Happy Laundry Rooms

Happy laundry rooms start with good “bones” – basic functional systems that work the way they should and prevent disaster. 

Whether you’re thinking of adding a laundry room, remodeling an existing one, or just want the most trouble-free laundry room possible, check out upgrades and maintenance tips for the healthiest, happiest laundry room.

Upgrade Water Supply Hoses.  Start with the basics: your water supply hoses.  Typical rubber-based water supply lines have a tendency to swell and burst, so they’re an all-too-common culprit of indoor floods.  We recommend replacing those rubber water lines with braided steel water lines.  They’re made to withstand the daily stresses of working with household appliances.

Install an Automatic Shut-Off Valve.  Start a new laundry room off on the smartest possible foot.  Install an automatic shutoff valve for your water line.  These clever valves can detect an out-of-the-ordinary water flow before it turns into a waterfall cascading through your light fixtures and into the rooms below. 

Check Water Valves.  Get familiar with the location of your water valves.  You’ll want to know where they are in the event of a problem.  Make sure the valves are both accessible and functional, and don’t proceed with your remodel until they are.  It’s a good idea to get into the practice of turning the valves off between laundry loads.

Upgrade to a Single-Lever.  If you have separate water valves for hot and cold water, take the opportunity to upgrade to a single-lever turn-off valve, which turns both hot and cold water supplies off at the same time.

Check Your Dryer Vent.  Get acquainted with your dryer vent.  If you’ve already met, renew your relationship with a promise to take better care of it.  Clean out your dryer vent every six months.  Lint that collects in dryer exhaust ducts is responsible for multiple deaths and nearly 15,000 dryer fires each year.

By updating and maintaining your laundry room, you’ll keep things running smoothly and avert laundry-related disasters – and that includes a morning without clean underwear.