Laundry-Installation, a quick guide to the main points to look out for when installing a laundry machine.

Ask your self these questions.

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
Laundry room design page for all the points to look out for.

Is there good access to the site, via corridors, doors, lifts stairs, and windows etc?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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 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?

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.

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