Washer and dryer in unairconditioned garage (Tampa, Fort Lauderdale: appliances, house, living)

[dlhanson]

There is a home in the Tampa area that went on the market today. We are interested in the home but it appears that the washer and dryer are located in the garage -- instead of in a utility room.

Do washing machines in local garages have problems with mold or mildew? It seems to us that they might.

Any idea what it would cost to put washer/dryer hookups (water, electric, and drain) in an inside utility room --- I assume that the main problem is the drain for the washing machine??

Home was built in mid 80's -- on a slab with concrete block exterior walls. The inside utility room (current owner uses it as a office) a wall with the garage -- but since we haven't seen inside the garage, we don't know if the washer and dryer are close to that wall or not.

[LKJ1988]

Mine have been in my 100 degree garage for the 7 years i lived on the gulf. Even made it thru the salty air.

[ferret111]

This is pretty common in Florida homes, at least those built before, say, 1980. I've never had a problem with my washer/dryer.

[hiknapster]

My MIL's washer and dryer was in her garage for 27 years. That was in Fort Myers, much further south than Tampa.

[algia]

My hubby's grandmother had a house in Fort Lauderdale, it was build in the 70's, had washer and dryer in the garage. No problems. Mind you, back then they made serious appliances that lasted over 20 years...nowadays, with these paper appliances chances of having them last (utility room or not) are pretty slim by direct comparison. So, it is not as much the "location" as it is the quality of the appliances.

The ONLY problem I found with that is that if you do laundry at night, you will have visitors in the form of bugs!

[BucFan]

Makes sense to me to have the W/D in the garage - nice not to have the extra heat and noise inside the house. And if the washer has problems for some reason, the house doesn't flood.

[algia]

VERY GOOD POINT!

We have ours in a "utility room" off the kitchen and I can tell you, when I am drying kids clothes that have all sorts of buttons, you wished you were deaf!

I am actually installing lines on the patio, when it is so hot outside makes no sense to use the dryer when everything would dry 10 times faster on the patio! (and with less noise & electricity spent)

Originally Posted by BucFan

Makes sense to me to have the W/D in the garage - nice not to have the extra heat and noise inside the house. And if the washer has problems for some reason, the house doesn't flood.

[Keeper]

I agree with everyone else. I never had any problems in 20 years with rust or mildew/mold having them in the garage. I also had one house that had a utility type room in the house next to the garage and kitchen. No problems there but even with the door closed it was noisy plus it did warm up the house during the summer.

I would hesitate to turn an inside room into utility room especially if it would be considered a bedroom. JMO

[vaughanwilliams]

I'd never want my washer/dryer in my living area. Too noisy, hot, and a broken hose would flood the house within minutes.

[crazynip]

That was VERY common as said in homes built prior to 1980, believe it or not, some homes built up to the mid 70's did not have central air conditioning, in fact the home which was my family's second home and the one I mostly grew up in which was built in 1972 did not, it was retrofitted in the late 70's and had the washer/dryer in the garage. Some homes that had utility rooms were not air conditioned, so keep this in mind, its normal. You will not have an issue with it.