However strange it may sound that you want to remodel your laundry room, you have company. A lot of people nowadays want to upgrade their laundry rooms. The main reason for this is the stylish design of some newer, high-end washers and dryers. In plenty of ways, this is a positive trend; people do spend time in the laundry room, and would like it to be nice and cheerful. So there’s nothing strange about this wish.
However, shifting the laundry room away from the basement has created a major fire safety stir, and there are also some other very important issues to think about. First we shall discuss some of the important safety and economic problems, then some ways to remodel your laundry room and make it more pleasant.
In the olden days, people had their laundry room in the basement. Because of this, their clothes dryer vent would be outside, a few feet away and this is the ideal scenario. Few people know that their clothes dryer is quite a serious fire safety concern.
According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, it is estimated that 5,500 fires, 10 deaths and 10 injuries are associated with the clothes dryer every year. Changing the location of the laundry room away from the basement has greatly increased this risk, because it demands the venting to be longer and sometimes with more bends. This raises the chances of lint buildup, dryer overheating and consequently, fires.
Washing machine hoses failing is another major concern. According to State Farm, washing machine hose failures result in $170 million in damages to homes in the US & Canada every year.
The third thing to consider is whether or not you have a septic system. If you do, it is best to install a washing machine lint filter, as lint from septic systems is a major cause of septic system failure.
Now, coming to your organization and decorating tips:
Consider having the laundry room nearest to the largest source of dirty clothes. This is most probably the master bedroom. A door opening from the laundry room into the master closet/dressing room is a major convenience.
Replace decorations on your walls with bright colors.
Change laminate counters and put granite or other hard surface materials.
Have custom or high-end cabinets to provide more storage space built.
Also put in closets that hide appliances that are not being used.
Provide more surface area for folding and ironing clothes.
New flooring options include vinyl or tile that coordinate well with wall colors.
Put insulation on the walls and floor of the laundry room to help reduce noise and vibrations in the adjoining rooms.