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Planning the Details in the Beginning Can Save Thousands in the End
By Tracy DeCarlo
What does your laundry room look like on laundry day? Are you sorting clothes on the floor? Do you wish you had a place to hang items fresh from the dryer? Is your master bed serving as your
folding table?
Many of us use our laundry rooms on a daily basis, but more often than not, this area of the home is swept under the rug during the design process. To make sure this doesn’t happen to
you, let’s look at some tips that will help you create a laundry room that truly meets your needs.
First of all, if you’re short on square footage, there are many products designed to provide hanging and sorting capabilities in very small spaces. A couple of great ideas to get you started
can be found in the product section of www.BuildingTips.net.
Next, if you’re planning on buying a front-loading washer and dryer, there are several reasons why it’s important to pick them out at the beginning of your project.
For one thing, did you know there are no industry standards governing which direction washer or dryer doors swing when you open them? Therefore, you have to know the specific brand and model
before you can determine whether to place the washer to the left or the right of the dryer. Without this information, the washer and dryer doors may end up swinging into each other, making it
difficult to transfer clothes easily from one machine to the other.
Knowing the relative location of these appliances is also necessary so that plumbing and dryer vents can be properly located. And speaking of dryer vents, try your best to vent the dryer through
an outside wall. (Vents that run straight up to the roof through interior walls are easily clogged.) Also, for aesthetic reasons, avoid venting the dryer through a wall on the front elevation
of your home.
The physical size of today’s laundry equipment can also be an issue. I’ve seen too many situations where the dimensions of newer, larger models were not taken into consideration
when designing the laundry room, with resulting on-going frustrations for the homeowner. For example, one unfortunate homeowner couldn’t open or close the laundry room door because the dryer
protruded into the doorway. Other families have been disappointed to discover that the backs of their washers and dryers were visible through windows when they were supposed to fit comfortably
beneath!
Today’s laundry rooms are not “just for laundry” anymore. If designed properly, this room can include space for activities such as sewing and/or gift wrapping. You also might
consider adding a built-in location under the countertop for the dog crate or litter box and/or a closet or tall cabinet for mops, brooms, the ironing board, the vacuum cleaner and cleaning products.
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