Like most homeowners, your washer and dryer are probably in your basement. But what if you could move them to your garage? Believe it or not, there are some benefits to doing this. Do you find it difficult to have extra space in your garage when it is full of boxes and tools? GarageSmart® has the perfect solution for you.
In this post, we’ll discuss why moving your washer and dryer to the garage might be a good idea for you. We’ll also provide tips on making a move go as smoothly as possible. So read on to learn more!
Garage With Washing Machine And Dryer (Tips & Requirements)
To assist you in deciding whether or not installing a washer and dryer in your garage is right for you, we’ve included some information about the process, the equipment you’ll need, and some useful pointers.
Relocating the laundry room to the basement sounds like a good idea. However, it would help if you first consider whether you have enough space. If so, you should make a few considerations before relocating these appliances from the kitchen or laundry area.
You can put your washer and dryer in the garage because the concrete flooring is ideal for these machines. Plus, it helps you make the most of your garage’s square footage.
A garage laundry room that is well-designed and organised will also save you time and effort in the long run. An insulated wall between the garage and the rest of the house is ideal since it will dampen the vibrations and noises generated by the laundry appliances.
Storage Space Requirements for a Washer and Dryer Setup in the Garage
The recommended minimum size for a garage laundry room to accommodate a regular washer and dryer, plus some extra supplies, is seven by ten feet. The perfect dimensions for a laundry room that simultaneously functions as a mudroom are 12 feet by 15 feet.
You should also be able to locate the perfect spot in the garage for a laundry room, build sure it is easily accessible from the main house, and construct it close to a water and electric line so that you can easily hook up all of your appliances.
You’ll have all the space and time you need to keep the laundry area neat if you put the washer and dryer in the garage. GarageSmart® Storage Experts are experienced professionals who will work with you to create the perfect garage for your needs.
- A plumbing connection running from the garage to the laundry room is the most important prerequisite for doing laundry in the garage.
- Connecting your washer and dryer requires an electrical line, so it’s best to locate them where one is easily accessible.
- Having a utility sink in your laundry room in the garage is also crucial, as it can be used to clean shoes and soiled clothing before being placed in the washer.
- You can keep your garage laundry room neat with the help of shelves and cabinets, where you can put your detergents and other cleaning supplies, as well as your folded clothing, shoes, and towels.
- A table and drying rack provides a convenient area to organise dirty garments before they go into the washing machine. You can fold clothes and iron clothes on a decent-sized table. You can use a drying rack to temporarily store your garments before bringing them inside.
Price Of Relocating Appliances To The Garage
You’ll have to figure out where they’ll look best and how much room you have. If you haven’t already, you should check with your homeowner’s association or property management to learn if you’ll run into any roadblocks as you pursue this project.
The installation of a dryer vent is the next thing to think about; doing so may be necessary due to local ordinances or garage storage limitations. Unfortunately, an air pipe must be put outside the house for ventless dryers, which adds another $200 to their price tag.
The typical cost to install a washer and dryer is between $100 and $200, assuming you already have the necessary plumbing and electrical hookups. Adding flooring, countertops, and cabinetry to the mix would significantly up the total cost.
To build washer and dryer hookups, a drain line, a dryer vent, and an outlet, the typical cost to relocate your laundry room to the garage is between $1,060 and $4,475.
Organising Your Garage for Your Washer and Dryer
Keeping a washer and dryer in a basement or dedicated laundry room might be challenging, so here are some suggestions for relocating them to a garage. Learn more about laundry room layouts for the cellar.
- The first thing you need to do before installing a washer and dryer in the garage is to find out what regulations exist in your area regarding such installations.
- Second, research the electrical and plumbing codes in your area. Next, you’ll want to take the dimensions of the area where you intend to set up your washer and dryer.
- The third step is to clean the exterior dryer vent pipes. Next, calculate the length of pipe required for the new run, cut it with a hacksaw, and secure it in place with clamps or plumber’s tape.
- Relocating your washing machine to the garage means it’ll be exposed to potential power surges due to its distance from the main electrical setup of your home. Just as you would with your valuable electronics inside your home, you should consider investing in a surge protector for your washing machine. A surge protector for washing machines ensures the appliance’s longevity by safeguarding it from sudden electrical spikes that can damage its delicate circuitry. This not only protects your machine but also your investment. When choosing the right surge protector, make sure it is designed to handle large appliances and offers adequate joule ratings. It’s a small step that can make a significant difference in the lifespan of your washer, ensuring that your move to the garage is both practical and long-lasting.
- The next step is to measure your washer and dryer and check the wall studs close to where you plan to put the brackets to ensure no interference.
- If you don’t care when installing brackets or pipes, you could have leaks in your wall.
- The next step involves running the electrical line, which calls for a cover plate over the outlet and a separate cover plate for the dryer’s exterior.
It will be tough to work on the wiring after you’ve moved your washer and dryer into the garage, so you’ll want to instal them first. Take note that in most locations, washers and dryers must have circuits (and breaker panels).
Before putting a washing machine in the garage, you should ensure a connection to the water supply. Moreover, a washing machine drain must be installed before the appliance’s setup.
Preparing a Washing Machine for Storage
You should clean and drain your washer thoroughly before transporting and storing it. Mould and rust can seriously damage your washing machine if you don’t clean it first. Put your washing machine away safely by following these instructions.
Heat The Water In A Closed Loop
Run a full, hot-water cycle on an empty washing machine. If you find any trace of detergent in your rinse cycle, try adding a quarter cup of vinegar.
Put The Washer Back Together Again
Before proceeding, learn where the water shutoffs are and where the circuit breakers are for your washing machine. Be sure that they are both completely turned off. Next, turn off the water supply by carefully removing the hoses. Search YouTube for tips, peruse the manual or hire an expert if you need help.
Completely Dry Out Everything
Mould and rust can form in your washing machine if any moisture is left in it after you’ve used it. After the machine drains, could you give it a good wiping down? It would help if you dried out any remaining moisture by leaving the washer door open for at least 24 hours before the relocation.
Setup Instructions for a Washing Machine in a Basement or Cellar
Placing a washing machine in the garage is usually not an issue. The concrete subfloor is an excellent choice for any device with a slight chance of occasionally leaking water. Make sure there is access to a drain and a hot and cold water supply and that the pipes will only freeze if you install the machine in your garage. So long as these conditions are met, the garage can be used like any other space in the house.
Supply Of Water
To complete any cycle, your washing machine must access hot and cold water. The distance water must travel from the faucet to the washing machine can affect the water pressure, so keeping that distance as short as possible is ideal. Most hoses made for this purpose are only about 3 feet in length, so aim for that as a minimum length. You should put it just before the water taps for the best results.
Drain
It is impossible to wash clothes without water, and it is impossible to use a washing machine without a drain. This usually necessitates the proximity of a drain connected to the city’s main plumbing system.
The location of the drain in a garage doesn’t matter so long as the water-draining pipe doesn’t obstruct traffic or pose a risk to vehicles pulling in or out. To avoid breaking any waste disposal laws in your area, you should do more than run a line out a window or door.
Installation
The installation requires clearing a space for the machine next to the sinks. Since most washers need 220 volts, you should double-check that you have access to a suitable electrical outlet. Next, connect the washer’s hot water intake hose to the hot water supply.
If you want to try it with cold water, do it again. Instal the drain pipe and start the water supply before beginning laundry in the garage. Always remember to adjust the machine’s legs to ensure a flat surface. A heavy, imbalanced load could otherwise cause it to creep across the floor, potentially rupturing pipes and hoses. GarageSmart® offers the perfect garage storage cabinet to fit your needs!
Considerations
No laundry can be done if the water supply has frozen. Because garages are typically less insulated than the rest of a home, you should consider it if you plan to build one in a region with harsh winters. Use the necessary safeguards to ensure your pipes don’t freeze in the winter. Also, during the coldest months of the year, you should keep the washing machine from sitting with a lot of leftover water.
Conclusion
Since the garage’s concrete floor is suitable for the operation of a washing machine and dryer, that’s where you should put them. It will save you time and energy in the long run if you have a laundry room that is well-organized and well-designed.
As such, it is recommended to have an insulated wall separating the garage from the rest of the home in order to reduce the vibrations and noises caused by the vehicles and appliances stored inside. Garage laundry rooms should be at least seven by ten feet in size.
Preparing dirty clothes for the washing machine is made easier with the help of a table and drying rack.
It usually costs between $1,060 and $4,475 to move your laundry room to the garage, including the cost of installing washer and dryer hookups, a drain line, a dryer vent, and an outlet. Ventless dryers cost an extra $200 since an air pipe must be installed outside the house. Before transporting or storing your washing machine, make sure it has been completely emptied of water. If you don’t clean your washing machine regularly, mould and rust can cause expensive repairs. Circuits are required for washers and dryers in most areas (and breaker panels).
The setup of a washing machine necessitates the installation of a drain for the machine. The floor of a garage is perfect for storing any appliance that might drip a little water. Have a working sink, as well as a source of both hot and cold water, readily available. It doesn’t matter where the drain is in a garage as long as it doesn’t get in the way of vehicles entering or leaving. The insulation in a garage is often lower than in the rest of the house.
Take the required precautions to prevent pipe freezing throughout the winter. Avoid letting the washing machine collect a lot of water at the end of a cycle in the winter. If the machine isn’t sitting quite flat, make sure to adjust the legs.
Content Summary
- If you’re like the average homeowner, you keep your laundry equipment down there.
- However, imagine if you had the option of relocating them to your garage.
- To your surprise, there are actually some upsides to taking this action.
- It makes sense to put the laundry in the basement.
- Nonetheless, you should probably start by wondering if you have adequate storage space.
- Should this be the case, there are a few things to think about before shifting these appliances from the kitchen or the laundry room.
- Since the concrete floor of the garage is suitable for the operation of a washing machine and dryer, that’s where you should put them.
- Seven by ten feet is the bare minimum for a laundry room in the garage that can contain a standard washing machine, dryer, and some cleaning supplies.
- Finding a convenient position in the garage for a laundry room, making sure it is close to the main house, and building it near a water and electric line will make it easy to connect all of your appliances.
- If you instal the washer and dryer in the garage, you’ll have plenty of room and time to keep the laundry area organised.
- Doing laundry in the garage requires a number of different components to be in place, the most significant of which is a pipe that runs from the garage to the laundry room.
- It’s also important to have an utilitarian sink in the laundry area of your garage, where filthy clothes and shoes may be cleaned before being washed.
- Shelves and cabinets in the garage laundry room provide storage for folded items of clothing, shoes, and towels, as well as cleaning materials like detergents and bleach.
- An space with a table and a drying rack makes it easy to sort filthy clothes before they go into the washing machine.
- A good-sized table is ideal for ironing and folding laundry.
- The next step to take into consideration is having a dryer vent installed, which could be essential owing to building codes or space constraints in the garage.
- It usually costs between $1,060 and $4,475 to move your laundry room to the garage, including the cost of installing washer and dryer hookups, a drain line, a dryer vent, and an outlet.
- Investigate basement laundry room plans in detail.
- To begin, you should research the local ordinances concerning the placement of a washer and dryer in a garage.
- To continue, learn as much as you can about the local regulations governing electrical and plumbing installations.
- As a next step, measure the area that will house your washer and dryer.
- Step three involves clearing out the dryer’s outside venting pipes.
- Next, you’ll want to measure your washer and dryer and check the wall studs near where you want to put the brackets to make sure there won’t be any collisions.
- Lack of caution during the installation of brackets or pipes may lead to water seepage through the wall.
- A cover plate over the outlet and a separate cover plate for the dryer’s exterior are required before the electrical line can be run.
- After relocating your washer and dryer into the garage, it will be difficult to access the wiring to operate on it.
- Keep in mind that most places require washing and dryer circuits (and breaker panels).
- Be sure the garage has access to running water before installing a washing machine there.
- An additional prerequisite to setting up a washing machine is the installation of a drain.
- Before transporting or storing your washing machine, make sure it has been completely emptied of water.
- If you don’t clean your washing machine regularly, mould and rust can cause expensive repairs.
- Follow these steps to safely stow away your washing machine.
- Do a closed-loop water heating system.
- Fill up an empty washing machine with hot water and run a complete cycle.
- Repair the washing machine by putting it back together.
- Get familiar with the location of the water shutoffs and the circuit breakers for the washing machine before continuing.
- Then, carefully disconnect the water supply by turning off the valves.
- Everything needs to be dried out to 100%.
- If you leave any moisture in your washing machine after usage, mould and rust can build.
- Please clean the machine thoroughly after it has finished draining.
- There is typically no problem with putting a washer and dryer in the garage.
- If there’s even a remote possibility that your gadget might leak water periodically, the concrete flooring is the way to go.
- If you intend to put the machine in your garage, check that you have a place to drain the water after use, as well as a source of both hot and cold water.
- The garage can be used just like any other room in the house as long as these requirements are followed.
- Your washing machine needs both hot and cold water in order to finish any cycle.
- Maintaining maximum water pressure requires minimising the distance water must travel from the faucet to the washing machine.
- The optimal location for it is right before the water faucets.
- You can’t wash clothes without water, and you can’t run a washing machine without a drain.
- In most cases, this means having ready access to a drain that is part of the city’s main plumbing system.
- As long as the water-draining pipe doesn’t get in the way of cars pulling in or out of the garage, the drain’s location is irrelevant.
- You need to do more than just run a line out a window or door to comply with local regulations on waste disposal.
- Installation
- The machine must be installed near to the sinks, so that space must be prepared for it.
- Given that most washing machines require 220 volts, you’ll want to ensure you have access to an appropriate electrical outlet.
- To continue, hook up the washer’s hot water intake hose to the water heater.
- Do it again with cold water if you’re curious.
- Don’t start doing laundry in the garage until you’ve installed the drain pipe and turned on the water supply.
- If the machine isn’t sitting quite flat, make sure to adjust the legs.
- If the laundry water pipe has frozen, there is no way to do laundry.
- Take the required precautions to prevent pipe freezing throughout the winter.
- Also, don’t let the washing machine collect a lot of water before you use it, especially during the coldest months of the year.
FAQs About Garage
Can I Move Washing Machine To Garage?
Extremes of temperature. Garages often get very hot in summer and very cold in winter. Unfortunately, extremes of temperature aren’t ideal for washing machines. Things can overheat if it’s particularly hot, especially if running consecutive loads.
Can You Store Washer And Dryer In an Unheated Garage?
Yes, it is unlikely your new, unopened appliance will become damaged in your garage or basement if it’s not hooked up to a water source. Before installing, let the appliance warm up to room temperature by sitting inside.
Can I Put My Dryer In The Garage?
If you want to put a tumble dryer in the garage or an outbuilding, the best option would be a vented tumble dryer. Condenser and heat pump tumble dryers shouldn’t be placed outside the home as they cannot operate properly in temperatures below five °C, so your clothes won’t dry.
How Do I Keep My Washer Pipes From Freezing?
The golden rule to prevent pipe freezing in the winter is turning on a faucet at night, allowing it to drip slightly. Of course, you don’t have to turn every faucet on, as just a single one should suffice. However, doing so will release the water pressure, keeping the water moving continuously through the pipes.
How Do You Store A Washer And Dryer Long Term?
- Cover the washer and dryer with a sheet or light blanket to keep them clean during storage.
- Do not use a plastic cover, as this can trap moisture.
- When storing a washer and dryer, leave the doors of the appliances open.