epsilonGreedy Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 This idea was originally prompted out of necessity. The "site worker's laundry facility" is currently located in a garden shed next to the static caravan and because the shed was a hand-me-down that was demolished in Swmbo's father's garden I had to reinforce the shed floor to stop the w/m shaking the whole structure during the spin cycle. The w/m now stands on a 4" raised plinth with 3" x 2" bearers. After 8 months I have concluded this raised plinth is a good idea because it eases access to the drum and the dryer, now I want to incorporate the same in the new build. Has anyone done this? I appreciate this is not doable in a fitted utility area under a standard height worktop but we are fortunate enough to be able to place the two appliances in a free standing area. Some photo examples of the concept here https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/interior-projects/how-to/a23285/build-a-washer-dryer-platform/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell griffiths Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 Buy a top loader, my neighbour who is disabled has one, no bending at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 A word of caution. We built a raised platform at the end of my mother's kitchen to take the washing machine, tumble drier and dishwasher, specifically to provide easier access, with less bending over when loading and unloading the machines. It worked very well, and was solid enough as we made the raised platform using blockwork laid on a concrete floor, and then quarry tiled over the whole floor and the raised platform. Unfortunately, around a couple of years after we did this, the washing machine developed a fault, in that one of the spring dampers that support the drum broke. My mother was around at the next door neighbours at the time, and when she returned home later that evening she found that the whole ground floor of the house was flooded to a depth of a few inches, with the carpets floating off the floor. She had to move out of the house for around 3 months, whilst everything was dried out, the electrics replaced, the walls replastered, furniture and carpets replaced, etc. The cause of the problem was the raised platform. When the drum support failed, the machine started vibrating, moved itself forward and fell face down on the floor. The glass door broke, but the machine carried on working, trying to fill with water to complete the rinse cycle. Being face down, with a broken door, the level sensor failed to shut the water off, as it was trying to fill the whole ground floor of the house to the set fill level. So, by all means look at doing this, but think about fitting constraints to prevent the machine falling off the plinth, plus, perhaps, some additional means of shutting the machine off if the worst does happen. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragg987 Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 26 minutes ago, Jeremy Harris said: Being face down, with a broken door, the level sensor failed to shut the water off, as it was trying to fill the whole ground floor of the house to the set fill level. You couldn't make that up. Brought a smile to my face. (Doubt if your mother saw it the same way, my apologies.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 5 minutes ago, ragg987 said: You couldn't make that up. Brought a smile to my face. (Doubt if your mother saw it the same way, my apologies.) It was one of those things that seemed like a really good idea at the time, as none of us could foresee the potential problem. The daft thing is that we all know that washing machines especially older ones - this was around 20 years ago) vibrate a lot when on the rinse/spin cycle. Being on a quarry tiled floor probably didn't help, as it may well have made it easier for the machine to vibrate forwards enough to fall off the plinth, face first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney12 Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 55 minutes ago, epsilonGreedy said: After 8 months I have concluded this raised plinth is a good idea because it eases access to the drum and the dryer, now I want to incorporate the same in the new build. Has anyone done this? Yep and it works fantastically. Zero risk of it toppling out with a very simple clamp bar to the feet. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russdl Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 @Barney12 That’s exactly the sort of thing we’re after, where did you get it from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney12 Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 8 hours ago, Russdl said: @Barney12 That’s exactly the sort of thing we’re after, where did you get it from? I drew what I wanted and the kitchen fitter made it from standard kitchen drawers/cupboards and panels. My original plan was to make a stud frame/wall, clad with plasterboard and skim which would have been equally effective, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 Can I mention another washing machine flood issue. One year we went away on holiday. As always turned off the water at the main stopcock. the WM door had been left ajar, apparently this helps stop them becoming smelly so I am told. We came back to a flooded utility room, the WM drum was full of water up to the level of the door where it had spilled over the lip of the open door. 2 theories as to why: It was still plugged in and the power was still on, so perhaps the software glitched? Just before departing we had used and flushed a loo. It would have tried to fill it's cistern and in doing so relieved any stored pressure. Someone told me that without any pressure the solenoid valve in a WM would likely leak so over the course of the 2 weeks, all the water left in the cold pipework drained down through the washing machine onto the utility room floor. Now when we go away the door is SHUT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottishjohn Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 my guess is that the solenoid water valve was or is leaking slightly --and normally with door shut with machine turned on the level sensor would operate the pump if it got too high and the water was just draining down out of your plumbing to supply it. my dishwasher does this and every now and then i hear pump running for 5 seconds to empty it- keep saying I,l get round to changing it .LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 The power was on, so the drain pump would have operated if that was the case. It could just have been a slow leak, not noticed as normally it never sits more than 2 or 3 days between uses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 19 minutes ago, ProDave said: [...] It could just have been a slow leak, not noticed [...] Ahhhh yesss , the slow unnoticed leak, that most annoying of faults - been there got that slightly different T shirt. The Almost Unnoticed Fault T shirt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epsilonGreedy Posted January 23, 2020 Author Share Posted January 23, 2020 On 20/01/2020 at 22:04, Jeremy Harris said: A word of caution. We built a raised platform at the end of my mother's kitchen to take the washing machine.. The cause of the problem was the raised platform. When the drum support failed, the machine started vibrating, moved itself forward and fell face down on the floor... As it happens the prompt for me to start this thread was a related incident. Last week I went out to the shed to lock it up for the night and noticed the washing machine had shuffled itself sideways on the raised plinth until one foot was off the edge. The source of the trouble was a single heavy woolen jumper that caused an off balance spin. The plinth in the shed has a minimal footprint. Given your experience and what happened last week in my shed I intend to increase the depth the size of the plinth by 3" and add a 2 x 1 batten to contain the machine if it tries to shuffle itself forwards off the plinth. When the house utility area is fitted out the w/m will be constrained each side by other fitted units. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epsilonGreedy Posted January 23, 2020 Author Share Posted January 23, 2020 On 21/01/2020 at 08:48, AnonymousBosch said: Ahhhh yesss , the slow unnoticed leak, that most annoying of faults - been there got that slightly different T shirt. The Almost Unnoticed Fault T shirt Plasson to Philmac, a match made in hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 A little update: the next TWO Plasson replacement stop valves we fitted BOTH leaked from the valve stem- simple bad luck I think Philmacks fitted no problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epsilonGreedy Posted January 24, 2020 Author Share Posted January 24, 2020 2 hours ago, AnonymousBosch said: A little update: the next TWO Plasson replacement stop valves we fitted BOTH leaked from the valve stem- simple bad luck I think Philmacks fitted no problem Oh I forgot and this is a little embarrassing to confess. Even though I utterly loath and despise the general design of the Philmac connectors I retained the two Philmac stopcocks supplied by Pipestock. So with a hint of Orwellian u-turn, the new mantra is: Philmac stopcock to plasson everything else = happiness. Plasson stopcock to Philmac connectors = dribbling hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 Anyway, if you're starting your laundry, it's better to be at home for the full cycle of laundry. Even the most expensive washing machines can break down and damage your home. Be careful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryder72 Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 Washing machines with front loading can be raised on a plinth but must have a restriction panel or similar above it to prevent forward tipping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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