Community Chat

[Scorpio1971]

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@dancingwoman wrote:

@SilleeMee  21 years ago we remodeled the kitchen.  Put in new DW.  DH wanted a wood floor...I didn't but at the floor store we went to the sales guy showed us a hickory floor and said this was the only floor approved for the kitchen..

Well at one point a few yrs ago the floor started warping.  We thought termites because it looked like our friends floor in AZ that had an infestation.

Before the Orkin guy came I mentioned maybe look under the DW.  Well it was leaking.  DH pulled it out dried everything....fixed the leak..and put under the DW an electronic (battery operated) water leak alert detector.  If it detects water it sounds a VERY loud alarm.  So we don't worry anymore.  He checked the battery a few months ago and it still worked but he changed them out anyway....yeah he had to pull the DW out...

BTW the floor dried out beautifully...no warps.  Guess the guy knew his flooring...DW

Edited to add...he said he just had to take off the little wooden panel under the DW to check it..DW

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@dancingwoman 

Those battery operated water alarms are such a blessing!  I have one downstairs next to my water heater.  Never fails, the water heater always leaks in the middle of the night!  How do you know when it springs a leak if it is downstairs!  Nothing like going downstairs sometime during the next day and stepping into an inch of water!  OMG!  Had to cleanup 3 water heater leaks and found out about water alarms from a plumber that installed water heater #4.  Immediately went out and purchased one.  Have had 3 more heaters go but at least the alarm went off and I was home for them.  Immediately turned off water inflow, shut of gas, ran the hose outside that I keep next to water heater only for that purpose, hooked it up and flipped the air valve to get water drained OUTSIDE.  Had minimal cleanup.  Sometimes I do not go downstairs for 2-3 days.  The water heater would have just kept filling & leaking & filling & leaking out for 2-3 days had I not had the water alarm.  What a mess I have avoided now.  Recommend water alarm to anyone that has an appliance on a level where they normally are not on, whether basement or especially 2nd floor where bedrooms are, because all that water from pipes or washing machines will flow down to next level for several hours before you ever know or see the water.

[gertrudecloset]

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@On It wrote:

I spend hours looking at real estate across the country. Houses in the northeast seem to place washers and dryers in the basement. Why? 

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@On It I'm not sure how you came to the conclusion that in any Northeast state the majority of people use their washer/dryer in the basement.  Some homes in the Northeast have no basements.....

If you do happen upon a home in the Northeast where there is a basement it is easier to hook it up down there as that's where all the pipes are.  In addition, the age of the home matters.  New Builds are not likely to have laundry in the basement but on the middle level of a two story home.

[gertrudecloset]

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@On It wrote:

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@ScrapHappy wrote:

I grew up in the NE.  Older home in particular have the washer and dryers in the basements but newer build homes have them on the main floor or upstiars where the bedrooms are...which is nice.  

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I am glad to know that. I was thinking about the elderly or mobility impaired trying to do laundry in a basement. 

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Then the elderly and mobility impaired would need retrofitting of their home, like they can get ramps and walk in tubs @On It 

[chrystaltree]

Some houses in the Northeastern have large finished basement and some don't. It depends on the design of the house.  Some older homes like the one I grew up in don't have kitchens big enough for a washer, dryer and big freezer.  Those things were in our basement and I hated it because the basement steps were steep.  As my mom got older and it was just the two of them, my dad would take the laundry baskets downstairs.  My mom would go down to do the laundry and my dad would bring them upstairs.  Our first tiny starter home had the washer dryer and a dishwasher in the kitchen and I thought I died and went to heaven....lol.  Our 2nd home was old but huge and had a laundry room in it when we bought it.  Of course it had a big basement.  How do you live without a basement for storage?  

[bargainsgirl]

I live in the NE and our home is nearly 100 yrs. old.  Yes the laundry is in the basement.  I am 69 so this is one more reason to keep me moving!!!!

[gertrudecloset]

Style of home determines whether there is a basement.  Not location necessarily.

Colonial style homes typically have basements.  They can be side hall/center hall colonials.

Victorian type homes are huge and I love them and they are older and likely have basements where the furnaces are.  Ranches and High ranches maybe not so much have basements.  Split levels.  If the home was just built on a concrete slab and their is a crawl space there is no basement.

Basements house not only laundry, but hot water heater, furnace and home heating systems.  

[sunshine45]

rancher here......the basement is a full basement underneath the house. it adds a ton of usable living and storage space.....but steps of course.  we have to have three sump pumps.

[shoptilyadropagain]

I grew up in the midwest and most older homes that had a basement housed the washer and dryer.  The house I grew up in had the W/D in our basement.