# How to hide washer/dryer connections?



## resilientsoma

Okay I'm back and need ideas please. 

This is a picture of my laundry room, new walnut finish cabinets are going up this week but we will still have these ugly hose and wire hookups exposed. 

I guess I could lift them up by putting a platform but would like to see if anyone else did anything creative with this. Thank you!


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## Snoonyb

Build a 12" platform for the appliances to set on.


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## bud16415

I wish mine looked that nice and were that high and easy to get at. 

If you really want to clean up the look make a hanging back splash on a hinge off the cabinets.


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## beachguy005

I think bud has the right idea.  Put a shelf just above the water supply and put on a hinged skirt board that will hide everything but allow access to them also.  Then instead of having to look at the connections you'll be looking at all the crap that gets tossed on the shelf.


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## havasu

I second what Bud says. My front load washer and dryer is on a 12" pedestal, and I can no longer shut off the valves when we go away on short vacations.


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## nealtw

They are a fact of life, in the best location, show them off with pride.


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## slownsteady

Hang a picture of Old Uncle Hugo in front of it.


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## joecaption

I'd just change the outlet covers and outlets to a color closer the the wall color so there less noticeable.
Looks like you may also have the old black rubber supply line, I'd replace them with braided hose.
Over time those rubber ones can burst.


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## zannej

Laundry pedestal is a nice idea-- it will make it easier to access the fronts so people don't have to bend down as far. (My apologies for recycling photos I put in another post, but I saw this recently and I think it is cool)
http://www.ana-white.com/2016/11/DIY_furniture/washer-dryer-pedestal

With a single pull-out shelf you could use this to load and unload the washing machine (laundry basket for putting in dirties and a clean tub or something to put wet laundry in and then slide it over in front of the dryer to load it up), and unload the dry stuff from the dryer in to a basket so it can be taken for sorting/folding.





With two pull-out shelves:





Really fancy with pull-out shelves and drawers underneath. Not this exact idea bc you would still need to be able to access the shutoffs and dryer vent for cleaning/maintenance.


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## resilientsoma

zannej said:


> Laundry pedestal is a nice idea-- it will make it easier to access the fronts so people don't have to bend down as far. (My apologies for recycling photos I put in another post, but I saw this recently and I think it is cool)
> http://www.ana-white.com/2016/11/DIY_furniture/washer-dryer-pedestal
> 
> With a single pull-out shelf you could use this to load and unload the washing machine (laundry basket for putting in dirties and a clean tub or something to put wet laundry in and then slide it over in front of the dryer to load it up), and unload the dry stuff from the dryer in to a basket so it can be taken for sorting/folding.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With two pull-out shelves:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Really fancy with pull-out shelves and drawers underneath. Not this exact idea bc you would still need to be able to access the shutoffs and dryer vent for cleaning/maintenance.


Wow I think that would work out great. 
I'll have to see the clearance I have after I put the wall cabinets up. Reason being is the washer has the top load feature.

I will keep you all updated. So many good ideas, thanks guys. 

Pedestal seems the way to go but most expensive to build.


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## zannej

resilientsoma said:


> Wow I think that would work out great.
> I'll have to see the clearance I have after I put the wall cabinets up. Reason being is the washer has the top load feature.
> 
> I will keep you all updated. So many good ideas, thanks guys.
> 
> Pedestal seems the way to go but most expensive to build.


You don't have to go with that exact design for a pedestal either. You could take thick posts used for fencing and use them as the support legs and then use sufficiently thick plywood over the top. You could then just sand and paint stuff-- maybe put a little trim on the front. Building one yourself would still be a lot cheaper than buying the pedestals that come with the appliances.

Do the upper cabinets go all the way to the ceiling? If not, you could always bump them up a little higher to give yourself clearance.

I'm not sure if you use pinterest or not, but I saved a lot of design ideas here https://www.pinterest.com/unsubnumber1/laundry-room/


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## Sparky617

The dryer outlet certainly didn't need to be that high, but you really want to be able to easily access the water shut-off valves for the washer.  Ideally, you should shut them off between uses.  In real life, you at minimum want to turn them off when leaving for an extended period of time (weekend or longer trip).  The washer hoses can and do break.  You can flood 10-20K gallons of water into your house in a day or two.  Service Master has a nice business cleaning up from these kinds of failures.


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## bud16415

Sparky617 said:


> The dryer outlet certainly didn't need to be that high, but you really want to be able to easily access the water shut-off valves for the washer.  Ideally, you should shut them off between uses.  In real life, you at minimum want to turn them off when leaving for an extended period of time (weekend or longer trip).  The washer hoses can and do break.  You can flood 10-20K gallons of water into your house in a day or two.  Service Master has a nice business cleaning up from these kinds of failures.



I dont know a single person who shut them off but you are right. Sinks toilets now are connected with hose. My whole house is PEX hose in fact. When I was on a well I always unplugged my pump if we were going away on vacation. Maybe I should do my main shutoff now for vacations. I havent but I should.


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## Sparky617

bud16415 said:


> I dont know a single person who shut them off but you are right. Sinks toilets now are connected with hose. My whole house is PEX hose in fact. When I was on a well I always unplugged my pump if we were going away on vacation. Maybe I should do my main shutoff now for vacations. I havent but I should.



When I had the gray plastic supply lines I'd shut off the whole house when we went on vacation.  Our real estate agent recommended this. We had the main valve easily accessible in the hall closet.   I like the single handle shut-offs for laundry connections.  My parents had those and always shut the water off after using the washer.


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## Sparky617

These are my preferred shut-off valves for laundry.  I think if they were easily accessible and required by code a lot of insurance claims could be avoided.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/AMERICAN-VALVE-1-2-in-Male-Brass-Washing-Machine-Valve/1100377


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## bud16415

I don&#8217;t know anything about those made in china valves for washing machines. Over the past few years I have had 3 or 4 valve failures of cheap China made cast brass valves. I haven&#8217;t had a hose leak in anything in as long as I remember. The old single valves made in America with the packing I used to have fits with being hard to turn after sitting for years and then dripping and needing the packing nut tightened. I never remember on busting and dumping water though. The cheap little shut offs for toilets that look attractive are junk for the most part. Lately I have been going for the machined brass quarter turn ball valves for everything as they seem to me the most reliable. Just not a fan of cast valves coming from around the world. 

I don&#8217;t know if code lets me have two valves or not on a washer.    

Shutting the whole house off is the best plan unless you have fire sprinklers.


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## nealtw

bud16415 said:


> Shutting the whole house off is the best plan unless you have fire sprinklers.



New house with sprinklers have two valves so the house can be shout down, old houses should have the extra valve added.

They go nuts up here insulating sprinkler lines, all the old saw mills just filled the pipe with air and never had a freezing problem.

I too have never heard of a washer hose bursting.


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## Sparky617

I have had several neighbors have washing machine hoses break over the years.  It is a good idea to swap the hoses out after 5 years or so.    A friend has the toilet filler valve nut fail and filled his house up with 15,000 gallons of water while they were away for a weekend.


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## nealtw

Sparky617 said:


> I have had several neighbors have washing machine hoses break over the years.  It is a good idea to swap the hoses out after 5 years or so.    A friend has the toilet filler valve nut fail and filled his house up with 15,000 gallons of water while they were away for a weekend.



I wonder, was that a pressure issue in the area?


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## Snoonyb

It happens around here as well, because the multi unit, condos and complexes have private maintenance, subcontracted or resident repair personnel who are directed or on call.

Municipalities have begun to ordinance annul inspections of backflow and pressure regulators.


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## Sparky617

nealtw said:


> I wonder, was that a pressure issue in the area?



I had it happen in my next door neighbor's townhouse in VA, and I've seen it happen here in NC. Our water pressure is good, I've never measured it to see if it is too high.  We're one of the higher points in town, though the water tank is obviously higher.  

Washer manufacturers all recommend you turn the water off when not in use for a reason.  I fully admit I don't unless traveling away from home for a couple of days.


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## nealtw

Sparky617 said:


> I had it happen in my next door neighbor's townhouse in VA, and I've seen it happen here in NC. Our water pressure is good, I've never measured it to see if it is too high.  We're one of the higher points in town, though the water tank is obviously higher.
> 
> Washer manufacturers all recommend you turn the water off when not in use for a reason.  I fully admit I don't unless traveling away from home for a couple of days.



We have regulators on the water lines and I have never heard of anyone here that worries about the hoses, but I agree replace them with the new machine.

If you don't trust the hose for more than five years, what about hoses in the machine, they get more abuse with the machine moving around.


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## slownsteady

The braided hoses are a better bet than the rubber hoses. I don't think of pex as a hose, but if they are prone to burst as they age that's going to be a big mess in the future. 
Neal: Hoses on the back of the machine are one thing. Hoses in the machine? If they are beyond the valve, they aren't pressurized very often...i doubt that they are pressurized at all.


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## nealtw

slownsteady said:


> The braided hoses are a better bet than the rubber hoses. I don't think of pex as a hose, but if they are prone to burst as they age that's going to be a big mess in the future.
> Neal: Hoses on the back of the machine are one thing. Hoses in the machine? If they are beyond the valve, they aren't pressurized very often...i doubt that they are pressurized at all.



Do you think the hose from this valve deals with less pressure than the hose feeding it.


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## Sparky617

The hoses to the machine are under pressure all the time.  The hoses in the machine are only under pressure when the valve is open.  And even then they aren't under static pressure since the other end is open and dumps into the washing machine tub.

And if those hoses failed, it would be while the machine is in use, presumably, you'd be at home when the water started pouring out of the machine.


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## Sparky617

slownsteady said:


> The braided hoses are a better bet than the rubber hoses. I don't think of pex as a hose, but if they are prone to burst as they age that's going to be a big mess in the future.
> Neal: Hoses on the back of the machine are one thing. Hoses in the machine? If they are beyond the valve, they aren't pressurized very often...i doubt that they are pressurized at all.



While PEX is relatively new on this side of the Atlantic, I understand it has been used in Europe for several decades.  I'd agree PEX isn't a hose, the connections aren't the same as a hose.  The hose that failed at my neighbor's house failed right at the brass fitting to the rubber hose.  Don't know how old the hoses were, the house was only a couple years old at the time.  She rushed over for help when water was running all over the place.  She didn't know what to do.


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## nealtw

Sparky617 said:


> The hoses to the machine are under pressure all the time.  The hoses in the machine are only under pressure when the valve is open.  And even then they aren't under static pressure since the other end is open and dumps into the washing machine tub.
> 
> And if those hoses failed, it would be while the machine is in use, presumably, you'd be at home when the water started pouring out of the machine.



I'm not saying not to do it, better safe than sorry. Insurance companies are suggesting a yearly inspection for rust, bulging and cracks.
Replace five to seven years.
To me that says they are likely to fail somewhere after ten years.
It is the new hose that wants to be inspected  little more often, manufacturer defects will take a little time to show up.

Most times hoses will fail at the crimp and braided hoses may have the same problems as time goes by.


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## nealtw

Sparky617 said:


> The hoses to the machine are under pressure all the time.  The hoses in the machine are only under pressure when the valve is open.  And even then they aren't under static pressure since the other end is open and dumps into the washing machine tub.
> 
> And if those hoses failed, it would be while the machine is in use, presumably, you'd be at home when the water started pouring out of the machine.



We can't have it both ways , if you turn off the water every time the machine is not in use, the hose inside is getting the same work as the hose to the machine.


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## slownsteady

Sparky617 said:


> While PEX is relatively new on this side of the Atlantic, I understand it has been used in Europe for several decades.  I'd agree PEX isn't a hose, the connections aren't the same as a hose.  The hose that failed at my neighbor's house failed right at the brass fitting to the rubber hose.  Don't know how old the hoses were, the house was only a couple years old at the time.  She rushed over for help when water was running all over the place.  She didn't know what to do.


Which leads to the question: now that sharkbite fittings have been around for a while, how are they holding up? any reports going around??


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## nealtw

Sparky617 said:


> While PEX is relatively new on this side of the Atlantic, I understand it has been used in Europe for several decades.  I'd agree PEX isn't a hose, the connections aren't the same as a hose.  The hose that failed at my neighbor's house failed right at the brass fitting to the rubber hose.  Don't know how old the hoses were, the house was only a couple years old at the time.  She rushed over for help when water was running all over the place.  She didn't know what to do.



If you are in an area with high chlorine in the water, pex might not be the best choice.


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## Sparky617

Neal,
If you are referring to the hoses inside the machine they only have water pressure, and a limited amount at that, when the machine is filling with water. When the solenoids at the inlet valve shut off when the tub is full they have no pressure.  When the tub is filling they are running free into the tub.

The braided hoses are much better than the straight rubber hoses.  I can't say that I've seen a braided hose fail.  Washing machine hoses failing are in the top 10 water damage events.  Water heater and toilet failures are higher.  Frozen pipes come in at 18%, higher in the frozen north.

https://disastersafety.org/ibhs/water-damage-studies/


Washing Machine Failure Risks
Washing machine-related failures are one of the top 10 leading sources of residential water losses. The typical causes are supply hose failures, machine overflows and drain line failures. 

A multi-company and multi-region study of homeowners&#8217; insurance claims from water damage caused by washing machines revealed:

These failures cost an average of $5,308 per incident after the deductible was paid.
Failures of supply hoses accounted for more than half of all washing machine-related losses.
Of the water supply hose failures resulting in water loss claims, 78% involved washing machines that were less than 11 years old. Of these failures, 54% occurred in washing machines between eight and 10 years of old.
The proportion of washing machine related claims to total water loss claims was 67% higher in South Region states than in North Region states.
The average claim severity for South Region states was 28% higher than North Region states.
Although the affect of washing machine location on claim frequency could not be determined in this study, in the North Region, claims for units located in basements were 24% higher than claims for units located on the first floor.
Approximately 6% of all washing machine failures occurred in unoccupied homes.
Failures that occurred in unoccupied homes resulted in claims that were on average nearly two-and-a-half times more severe than those occurring in occupied homes.


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## nealtw

Facts are always a good way to kill a conversation.


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## zannej

LOL.
This is interesting. My house is never left vacant for more than a day or two because someone has to be here to feed the animals. Have to keep the water running to the outside for the cows, but I've had to shut off the line to the house a few times.

I've been lucky in that my washing machine hose has never ruptured YET. Had the same hoses probably 10 years or more now-- but I believe there was a rupture while I was overseas-- which would explain why the floor was destroyed when we got back.

Since I just jinxed myself, I am going to go shut off the water to the washing machine tonight.

I am curious about PEX and how it is holding up.

To get back to the original topic, I would suggest having an easy open access panel that is not difficult to reach in case of the need for emergency shut-off.

I've seen people make swinging doors out of things like pictures or mirrors to make it look more decorative. That could hide stuff but still allow it to be accessed.


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## Sparky617

nealtw said:


> Facts are always a good way to kill a conversation.




Imagine "Cliff" from "Cheers" if the other patrons had a smartphone and Google when he started pontificating.


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## bud16415

To Zannej&#8217;s question about PEX. I have no idea how long it lasts. I have been reading lately rodents like to eat it so in that case the life might be short. Every inch of PEX I put in my 2 story house is accessible without opening any walls. The first floor of course from the basement and then I made a chase to the second floor bath with an access door. Once to the second floor I made a loop around the outside of the room from the toilet to the claw foot tub and shower and ending at the sink. I ran that thru a chase also that hugs the wall and looks like a baseboard. So if I ever do get leaks I can open them up and replace whatever went bad in less than an hour.


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## resilientsoma

OK quick update this is what I gti done yesterday.Everything perfectly level.


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## havasu

Damn, I need to do this! Looks great. 

Just wondering, why did you install the shorter cabinet in the center? 

Looking again, if they hung a foot higher, you could install a closet rod between the longer cabinets and it would be a great place to hang the gal's clothes that can't be machine dried.


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## zannej

bud16415 said:


> To Zannej&#8217;s question about PEX. I have no idea how long it lasts. I have been reading lately rodents like to eat it so in that case the life might be short. Every inch of PEX I put in my 2 story house is accessible without opening any walls. The first floor of course from the basement and then I made a chase to the second floor bath with an access door. Once to the second floor I made a loop around the outside of the room from the toilet to the claw foot tub and shower and ending at the sink. I ran that thru a chase also that hugs the wall and looks like a baseboard. So if I ever do get leaks I can open them up and replace whatever went bad in less than an hour.


I wonder if you can wrap the PEX in plastic conduit or if that would sort of defeat the purpose. Mice would definitely be an issue where I live. Little buggers are all up in the walls because the people who built the place didn't even have boards on the bottoms underneath the studs so mice come in from under the house. Most of our plumbing is PVC and CPVC though.



resilientsoma said:


> OK quick update this is what I gti done yesterday.Everything perfectly level.


That looks very nice!
Shorter cabinet in center looks symetrical, but since you have a top-load washser, have you considered changing it up and having the shorter one on the edge? (I know you've already got it mounted though).

You could probably add a shelf below the shorter cabinet to hold some stuff that you want to be able to grab without having to open cabinets. OR,  you could add some sort of drying rack.





Or if the cabinets are sturdy enough you could add rods to hang clothes




Save​


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## bud16415

I put a shelf above the washer that hold the laundry dispensing soap bottles Tim Taylor style. Open the lid push the button shut the lid. No fuss no muss.


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## slownsteady

Cabinets look good! :thbup: And they distract from the connections being visible. But I thought your concern was hiding the connections altogether.


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## resilientsoma

Thank you for the compliments! My first time hanging up cabinets, tricky hanging with no help!

I did consider with the short cabinet over the top load washer instead but would drive me a little crazy over time with my ocd. 

Now the next obstacle is what to decide for the hoses and cables. Everyone has very good ideas. I do like the stand but then the top load washer will hit the cabinets. 

I'll keep you guys updated and thanks for the input. Any feedback is appreciated.


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