Reply to washer/dryer in the basement bad idea?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Basement. If you've ever had a bad leak in your house as I have, you want to minimize the chances of that happening again.

Also - laundry makes noise.

I hate lugging the laundry up and down two flights of stairs but have reframed it in my mind as exercise. My laundry basket can carry two loads but it's easier if you just carry one load at a time. [/quote]

The leak concern can be dealt with by water leak detectors and by automatic whole-house leak detection and shut-off systems.  The former just notify you of a leak, the latter also shut off the water to the house if you don't react.  Many homeowners insurance companies provide a substantial discount on your premiums if you install an automated system, as water damage is far and away the largest cause of claims, greatly exceedingly those for fire, burglary, hail damage and other hazards.  I installed a Moen Flo system, and the premium discount will pay for the system in three years.  [/quote]

All those leak detectors and shut offs and what not are expensive (price including installation).  Most houses with upper floor laundry rooms do not have then - builders normally omit them to save on the cost.

Most houses also do not have super-sound-insulated walls, so machinery at night wakes people up.

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I commented above.  My leak was on the drain line.  The thing that revealed the leak was water coming through my ceiling into my foyer.  A leak detector near the washer would not have detected that.    [/quote]

Correct, but a whole-house system like the Moen Flo would have.  It detects water pressure drops in the pipes anywhere in the house and reacts to them.  That system can be supplemented with moisture detectors you can place in specific areas, like by a washing machine, under a sink, near a toilet or dishwasher, by your hot water heater, etc.  If one of those sensors detects moisture, it sends a signal to the system to cut the water to the house immediately.  Absent such sensors, the system monitors pressure in the pipes and notifies you of an inexplicable pressure drop which may indicate a leak, whether in an appliance or in the walls.  You have 5 minutes to respond, and the system shuts off the water if you do nothing.  Additional moisture sensors accelerate that shut-off response time when placed in high-risk areas, but are optional.  [/quote]

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