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Nov 04, 2024

How to Avoid a Flooded Laundry Room Upstairs | Family Handyman

By Karuna Eberl

Updated on Oct. 18, 2024

Worried about water problems from your upstairs washing machine? Here's how to prevent overflows and leaks.

I applaud architects who create second-floor laundry rooms since they’re usually on the same level as the bedroom. That makes them so convenient because you don’t have to haul clothes up and down the stairs. But that perk comes with a dark side—when something goes wrong, it can create a disastrous mess.

“We get calls for flooded laundry rooms all the time,” says Josh Rudin, owner of ASAP Restoration. “Usually, it has something to do with the hoses, either the water supply line or the transport line, which ejects the spent water into your sewage system.”

Whether that’s your issue or something else, it’s often pretty easy to prevent laundry room flooding. Here’s how.

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The most common causes of a leaking or flooding washing machine include:

“It could also be because you put too much clothing in the washing machine or too much detergent,” says Melanie Powers, president at Goodberlet Home Services.

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Be vigilant about securing, maintaining and replacing worn-out or cracked hoses and tubing on your washing machine. “In some environments, these hoses and tubes will only last a few years before they begin to show signs of wear and tear,” says Rudin. “That can lead to ruptures when pressurized or during draining.”

When you buy new washing machine hoses, consider no-burst versions, which are sheathed with braided stainless steel, and also install new hose washers. Hand-tighten the hoses, then turn the water on and check for leaks. If necessary, tighten further by hand or with pliers.

Wash smaller loads with less detergent, and clean filters and drains regularly.

A moisture meter connected to a shut-off control valve or a recessed washer box in the wall directly behind the washing machine can help stop leaks before they do significant damage. Recessed boxes feature plumbing fittings with shutoff valves for the water supply hoses and a drain for the washer’s discharge hose.

For easy access and servicing, mount the bottom of the box at about the same level as the top of the washing machine control panel. Be sure to choose a box with shutoff valves included.

To prevent laundry room flooding, there are encapsulating systems, which are essentially basins to catch the water from the machine, or in some instances the entire room, and either hold it or transport it out of the area. “This can help prevent flooding, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it is totally out of the realm of possibilities,” says Rudin.

One example of this is a drain pan under the washer, which can be plumbed directly into your home’s waste line or diverted to a laundry tub, floor drain, or outside through the walls. Be sure it’s tight against the framing of the back wall, and run the drywall down to it.

A practical way to prevent a flooded laundry room is to turn off the water to the supply hoses when the washing machine isn’t in use. This is best accomplished by installing a single-lever shut-off valve on the supply hoses or purchasing a recessed washer box with one built in.

If the flooding just happened and isn’t severe:

If you didn’t catch it quickly, or if there is a huge amount of water, then moisture could have traveled down into the walls and the floor/ceiling. Depending on your climate, that could cause mold. In this case, you may need to remove carpeting, cut drywall up two feet past the flood mark and sand down studs in the walls to prevent mold contamination from taking hold, says Rudin.

If your laundry room repeatedly floods, it could be a number of issues, including a dislodged or leaky hose, a clogged drain, a loose valve, a failing washing machine or loads that are overstuffed or with too much detergent.

“Flooding that happens regularly is a problem that needs to be addressed immediately before more damage occurs and before mold growth gets out of control,” says Rudin.

If your laundry room is experiencing regular leaks, then it could be a problem with the washing machine fittings, a worn gasket, a damaged washer or a problem with the water line.

If you can’t figure out what’s leaking, or if you’ve had a large flood you suspect has permeated into the walls or floor, it’s probably time to call a pro to remedy the problem promptly before mold becomes an issue. Water damage technicians have access to air movers, dehumidifiers and water extraction tools that aren’t readily available to consumers.

“Cleaning up an upstairs laundry room flood is a challenging task, and this is why people usually make an insurance claim and then call professionals to do the work for them,” says Rudin.

Updated onJosh RudinMelanie Powers
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