Laundry chute

[Scott Falvey]

What do you guys think about laundry chutes in a 2002 home?

Thanks,

[Brian E. Kelly]

Mighty handy.

I usually point them out as a safety concern though.

[phinsperger]

I think its better to design the laundry to be on the second floor or what ever floor the bedrooms are on. With a laundry shute you still have to lug the clothes back up.

Addtionally the shute itself acts like a chimney in the even of a fire which is common in laundry rooms ( about 25,000 dryer fires per year). There should at least be a spring loaded fire stop separating the shute at each floor level.

And of course Brian pointed out that they can be a safety hazard for children.

[Richard A. Hetzel]

Someone once took a survey about where people wanted the laundry located...in the basement, in case there's a flood; on the first floor where the housewife spends moast of her time, or on the second floor, where all the laundry is generated. The results: One-third for each preference.

What's a poor architect to do?

[jkogel]

I think it's poor practice to put a laundry room upstairs - the washing machine inevitably will spring a leak or overflow while no one is watching it. Better to keep it downstairs, near a floor drain.
There are two dangers associated with laundry chutes - flames or fumes coming up from the basement, or little kids falling down them, although generally kids are smarter than that.

[phinsperger]

I guess we shouldn't put bathrooms (which in my experince have water overflow problems more than washers) on the second level then either.

[sspradling]

Great way to get the cat into the basement.
Stu

[jkogel]

Originally Posted by phinsperger

I guess we shouldn't put bathrooms (which in my experince have water overflow problems more than washers) on the second level then either.

The upstairs bath is kind of a necessary evil, until they design a people-friendly laundry chute.

[jbettencourt]

You are required to have a floor drain in an upstairs laundryroom in this area as far as I am aware.