?

You have to vent the dryer alone and it must go outside.

This will not be cheap.

Answer 4

a washer on the second floor is never a good idea.  any water problems you have will ruin the floor and the ceiling below and possibly migrate to the walls.  you can easily have mold everywhere.  this is not a good idea.