With the popularity of 1st and 2nd floor laundry rooms comes a new problem. Because the upper floors are less rigid than lower floors there tend to be vibration problems when a washing machine is used. This vibration can be severe and because sleeping areas are normally upstairs they can be quite disconcerting. The popularity of front loading washers adds to the problem because they spin at twice the speed of the older top loaders. Also, the spin force is horizontal so the floor receives more of that force.
In new homes the problem could be addressed at the early planning states by reinforcing the laundry room floor. Because this adds to the construction costs, most builders and architects are reluctant to do this.
Higher end washers automatically stabilize to reduce vibration. The Bosch washing machine is well known for quiet, dependable models. Also, upper floors water leaks are especially tragic. Their aqua stop systems will stop water from flooding your home.
After the house is built if the bottom of the laundry room floor is accessible the space between the floor joists and directly below the washer can be shored using wood to make the area more rigid. If this is not possible a 4′x4′ cement board or thicker plywood can be placed under the washer to make it stable.
The easiest way for a consumer to address the issue is to make considerations when shopping for a new washing machine.
If the laundry room floor’s rigidity is suspect there are top loading washing machines that now use the same amount or slightly more water than the efficient front loaders. These new washers don’t have transmissions. They use direct drive motors that use magnetism to agitate and spin the tub.
This is not new technology. Domestic manufacturers have “adapted” the direct drive into their units from foreign appliance manufacturers. This is good news for the consumer. These washers have fewer than a dozen moving parts for few repairs. They are quieter because of the lack of a transmission or gearcase. This makes a world of difference for noise suppression.
Note: Many washers tend to have problems with odor. This has has spurred many entrepreneurs creating a large cottage industry of cleaners and other ways to keep odor away. We created Smelly Washer in 2006 to help with appliance repair. Tide has their washing machine cleaner and Whirlpool created Affresh to help with alleged design problems in their clothes washers.
Changing washing habits by reducing amount of detergent and softener used and doing a hot wash or soak and even an extra rinse as the last cycle on wash day has shown to drastically reduce odor problems in washers and laundry. Preventive maintenance before residue can accumulate is key to stopping odor transfer to towels and other laundry.
Posted under How to Avoid Washer Odor
This post was written by Paul Flynn on December 21, 2008
I agree with everything stated above in regard to helping stop washer vibration. In addition, I have found that Tractor Supply (in my area of the country) and other “feed store” outlets sell whats called a “Stall Mat”. Extreemly heavy duty rubber, over 1/2 inch thick, that when placed beneath my LG washer really cut down on the vibration by isolating the washer from direct contact with the laundry room floor. Total cost $37.60
I think one of the best ways to go about making a purchase like this is to see what others have to say about the product after they have had it for a while. For example, in this LG WM2501HWA review it gets an average rating of 4.8/5 stars - leading me to think it is a pretty good choice. By contrast, in this Kenmore 48102 review it only got 3.5 stars. For my money, and all other things being more or less equal (in this case, they aren’t, the LG has steam too) I’ll take the one with better reviews.
Hi Steve,
Those stall mats work well for outside applications but not for inside a home. They have a very strong petroleum odor and I don’t advise using them for inside. There are anti-vibration pads available at many retail outlets for less than $20.00