Aren’t these pans just preventative measures, not in response to any specific situation?
For all you know, this may be standard for washing machines inside of condos/apartments nowadays. Not everyone has washing machines on the bottom floor.
Google says: Yes. It is standard practice—and often a local code requirement—to use a Washing Machine Drain Pan for any washer located above a living space, like on the second or main floor. [1, 2, 3]
Lot of good it will do it the drain pain doesn’t have a drain itself.
Clearly it’s not for containing a catastrophic leak. It’s for preventing the odd pint of water from sitting in the carpet or on the fake hardwood plank flooring and engendering mold, etc.. As long as the daily leak rate is less than the daily evaporation rate it’ll be adequate.
Setting aside hose bursts, most washer leaks only occur while the machine is running. So depending on whether you’re a 5 loads per day or 3 loads per week household, the catch pan may get a workout.
Overall what I see in a lot of building design now is the assumption that the residents are clueless idiots who will never notice anything amiss nor do any kind of preventative or reactive maintenance. They’ll never see a water leak even if they point their eyes at it. And if somehow they recognize that’s water on the floor, they will never think of the significance of that. The idea water can wreck a floor or cause a problem is just not in their repertoire. The idea water in an unexpected place signals a leak they ought to investigate and repair will not occur to them. They are passive cattle when it comes to their residence. Not DIY-capable homeowners with a mechanical mindset like you or me.
These catchpans and other idiot-proofing modifications to home design are about minimizing the insurance losses when shit happens to clueless people in unmaintained houses with unmaintained appliances and systems.
Yeah, we have one in our “new” fridge and it’s terrible. I don’t think I’ve ever been to anyone’s house where they say, “the ice maker works great!”
Yeah, it’s been an adventure. Friday we had a gas leak. Saturday the A/C died (that was inevitable and expected, but it couldn’t at least wait until after we settled in?)
After we solve the A/C problem, the closet doors are next.
Then probably some plumbing stuff including the washing machine.
I still love it. Vaulted ceilings, tons of natural light, fits all our furniture like it was made to go here. Outside my bedroom window is nothing but treetops and I love to just lay up there and look out the window.
I want to take good care of this place.
Yes it is for machines not in a basement with a floor drain.
Funny. I’ve had icemakers now in my last 6 residences & 7 fridges going back 30+ years. They all just work(ed). Always. Nothing to rave about, but also nothing to complain about.
In the one house I rented there was once a water leak from the plastic line feeding the water dispenser / icemaker. Which leak I stopped and troubleshot, but left for the owner to arrange the repair.
The flexible plastic hose had been almost cut / scuffed through somehow during installation and finally developed a slow steady dripping leak through the thinned spot. Looked like somebody had just brushed the line with a power saw or drill. Then decided that rather than throwing out that 20 feet of line and running fresh, they figured it was “good enough” and kept on installing it. Which it was for maybe 5 years.
Yep. And enjoy that week while it lasts. Such is the “fun” of home ownership.
Never seen it, never needed it. Washing machines are not supposed to leak. Never had one that does.
Of course they’re not supposed to leak; the floor pan is a cheap way of containing any leak that does occur and preventing damage to the floor.
Getting off topic
My washing machines have never sat on a drain pan. This house we removed the stackable unit that was wedged in a small utility closet on the ground floor. Upstairs in a new utility room we built we put full size pair of machines. The water lines come in through a box just above the machine and it drains into a stack also visible above the machine.
Any leaks I think would come from the water hookups or drain lines overflow. Not sure how the plumbing is set up that needs a pan that drains near the floor. The pans do have a drain outlet I’m assuming.
I’m not going to find out till we go to swap them out.
I’m thinking we can find a smaller drain pan, hire someone else to help us get it in, then find a handyman who can fix the doors.
The inspector noticed a bit of sweat around one of the washing machine parts (maybe the water knob? I’d have to look at note.) He said next time we have a plumber come in, to have it taken care of. Well we’ll probably have a plumber come in and just check out the washing machine and replace any parts (like hoses) that need replacing. We found a really good, really professional company that does heating, cooling and plumbing and they’re getting a ton of business from us right now. They fixed the gas leak and are installing our new AC tomorrow.
I recommend you have them inspect the dryer vent hose including cleaning any accumulated lint. And if the hose is the old vinyl type, replace it with a metal hose.
Thanks! We are starting a spreadsheet with to-do items and also a maintenance schedule. I will add this. We’ve both found this thread very informative.
Another good point.
And if it wasn’t clear, you want to clean a dryer vent hose from end-to-end – from the end that secures to the dryer to the point where the duct exits your house … wherever that may be (it can be on an exterior wall or on the roof, for example).
That’s both a dryer efficiency and a safety issue.
Well, the right door came off. It’s in the garage now.
Sigh.
Problem solved!
Oh man. I was afraid you’d lose that one.
I’d lay it aside til I got the AC up and working and the plumbing stuff fixed.
If you trust this plumber ask him about the drain pan. I bet he’ll have the scuttlebutt.