How to Choose and Install Laundry Appliances | Ask This Old House

How to Choose and Install Laundry Appliances | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House plumbing expert Richard Trethewey helps a couple pick out and install energy efficient appliances.
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Tools:
Screwdriver [https://amzn.to/2NVeMca]
Level [https://amzn.to/2O4qoJZ]
Adjustable wrench [https://amzn.to/2NVmdQy]

Shopping List:
Washer [https://amzn.to/2NbhkD5]
Dryer [https://amzn.to/319Tefq]

Steps:
1. Richard discusses the options for the latest laundry appliance technology.
2. Richard shows off a top-loading washer. It’s the most commonly used, but highly inefficient. It doesn’t leave clothes very dry which means more electricity costs when it comes to the dryer. Richard also explains the top loader uses 40 gallons of water to wash one large load of laundry.
3. Richard then shows off a high-efficiency top loading model of washer. It does not include a center agitator and has a high-efficiency motor. Per load, this model uses 17 gallons of water.
4. Finally, Richard shows off a high-efficiency front-loading model that has a second washer below the larger one. It has double the capacity and uses only 13 gallons of water per load. Less than half of the typical washer.
5. For the installation, set down the bottom portion of the dryer and adjust the knobs at the bottom to make it level on the floor.
6. Place the top of the dryer on the base.
7. Connect the exhaust hose to the back of the dryer and tighten the clamp using a screwdriver to keep it in place.
8. Plug the dryer into a 220-volt outlet.
9. Level the pedestal washer, once again using the knobs on the base.
10. Place the washing machine on top of the pedestal washer and secure with screws.
11. Connect bronze splitters to main water connections.
12. Connect stainless steel braided hoses to the splitters and to the inlets on the washing machine.
13. Snug up the connections using an adjustable wrench or pliers.
14. Connect the discharges from both washing machines to a laundry basin or a stand pipe drain.
15. Plug the washing machines in to a standard receptacle.

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Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we’re ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O’Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.

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How to Choose and Install Laundry Appliances | Ask This Old House
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50 Comments

  1. My Other Car Is A DeLorean on June 26, 2022 at 12:38 am

    LOL, so he managed to upsell them on the cool new front loader machine with the extra washer underneath. Nice!



  2. theedrstrangelove on June 26, 2022 at 12:39 am

    People actually need a consultant to buy an appliance? Outdated as hell. My top loader uses 8 gallons for a normal load (about 15 pounds of dry clothing/linens, etc). It spins so fast that my dryer finishes in 15 minutes at the medium heat level. Just read the specs before you buy. Oh, and I seldom use the dryer. A clothes line is better in every way. Plus, I have a gray water system to send the waste water to a tank so I can use it later to water my garden. That way since I have a sewage meter, my monthly water and sewage charges are less than 15 bucks a month.



  3. David Tullis on June 26, 2022 at 12:39 am

    i bet has congas instead of bongos.



  4. Don C-M on June 26, 2022 at 12:40 am

    I give a rats a$$ about water use. Now getting the cloths dry before putting them into drier? now Im listeming. Water cost me $40 a month. electric bill is higher. If i was in CA then i would be worried. but I’m in very greater Boston.



  5. CorteyDFi on June 26, 2022 at 12:41 am

    Great



  6. Ben Engle on June 26, 2022 at 12:41 am

    The husband looks like he got a little high before the show lol



  7. Niko on June 26, 2022 at 12:46 am

    Keep that old washing machine. The new ones are junk unless you get a Speed queen tl5 or maytag commercial



  8. Jason C. on June 26, 2022 at 12:47 am

    Nominal voltage is 240 NOT 220.
    Top Load washers are easier to load.
    Stacking is always a safety concern.
    Front load washers are mold/mildew traps.
    Top load washers don’t require splitters.
    Front load washers require a lot of maintenance.
    Most Top load washers are self-leveling.
    Hoses wear out because constantly under pressure.
    NOT all dryers use 240.



  9. George Vavoulis on June 26, 2022 at 12:48 am

    OK so witch cleans clothes the best for least amount of electricity?



  10. jihan ayhan on June 26, 2022 at 12:50 am

    I have a dislike of front loaders due to the propensity for organic growth build up in the plastic flashing of the door. You’d be surprised of how many disgusting front loaders are out there.



  11. Mary S on June 26, 2022 at 12:52 am

    Why did he level it away from where it was going to be?



  12. Elmo on June 26, 2022 at 12:53 am

    drying your clothes by hanging instead of dryer saves the most money 😎



  13. Steven Holt on June 26, 2022 at 12:55 am

    Richard is off base on this, he’s concentrating on only one thing, water usage. When you buy a washer, the main question is HOW WELL WILL IT CLEAN YOUR CLOTHES? And for that, you can’t beat Maytag or Speed Queen top loaders w/agitators. Here’s a nice bonus : both American made!



  14. Western Massachusetts Elevators on June 26, 2022 at 12:55 am

    In my opinion high efficiency washers are totally garbage. I would prefer a Speed Queen top loading washer.



  15. Thomas Freer on June 26, 2022 at 12:56 am

    Sure everyone has 2 grand laying around for a washer….then when something goes wrong its at least a 5 hundy…..get realistic Richard!



  16. Jude plumbing and repairs on June 26, 2022 at 12:56 am

    I wish I would have took the old washer and dryer they probably would last longer



  17. Bradley Shepard on June 26, 2022 at 12:58 am

    Consumer Alert! I purchased a front loader manufactured by LG in late june. In july the front seal developed cracks. LG has not honored it´s waranty in more than 3 weeks of being notified. CONSUMER BEWARE!



  18. kevin smith on June 26, 2022 at 12:59 am

    The redundant asterisk quickly double because barber causally harm outside a wry fender. defective, sad target



  19. Todd Kratzer on June 26, 2022 at 1:01 am

    H.E. detergent is a scam, all it is, is watered down detergent. I have been using regular detergent for 20 years in my front loader. No problems. You just
    reduce the amount of detergent.



  20. Big Beef89 on June 26, 2022 at 1:01 am

    Here’s how ya choose
    1.Don’t buy anything LG
    2.don’t buy anything Samsung
    3.don’t buy from a box store
    4.oh and don’t buy anything LG



  21. Sara Mullen on June 26, 2022 at 1:02 am

    Keep the Agitator trust me not worth the headache!



  22. Randy Ward on June 26, 2022 at 1:03 am

    Richard, what you don’t tell is how long it takes to do a load in the ‘wonder’ washer. They are so slow you will be washing all day and the next day, if you have kids.



  23. Fall Guy on June 26, 2022 at 1:03 am

    Change the duct tube to a rigid metal one.



  24. William Cawley on June 26, 2022 at 1:03 am

    For over 30+ years my parents and there family have been doing front loaders in England and in Ireland so it was an easy choice to go front loader



  25. HisDivineGraceImperialMajestyKingEmperorTonka on June 26, 2022 at 1:05 am

    tbh .. i think its a gimmick ! all we need is a simple wash and dry … and a small load program not a seperate one under



  26. Don C-M on June 26, 2022 at 1:06 am

    I’m not bending down to the bottom to grab detergent. it will be on a shelf (or on top of machine.



  27. The Flesh on June 26, 2022 at 1:06 am

    these guys talk a good to sell you trash



  28. kreamowheat on June 26, 2022 at 1:07 am

    These guys spent more on the washer alone than I have on my last 2 pairs…



  29. The Kid on June 26, 2022 at 1:07 am

    Those washers without the agitator suck if you got dirty clothes going in they come out dirty



  30. Elliot Askari on June 26, 2022 at 1:09 am

    What model washer dryer is the one they bought?



  31. Pk 3 on June 26, 2022 at 1:12 am

    The first washer he showed, using 40 gal. of water, is for the largest load. Most washer machines have different load settings, which will save on water. We have a 12 year old, Whirlpool Cabrio top loader washer machine, that uses a load sensor to select the water level based off the weight of the clothes. Ours uses a magnetic stator, instead of a motor to spin/wash the clothes. It spins the clothes up to 900 RPM, removing most of the water to help with drying times.

    We have the matching drier as well, which uses sensors, throughout the cycle to sense the dryness of the clothes. It will either add more time or shorten the drying time. They both work very well and easy for me to repair.



  32. Don C-M on June 26, 2022 at 1:14 am

    Nice, its up on a pedestal. If she was any shorted, she would not be able to see the top to put in detergent.



  33. Sanj R[Epic48LegendarySanjPlayzz] on June 26, 2022 at 1:16 am

    I like that the type of washer they bought was an LG TWINWASH. GC (Good Choice)



  34. Chris on June 26, 2022 at 1:17 am

    2:25 I had one of these washers and it developed rust around the blue dispenser on the corner. Don’t buy LG… they will blame you for rust. So many consumers had rust issues with LG topload washers



  35. Mr Capitalist on June 26, 2022 at 1:18 am

    I bought a LG HE washer with matching dryer , but I’m confused as to why they put the cold water outlet on the left hand side , your wall mounted outlets are hot left and cold right which is standard , so your hoses will cross when you hook it up ??? Would love to know why unless in South Korea , their hot and cold is opposite?



  36. UncleSam13 on June 26, 2022 at 1:19 am

    So a dollar of water comes out go about 250 gallons of water



  37. c0mputer on June 26, 2022 at 1:19 am

    I wash my clothes down by the river.



  38. Thermostat-STAT Mechanical on June 26, 2022 at 1:20 am

    I’ll take the whirlpool washer from 20 years so that takes 40 gallons any day if the week



  39. tubejim101 on June 26, 2022 at 1:20 am

    6 months later. Why is my washing machine broken? Why does it cost $1,000 to fix it?



  40. Greg Hill on June 26, 2022 at 1:21 am

    all nonsense i noticed no difference at all in water use from using front loading HE washer it never cleans clothes takes forever to run a cycle. half the time decided it does not feel like spinning clothes so i have to do cycle again i am going back to regular top loader



  41. lake state bullies on June 26, 2022 at 1:23 am

    For the price these just don’t last like a good old top loader



  42. David Mann on June 26, 2022 at 1:23 am

    Did not consider cost or dependability. Everyone I know with HE washers has a very close relationship with the Maytag repairman.



  43. Reason on June 26, 2022 at 1:24 am

    Except, of course, the rest of the world don’t use such huge units. Just like they don’t run such huge vehicles.
    Just bought a front loader for $852 delivered. 2/3rd the capacity of the old washer, unfortunately, because they don’t make 3.5 ft^3 washers anymore.



  44. kevin smith on June 26, 2022 at 1:25 am

    The adaptable smile steadily shelter because balloon pragmatically moan via a adorable peanut. giddy, grotesque mask



  45. Gwin Willis on June 26, 2022 at 1:25 am

    hello friends



  46. Ron K on June 26, 2022 at 1:26 am

    Those will likely need repaired within a year. Such cheap junk they make anymore. The price doesn’t reflect the low quality, however. It just looks pretty on the outside to fool you.



  47. Psych911 on June 26, 2022 at 1:29 am

    If you love mold, mildew and stinky clothes then MAKE SURE you buy a HE washer…I went back to a traditional top loader and my clothes actually smell clean and fresh now.



  48. zacgvids on June 26, 2022 at 1:29 am

    i always learn on TOH, Always!!



  49. Diem Nguyen on June 26, 2022 at 1:32 am

    Wow he



  50. Thermostat-STAT Mechanical on June 26, 2022 at 1:34 am

    Stop doing trash models