clothes dryers in the garage

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#1

Originally Posted By: ftingle
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Here’s part of an article from the LA Times today, Barry Stones column, Ask the Inspector, that I had never thought about before:


“Question:


In previous articles you mentioned that the plumbing code requires a hot water heater in a garage to be placed on a platform. The stated purpose of this requirement is to prevent ignition of gasoline fumes on the garage floor. If we apply the same logic to a clothes dryer shouldn’t it also be necessary to have a raised platform at the laundry?


Answer:


You raise a valid point. The same reasoning that requires the elevation of a water heater in a garage would seem to apply to the pilot light and burner in a clothes dryer.”


(Mr Stone goes on to discuss how raising the dryer would be impractical, and the minimum nature of building codes.)


I’ve never seen a raised dryer in the garage, have any of you?


Do any of you recommend a platform when you see a dryer on the floor?

#2

Originally Posted By: bemelander
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Burner should be 18" above floor.


I would report it as a burner less than 18" above floor.


If they ask I might recommend a platform. I have seen dryers raised but only in the laundry room, they said it was easier to load that way.


Bill

–
Anchor Home Inspections


bill@anchorinspections.com
#3

Originally Posted By: James D Mosier
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I’ve seen several raised areas in basement laundry rooms including the house I grew up in and the neighbor. These particular two were both poured as part of the floor and held both the dryer and washer supposedly in case of basement flooding.


As long as the flood is less than 4" deep it works.

--
Jim Mosier

#4

Originally Posted By: psabados
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I don’t think that I would recommend a platform.


#1, steps would be required to make the 18 inch height. #2, a large work or standing area would be required taking up additional garage space, #3 proper safety rails would have to be installed to prevent the person using the dryer from accidentally falling off of the platform and injuring themselves. #4 a top loading washer would then be almost 50 inches above grade if a standing area wasn't installed making it very difficult for a typical woman or shorter man from reaching the bottom of the machine to transfer wet clothes from the washer to the dryer. Front loading equipment would make it slightly easier (washer).

I would call out the potential for a flash fire hazard caused by fuel vapors like a furnace or water heater with a possible recommendation for relocating the washer and dryer to another area of the dwelling.

Paul

Counting down the days to Orlando 2005 T-minus 217 and counting!

#5

Originally Posted By: rcloyd
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Having a piece of equipment with an ignition source installed in a garage without that ignition source located 18 inches min above the finished floor is a violation of the code regardless of type of equipment water heater, furnace, space heater, dryer etc.


I would write it up as a safety hazard in need of immediate attention and also notify the current occupants of the dwelling.

Regards,

--
Russell G. Cloyd
Intra-Spec Home Inspections
& Code Consulting, LLC
859-586-4591
www.intra-spechomeinspections.com

#6

Originally Posted By: Larry L Leesch
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Unless the washer/dryer are being conveyed in the contract, I don’t see that it is an item to be called out. Per IRC, the situation is left up to the appliance manufacturers installation recommendations. I inspect new homes for a builder and we just run into an inspector calling this out on one of our homes. We do not furnish these particular appliances but we went back to our supplier which is Whirlpool and they do indeed call for the washer and dryer to be mounted 18" above the garage floor. Conversely, GE doesn’t have the requirement. Per UL, if it wears the UL badge, the ignition source is already above the appliance bottom by a minimum 18". The builder I work for isn’t sure about the plans that puts the washer/dryer in the garage. As we all know, what we build today we can be sued for at a later date regardless of code at time of construction. Remembering that the definition of a lawsuit is:An attorney making money, I imagine we will either change our plans, get a signed disclosure in this regards, or stop building these particular plans.

#7

Originally Posted By: rsonneson
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If it is there when I am there I am going to call it out. If it is removed at closing that is fine but I want to make sure my client is aware that it whould not be at that level. Any gas burner has to be above 18" in a garage area it really does not matter what the burner is in.

–
Bob Sonneson


American Home Inspection Technologies

#8

Originally Posted By: ekartal
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As Russell hinted this also applies to an electronic ignition if present.


Erol Kartal

#9

Originally Posted By: ftingle
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[quote=“rsonneson”]If it is there when I am there I am going to call it out.


And if it isn't there, there will eventually be one there, when the new home owner moves in.
Gentlemen, thank you for your responses. ft

#10

Originally Posted By: ekartal
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


Fred,


Why don't you really ruffle their feathers and tell them the metal dryer duct should not have any sheet metal screws. They become a lint trap.

Erol