Washing Machines and Pipes

Hi All-

I am a complete plumbing doofus so please forgive me if this is a dumb post. I live in a condo building and the HOA is saying i cannot put in a washer/dryer into my unit. I can understand the argument about venting the dryer and having to cut a hole in the building to vent, thus altering the exterior of the building (i can get around that with a ventless dryer) but they are saying i can't have a washing machine because the pipes can't handle the "force" of water from the machine. The building is an older building and the plumbing is not the most updated (copper in but not out, i think). Anyway, each unit has a dishwasher and i'm trying to prove that with the new washing machines out there today, that the water flow is very similar to the dishwasher. Does anybody out there know the actual water flow or "force" of water from a water efficient washing machine compared to a regular dishwasher.

Does this make any sense?

Thanks for any advice.
Dave

There are a few things to consider here but my gut feeling is that your HOA is being sensible.

First, your supply to your apartment/building (pipe size) would need to be sufficiently wide enough for the number of fixtures you have. If it is too narrow, then you or your neighbors could see a reduction in flow from other fixtures, such as faucets, when you fill your washer. And if everyone got a washer then the supply to the building might not be sufficient.

Secondly, is the drainage issue. Washers discharge a lot of water quickly and you would need a properly vented 2 inch standpipe to get rid of the grey water. Perhaps your apartment does not have these. Alternatively the washer would need to discharge into a utility sink with at least a 1 1/2 inch drain pipe. That might not be a feasible setup in an apartment. I can picture the washer's discharge pipe draped across the kitchen floor to the kitchen sink.

And then there is the issue of what the washer/dryer would run off. You would need a 240 volt circuit and enough capacity on your electrical panel/supply. Perhaps your old apartment does not have enough juice for this? Perhaps the building does not have a juice if everyone got one?

There are several good possible reasons for their response.

Adding washers to old plumbing is a problem, because of how much water they use.
Recently in the Code, they are required more pipe size, not less.

I"m sure they have checked and rechecked with the local inspectors.
They would need to be a major upgrade of both drains and water supply before you start adding washers.

Terry said:

Adding washers to old plumbing is a problem, because of how much water they use.
Recently in the Code, they are required more pipe size, not less.

I"m sure they have checked and rechecked with the local inspectors.
They would need to be a major upgrade of both drains and water supply before you start adding washers.

Click to expand...

THank you for the replies. Supposedly the "stacks" in my building is a bit strange and the plumbing is a bit of a tetris puzzle but there are units in the building that do have washer dryers in the units (some approved and some illegal). By allowing one unit to have washer wouldn't that suggest that the plumbing could handle the water flow from a washing machine?

When plumbers make a layout, they have a list of plumbing fixtures before they start.

They size from the far end, and work their way back.
They plumb it to the minimum size they need.

Adding fixtures after the fact is never considered.
Since a washer is considered a big user of water, and there is suds control to think of, then it would require a "Major" repipe for that to happen.

don't know where you live, but the IPC code says that you must have a washer connection in your unit by code. The UPC probably says the same. You will find it in the front of the code book in the required fixtures section.

don't know where you live, but the IPC code says that you must have a washer connection in your unit by code. The UPC probably says the same. You will find it in the front of the code book in the required fixtures section.

Click to expand...

Which would be a good idea.
I sometimes run into apartments that have been turned into condo's.
There wasn't a requirement in our area for apartments to have washers at that time. I don't know if it was a code thing at the time, or if something just slid by.
It sure is a mess later on trying to make them into normal housing units.
If I were looking at condo's, I would be making sure it wasn't a converted apartment without a means of washing.