Laundry-Installation, a quick guide to the main points to look out for when installing a laundry machine.Laundry-Installation Page a quick Guide. Ask your self these questions.By addressing the questions below you will reduce the stress and strain when installing a new laundry and dish washing machines.Choose outside walls where ever possible for Tumble dryers, so that the vent pipes can go straight through to fresh air. With a good vent into the room for make up air. If in doubt check out my laundry design page at
Is there good access to the site, via corridors, doors, lifts stairs, and windows etc?Access, Access, Access! Laundry-Installation check this first.Next, is the access OK? It's no use getting machines delivered to your door to find every access point is too small for a machine to go through. Measure all doors, corridors and stairs for width. Machines cannot be made smaller and supplier will not be willing to take machine back when the order was not checked. Buyer Beware it is your responsibility to check the machine is the correct one for the job before you place your order. What Power supplies are available to power the laundry, and is it adequate?Take a visual look at all the power supplies and check that they can be increased safely to allow for the extra loading from washers, dryers and ironers.Add all the power total ratings from the back plate or handbook/sales literature for each machine to come up with the total loading required for the Laundry-Installation. What water supplies are available to the site and are there any byelaws that may cause you any difficulties, such as break tanks, or backflow protection systems?Visually check the water supplies and drainage, is there enough pressure and flow for the number of machines being planned. Will you need a header tank with pumps?Are there any bye-laws that need to be adhered to? Check out my water bye-laws page..... Water supply air gaps page Drainage and sewage, are the pipes large enough to cope with the extra work?Is the drainage and sewage system man enough to take the extra flow from the new Laundry-Installation?Are the levels OK? Water will not flow up hill, and most commercial washing machines are gravity drain via a dump valve to drains below the machine. You may be using up-stand pipes from a pump drain machine but where will it drain away to? If you are using a sluice washing machine for foul laundry then the machines will be gravity drain with a dump valve to the drainage. see my sluice program page...... Sluice laundry program Page. Positioning of the machines, is there enough room behind to allow an engineer to service the machines should it become necessary?Positioning, the key to a good Laundry-Installation, choose a work flow from the dirty washing coming into the laundry room to the sorting area, then into the washing machines, onto the dryers, then finally ironing and finishing folding.Where will the clean laundry be stored when completed? Have a dead man switch by the exit to turn off all the machines on exit should there be an emergency. Both Gas and Electricity combined if necessary. Floors type and strength, will they take the load from several washing machines going into spin at the same time? What are they made of?A good quality concrete floor with a tiled or vinyl surface with a drain in one corner, is the best to aim for.Wooden floors are to be avoided due to the vibration from the machines being transferred into other parts of the building. Are Plinths required to raise the machines to a more ergonomic height?Plinths are required when machines are too low for the operators so that they may have to bend to load and unload the machines.Plinths will also be required when the Laundry-Installation entails gravity drain machines via a dump valve, and the sewage outlet is too high, which means raising the machines on plinths. Plinths can also be used to "Suite Up" the laundry machines, so that they are all of the same height and pleasing to the eye. This especially the case in sheltered schemes and blocks of flats/student accommodation, etc., where a well proportioned laundry adds to the value of the amenities supplied to the residents. Have a look at my laundry design pages at ... Laundry Room design page 
What Tumble Dryer installation precautions should you take in Laundry-Installations?Avoid long exhaust ducting systems, try to use individual outlet pipes and ducts for each tumble dryer.Inclusive manifolds for all the machines are expensive to build and design and frequently give hassle, in my experience you should avoid these types of tumble dryer systems like the plague. Avoid tight corners and too many bends in the ducting, each bend is equal to at least a metre of length when calculating the duct friction length. Keep elbows and bends to a minimum. Air flow is slowed by the duct wall friction and bends create more friction and in effect lengthens the total pipe length. Elbows and bends are liable to accumulate lint and fluff due to the hot damp air flow disturbance, causing moisture to build up, which will attract the lint and fluff, which has a cumulative and detrimental effect on the air flow during prolonged use. Check the tables for the machine in the handbook supplied, or go to Tumble dryer page Where there are more details on Laundry-Installation and tumble dryers and for you. Use all the above questions on your proposed laundry room prior to your Laundry-Installation to save yourself a lot of grief.Tell your own story for the benefit of other visitors to this siteYou can load your own pictures as well as text , build your own page and see it how it will be published straight away!Do You have a super tip or story about laundry that you would like to share?
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