All across Western Ky, businesses and homeowners alike rely on their laundry rooms to keep water flowing and fabrics clean. From utility to high-end style, your laundry room is the heart of a clean and organized space. When laundry room plumbing issues arise, whether it be washer plumbing or dryer plumbing, or sinks and drains, they can have a major impact on sanitation and convenience. If you’re noticing unappealing odors or experiencing clogs or water damage, it’s time to have an expert take a look. The professionals at DH&Z Plumbing are always ready to help with your next laundry room plumbing repair!
Our modern laundry rooms utilize a lot of water and can have a lot of moving parts. Give it enough time, and issues could arise. When they do, the source of the problem will generally fall into one of four categories: (1) faulty parts, (2) degraded materials, (3) needed maintenance, or (4) a broken fixture. Understanding what’s at stake and finding the root cause will help you to determine when it’s best to call a professional.
Washer and Dryer Plumbing
Estimates vary and every machine is different, but anywhere from 7 to upwards of 30 gallons of water are utilized with each wash cycle. Whether the amount is small or great, you don’t want any of that leaking into walls, backing up into drains, or pooling on your laundry room floor. But clogged washer box drain lines or inferior water supply lines could make worst-case a reality. Faulty parts could allow leaks to develop, or even burst under pent-up pressure.
We may not think of dryers as being affected by plumbing issues, but many do utilize water for a steam cycle. If hoses and connections are old or weak, a leak is inevitable.
Water Heater Plumbing
Your water heater is directly related to your laundry room, and it may even be housed there. If you’re noticing wild fluctuations in water temperature or a noisy unit, that could indicate that buildup should be flushed or that the heating element isn’t working well anymore.
Laundry Room Drain Plumbing
If your washing machine drains into a utility tub, issues can be more obvious. But if the drain line connects to a washer box or directly into the plumbing system, it can be hard to know when the line is clogged, until it’s too late. Water backing up into your washer or improper draining could be first signs. Water damage to walls or floors, bubbling paint, or moldy spots are also telltale signs of overflow and leakage and could point to improper installation.
If a laundry room is in the basement, various drains from around the building could coalesce into the main drainage line located there. Any problems affecting these lines could also show up in your laundry room drains.
Water Supply Plumbing
Supply hoses are generally rubber or metal mesh and hard water, mineral buildup, and other environmental factors would quickly age these lines and influence water pressure. Leaky lines could be one outcome. “Water hammer” occurs when very high water pressure is inflecting on lines, especially when valves open and close quickly. Washing machines are built to do just that, and the force of the water can jolt the pipes and hoses, causing leaks or worse. Some washer boxes come with water hammer arrestors. Loud noises after the washer draws water is a key sign to listen for.
Utility Sink and Faucet Plumbing
Potential problems surrounding water pressure and temperature, dripping, loud noises, slow or stopped drains, discolored water, or foul odors are common. Investigation could lead to aging parts, a clogged drain, deposits, rust, a malfunctioning water heater, or maybe even backflow issues. Standing water in your utility tub could indicate serious draining issues. If the washing machine drains into a utility sink, clogged drains are also likely. But these annoyances could be symptoms of issues that run deeper.
Foul Odor
If the utility sink goes unused much of the time, foul-smelling gas could be escaping from the unused drain lines. A basement drain located in the laundry room is great insurance against flooding, but it may be used infrequently. If the trap dries out it could eventually allow odors and noxious gas to escape into the home. Standing water in the base of the washing machine could fester, and the machine could be in need of a thorough cleaning. Hair, soap, and lint clogged in the washer’s drain line could putrefy and as it breaks down, unseemly odors could waft up. A moldy or musty smell could be evidence of an unseen leak in a water supply line or drain pipe. Any excessive moisture could attract insects and mold growth can cause or aggravate breathing problems.
Laundry Room Installation, Repair, and Replacement
Appliances come and go, and as the owner of a home or business, you know that going in. So if a new washer or water heater is going in the laundry room, it’s worth having a plumbing expert look over pipes, drains, etc. to stave off major problems down the road. And if you’re looking to install a utility sink, or replace, repair or install a washer box, the plumbing pros at DH&Z Plumbing can help.
The professional team at DH&Z Plumbing has the needed expertise and resources to resolve your laundry room plumbing problems from washer and dryer repair to washer and dryer installation. We know that while some solutions are simple, others can be complex or even dangerous. This is where a trained eye is invaluable, and it’s good to know that you always have a trusted, local expert to call on.
We know that a clean, functioning laundry room is key to the health of your family or workforce. So we’ll do what it takes to quickly get things back up and running. We are proud to have a strong reputation in the Kentucky and Barkley Lakes region go-to for all plumbing services, repairs, and installations. And we’re ready to assist! So if you are in Western Kentucky and your laundry room is in need of plumbing help, look no further. Give us a call at (270) 210-2669 or send us a message and we’ll gladly discuss your plumbing needs.
