Don't Overlook The Laundry Room!

Buying a home can be one of the most exciting but also most stressful times in your life. Most Raleigh and Wake Forest homeowners know this all too well.  After the purchase is complete and the dust settles many homeowners want to relax and enjoy their purchase. Who wouldn’t?  You won that multiple, multiple, multiple offer situation.  You want to get  your stuff in and enjoy that 1 acre you have been obsessing about for years. However, before you move in make sure to get your home ready.  One of the best places to start is actually the laundry room. 

Ok, all the dust has settled, where do you start in the laundry? One of the first things to assess is the condition of the water hook ups for your washing machine. Yes, you would be amazed at how many floods occur in houses each year because of this failed connection. Especially damaging, units on the second floor.  No one wants to come home from the beach to find the water followed them home. If you brought your old machines or negotiated the current ones to be left, now is a good time to replace the connection lines.  Also, known as the hot and cold water fill lines.  This is the line going from your water source in the laundry room to the machine.  If it is an older unit there might be rubber tubing. These can break down and deteriorate.  The metal connectors of the rubber tubing can rust and the gaskets fail over time. It is recommended to use the stainless steel hoses.  These are more durable and won’t corrode the same.  A little more expensive but worth it!   Regardless of what you use rubber or stainless steel they should be replaced every 5 years because they are under constantly pressurized by the water.  

 The next thing to look at in the laundry room is the dryer vent hose. This is the connection hose from the back of your unit to the wall. If you negotiated an existing unit in the sale it is already hooked up. All the more reason to inspect it. Don’t assume it is OK. Go ahead and pull the dryer out and have a look at the dryer vent house.  If it is vinyl or plastic throw it out!  These are not up to code anymore.  It could be a fire hazard. Replace it with a flame retardant one.  Every year you should pull this connection apart, inspect, and clean. Ideally a duct without ridges inside is best so lint won’t get trapped.  Look for a smooth duct. It’s also good to have the exterior dryer exhaust vent inspected. At least once a year. If you use the dryer a lot, two or three times a year would be safer. It is amazing how quickly the buildup can happen. If it is inaccessible for you, or a deep connection from the exterior dryer vent to the dryer vent hook up, have a professional duct cleaner inspect, clean,  and service. In addition to the addressing the vent I recommend having a small fire extinguisher mounted in the laundry room. Don’t hide it. They make them low profile enough they won’t’ be in the way and can be easily accessible.  Even well maintained units won’t completely remove the potential risk so be prepared. 

While you are running the units there are some basic things to keep in mind. Try loading your clothes in the washer piece by piece inspecting the pockets. We usually do the dump method in my house but I have become more cautions lately as my apple AirPods got a good washing. Now only one works. These small items can also damage your machine. Another thing is if your washer says (he) on it. Use only (he) products. This stands for “high efficiency detergent.” Do not use non (he) detergent in these machines.  You will have unusually high suds in low water levels. This can create all sorts of problems.  Another thing to stay on top of is the actual dryer vent on the machine itself.  Clean it EVERY time. Your dryer needs to breathe. Also, it can create clogs if you don’t and lead to potential fires. Please don’t clean it every other time but every time.  Not cleaning it regularly can also lead to build up you don’t see inside the machine. Another big tip is don’t run your units while you are not home. You would be surprised at how many people do this. These machines really should not be left unattended. If there is a problem early intervention could make a big difference.