Washer and Dryer in Basement
We want to put a washer and dryer in the basement and have a few questions…. Where/how do we vent a gas dryer? There are coal shoots in the front and back. Can we just run a duct out either of them? Although we are hoping to place the dryer quite a few feet away…
We want to put a washer and dryer in the basement and have a few questions….
Where/how do we vent a gas dryer? There are coal shoots in the front and back. Can we just run a duct out either of them? Although we are hoping to place the dryer quite a few feet away from either of the shoots. We are also concerned about things getting in…insects, rodents, water, etc.
And can we just split a sewer pipe and drain the washer right into it?
Looking for a DIY solution. Thanks.
I just installed my own washer and it was not really that hard. I agree that there is no way that you should cut into your sewer line, but if you have a basement sink already installed, just point the washer drainage tube into the sink and you’ll be fine. I had to cut into my hot and cold water pipes and add new spigots to attach the washer’s water supply hoses, which was interesting but not that challenging really. For the dryer, unless you already have a gas line set up for the dryer I would personally prefer to have a plumber do it – I’m afraid of gas – but if its electric its not hard to do it yourself. You can get a self closing vent that will stop bugs, cold air, and rainwater from coming in.
http://fixitnow.com/appliantology/dryervent_ultimate.htm
I third or fourth the notion that you should have a plumber do most of this work. You can run the venting yourself, if you are so inclined, but you will be very sad if you don’t have a plumber do the pipe work. You don’t just need a drain line, though you do need that–you also need hot and cold lines with shutoff valves and a gas hookup, none of which you should play with. (Especially the gas line.)
You may also need a pump to get the water from the base of the washing machine to the sewer line, which should be 4-5 feet off the floor. Check how far up your machine will pump (it will be in the manual), and subtract a foot or so for the manufacturer’s wishful thinking.
As for venting out your front/back hatch, measure the distance, and find out how far your dryer is rated to vent. Then you have to subtract a bunch for any turns the vents take. Mine is rated to vent 60 feet, but since I had to take three 90-degree turns to get the vent to the outside, I couldn’t actually use more than 30 feet of venting.
I have ventless electric dryer – POS. It leaves the clothes dump after finishing. And it useless for other things like putting water-repelant or disinfecting clothes.
what about the new ventless electric dryers?
“think of the image of a basement full of shit after you have made a mess of this”
But at least he’ll have a clothes washer to clean up 🙂
do not even think about cutting into your sewer line yourself…think of the image of a basement full of shit after you have made a mess of this
not an easy DIY job…what you’re asking to do requires permitting by the NYC Dept. of Buildings. You are not allowed (yet) to penetrate for a dryer vent to the outside of a building without a filed plan, unless it is going through a roof. You can add the washing machine on an LAA form which is a less involved permit with DOB. If you are going to DIY and want to vent to a hatch, just make sure that the distance isn’t too far for the dryer specs. If it is, you can add an inline inducer for more distance. As far as “splitting” a sewer line, I don’t recommend that you try that…you can cause a lot of damage to the pipe if not done properly and create a big headache. Contact a professional and get a price to do the job correctly. It will be worth it in the long run.