AFwife Claire Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 We have a really small laundry room off our kitchen. You come in from the garage into this room, make a quick turn and go into the kitchen. We have tons of kids, which means tons of shoes, jackets, etc. There isn't enough room for laundry baskets and so on because we had to put some shelves in there to store the massive amounts of food from Sams and the commissary that we need to feed all those kids! I never dreamed we would retire in this house, but here we are . . . So I have been thinking about how I could possibly move the washer/dryer upstairs. We have a wide hall area, with a weird angle, which we could box out, and put a stackable washer/dryer in there. The area is right over our main floor bathroom, so we theoretically should be able to get water up there and back down. But I've never paid much attention to stackable washers and dryers. Obviously I'd need ones with a lot of capacity because with 11 of us, there is a LOT of laundry. Do those exist? Do they work? Are they a total pain? Is it too hard to get stuff into whichever one is on top? (Dryer, I'm assuming?) Would this arrangement make the house shake so it seems like we live next to a train track, LOL? The last thing I'd want to do is spend lots of money and end up disliking the whole arrangement even more than the current one! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandragood1 Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 I have the LG large capacity set. I had them stacked for a while. My parents have the GE stackable s. They shake. The super high rpm of the washer shakes things. That's the only hesitation I would have with your plan. If you could somehow try out a washer upstairs with a load in it to see how bad it would be ..,, or maybe there is a way to construct a support for it that dampens vibrations? Shock absorbers ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 My parents have Kenmore dryer stacked on top of a front load washer. They really like them. They do not shake, but they are on the ground floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 I have a Whirlpool set and really like them. It is not hard at all to get everything in the dryer (on top). Not sure about second floor issues - but one thing that is different with a stackable washer is that the bottom is filled with weight (I believe it's concrete) to keep it more stable during the faster spinning and to keep the dryer from moving too much on top. I'm sure there are ways to use them upstairs, though. It wouldn't just be the water access in that area. You'd need venting for the dryer and either gas plumbed or the right type of electrical current (stronger than a normal plug). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFwife Claire Posted April 27, 2013 Author Share Posted April 27, 2013 It wouldn't just be the water access in that area. You'd need venting for the dryer and either gas plumbed or the right type of electrical current (stronger than a normal plug). Ooh, good point. Venting should be okay, and we wouldn't need gas. Hadn't even thought about the electric though. Thanks to all who responded! I'm going to keep looking into the idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 Just don't get the set that comes stacked. We are renting and don't have a choice but to use the stacked set. The washer is good, but the dryer does not dry as well as I would like. If you dry a load on low, you have to run it 2 complete dryer cycles to get the clothes dry. I asked maintenance about it when we moved here and was told that basically with this type of stacked set, you will never get dryer capacity equal to the washer capacity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 I have a full size stackable Samsung set. They are more expensive than the Whirlpool version, but both have the same parts, so I would go with the Whirlpool version. Mine stack just fine, and they hold a lot of clothes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 My mother lives in an apartment and has had the same stackables for the past 20 years. No shaking at all. I have done laundry in them and they are definitely smaller than my stand alone washer dryer. Not sure if stackables come in different sizes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 I have had my Whirlpool Duets both stacked and unstacked. I like stacked the best. Easy to move things around and they take up less floor space. No problems either way. No vibration. If you are going through the trouble to remodel, then make sure to add a floor pan that can drain, just in case you have a water leak! Depending on codes in your area, you may also need to install a ceiling vent to avoid mold/mildew from the extra moisture in the air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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