East Coast Laundry Room

[Zee09]

My uncle had a house here in Maryland that had no basement. It was custom built and rather unique for the area.

It was the only house I remember in this area that had a laundry room in the garage and same for the HVAC.

In Florida a garage laundry room is no big deal. Other than being cold here in the east, any issues with a laundry room in a well insulated garage? Maybe partitioned as well.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

My uncle had a house here in Maryland that had no basement. It was custom built and rather unique for the area.

It was the only house I remember in this area that had a laundry room in the garage and same for the HVAC.

In Florida a garage laundry room is no big deal. Other than being cold here in the east, any issues with a laundry room in a well insulated garage? Maybe partitioned as well.

The concept of a well insulated garage is an oxymoron.

Aside from that who wants damp laundry hanging there and absorbing all sorts of fumes from stuff in the garage and the vehicles?

 

[JohnnyG]

I'd say you'd be OK, but I think I'd partition it off, just in case of a very cold snap.
A door to the adjacent room might be the ideal setup, that way your wife won't have to look at your dirty/wet car.

 

[Zee09]

The concept of a well insulated garage is an oxymoron.

Aside from that who wants damp laundry hanging there and absorbing all sorts of fumes from stuff in the garage and the vehicles?

Nobody hangs laundry here these days...goes straight to the dryer...

 

[vpr5703]

I can't see any issue with the laundry room being in the garage as long as it is sectioned off properly. Keep in mind that if you do any work on the cars or anything and you get fumes from flammable materials you might have a problem if you start the dryer. Not a huge risk, I'd admit. But enough that I would consider some decent ventilation

 

[brianl703]

It was the only house I remember in this area that had a laundry room in the garage and same for the HVAC.

I had a townhouse in Fredericksburg, VA built in 1974 that had the laundry room at the back of the house. You had to go outside via the sliding glass door, turn right, and there was the door to the laundry room. There was a porch roof covering both the patio and the laundry room.

One of the dumber setups I've ever seen, I had it enclosed by building a wall on the other side of the porch and moving the sliding glass door out. See the picture below. The tiled area was the porch. The wall to the left of the tiled area did not exist. The sliding glass door was at the threshold between the tile and the carpet. The laundry room is to the right and behind the wall to the right.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Nobody hangs laundry here these days...goes straight to the dryer...

Okay so where do you think the dryer pulls the air from to dry the clothes?

 

[Zee09]

Okay so where do you think the dryer pulls the air from to dry the clothes?

The insulated closed partitioned room within the garage as stated..room not sitting in an open garage just like many bathrooms in the garage with there own amenities. Seen in many homes across the country.

I guess no house could ever have an attached garage given your criteria.

Someday they will build houses in the city when they figure out the fume issues.

I had a townhouse in Fredericksburg, VA built in 1974 that had the laundry room at the back of the house. You had to go outside via the sliding glass door, turn right, and there was the door to the laundry room. There was a porch roof covering both the patio and the laundry room.

One of the dumber setups I've ever seen, I had it enclosed by building a wall on the other side of the porch and moving the sliding glass door out. See the picture below. The tiled area was the porch. The wall to the left of the tiled area did not exist. The sliding glass door was at the threshold between the tile and the carpet. The laundry room is to the right and behind the wall to the right.

View attachment 174895

I have seen those as well...

 

[incognito_2u]

My uncle had a house here in Maryland that had no basement. It was custom built and rather unique for the area.

It was the only house I remember in this area that had a laundry room in the garage and same for the HVAC.

In Florida a garage laundry room is no big deal. Other than being cold here in the east, any issues with a laundry room in a well insulated garage? Maybe partitioned as well.

Growing up, my Parents had a summer house in South Jamesport, Long Island New York. Not only was the laundry room in the attached garage, there was an open shower stall that we used to use to rinse off after walking home from the Beach. I truly don’t recall if the garage was insulated or not……..thinking back, the house was really only occupied during the summer season so I am under the assumption that my Dad would have turned off the water and drained the residual Water from the unit.

 

[Zee09]

Growing up, my Parents had a summer house in South Jamesport, Long Island New York. Not only was the laundry room in the garage, there was a open shower stall that we used to use to rinse off after walking home from the Beach. I truly don’t recall if the garage was insulated or not……..thinking back, the house was really only occupied during the summer season so I am under the assumption that my Dad would have turned off the water and drained the residual Water from the unit.

Yes I have seen those shower stalls and come winter as you said they would have to be winterized. Same here with our garage shop sinks.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I have a tuck under garage, and I still wouldn't want my laundry room near the garage. Yes there are fumes or just smells. There is an external type door between the two that keep them out of the house. Obviously I don't do anything toxic in the garage, and the occasional time I paint something I open the garage door and blow a fan.

Most houses here have either a laundry room, or if there trying to save space a laundry closet of some type.

I rented a house in Florida once that had a laundry room you had to exit the house and go inside a room that was at the back of the garage, but it was 100% separate from the garage. Of course being Florida freezing was not an issue.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Nobody hangs laundry here these days...goes straight to the dryer...

The insulated closed partitioned room within the garage as stated..room not sitting in an open garage just like many bathrooms in the garage with there own amenities. Seen in many homes across the country.

I guess no house could ever have an attached garage given your criteria.

Someday they will build houses in the city when they figure out the fume issues.

I have seen those as well...

Well those entry doors are exterior doors with all the weatherstripping which separates the garage are from the interior house however air from the garage still does get into the interior of the house because the shared wall between the garage and the interior of the house was typically not air sealed. That is changing though m

 

[Owen Lucas]

I don't know if this could be an issue, but I would not like to have a washing machine in an area that can reach freezing temps. Maybe it could last a few years but I think the hoses or wet components underneath could become damaged from freezing water.

 

[brianl703]

the shared wall between the garage and the interior of the house was typically not air sealed

Mine (built 2017) has OSB under the drywall on the garage side, and spray foam on the other side. I read that just using the OSB or plywood under the drywall makes a huge improvement in air sealing.

 

[fsdork]

Nobody hangs laundry here these days...goes straight to the dryer...

We hang most of our clothes on drying racks. Less wear and tear on the clothes.

Towels, bedding, socks/underwear, etc., go into the dryer.

 

[JHZR2]

No attached garages for me. Laundry belongs in a proper basement.

I’d personally stick it in a walkway between the main living areas and the attached garage if I had to…

 

[Zee09]

No attached garages for me. Laundry belongs in a proper basement.

I’d personally stick it in a walkway between the main living areas and the attached garage if I had to…

Women killed the basement laundry idea. I guess old folks did too. It really is the way to go. You can isolate the noise and vibration as well as hide it from view and if you have water related issues you don't destroy the house. Same with water heaters.
Yes we all know about safety features but laundry in the basement is king. No basement then you have no choice.

Most non basement laundry rooms are too small and cramped anyway. If I was concerned about resale I'd build in a living floor laundry but personally wouldn't use it.

 

[supton]

I‘d hate to climb up and down stairs to do laundry in our ranch. Probably would in any home. Which is odd given how often I go up and down the stairs. Inside, sure someplace were noise won’t be a problem, although ours isn’t that loud (until something gets unbalanced).

Wife hangs a lot of our clothes, sometimes it looks like being back in college. Helps with humidity in winter she says.

 

[Zee09]

I‘d hate to climb up and down stairs to do laundry in our ranch. Probably would in any home. Which is odd given how often I go up and down the stairs. Inside, sure someplace were noise won’t be a problem, although ours isn’t that loud (until something gets unbalanced).

Wife hangs a lot of our clothes, sometimes it looks like being back in college. Helps with humidity in winter she says.

I have a big parcel of land in Maryland that is the front entrance of a small community. It has a cheap HOA like $100 a year
You can't have a clothes line outside amongst 4 million other things...lol

Many have clothes lines in their big basements...The minimum sq. Footage is 2600 living area

I got some of my best duds off my neighbors clothes lines ..

 

[andrew_j]

Nobody hangs laundry here these days...goes straight to the dryer...

My daughter 17 has to hang everything and everywhere otherwise it destroys half her clothes in dryer. The clothes could not shrink more….