second floor, stacking washer & dryer...

Just finished installing electric, etc. for a stacking washer and dryer. Set up the machines and did a load of laundry... well, here comes the spin cycle and the house felt like it was flying to OZ. I know "make sure appliances are level" I have but will double check for level, when and if I approach the next idea.

It's a balloon framed home from the early 1900's. The appliances are on the second floor, almost dead center of the back of the house. I also know that these stacking appliances are better off on a concrete slab, but we didn't have any other option.

Does anyone think it would work to screw down two pieces of 3/4 " plywood or wonderboard under where the washer/dryer sits. Maybe even an 1/8" piece of rubber mat between the plywood? Has anyone tried it. The hum from the vibration is really the concern, it's the house shaking...

Any better ideas?

 

One of my rental houses is balloon framed or yankee framing--we replaced all the windows and scared ourselves because the walls moved wo the windows in---the walls are not built with 2 x4 studs--they are 1x12,4,6,8--LOL what ever combos they had on hand lol with wood siding then a solid inside covering--I have photos( let me know if anyone wants to see them) it is amazing lol but the house is over 100 yo and very soild and square--I know you might not like my suggestion--these houses are built to depend on the framing for strenght and the interconction,like a puzzle--with a washer vibrating you take the chance of shaking/vibrating things loose--it could cause problems everywhere--roof/walls/foundation---what they did in our house was to add a mud room--for laundry and extra bath I recommend this--and the advantage with balloon framing--just take a chain saw cut the opening and reframe to connect lol--your idea might work?? you might consult a constructional engineer--please post what works out for you---I had never heard of this before we took out our first window and was like what is this--lol--my hubby was like no wonder he sold it for 18,000 lol ---I have before and soon afters photos in a album(we are getting it sided this week) it is shocking

 

Take the units back out, turn the washer on its side and remove the shipping bolt. This holds the drum still during shipping. If you leave it in, when it goes into even a slightly out of balance spin, your house will come down (or so it seems). The drum must move eliptically to take up the shock of the balance problem.

 

I removed the shipping bolts (4) on the back of the washer as the instructions said. These are front loaders, so the shipping bolts were on the back of the washer.

Thanks...

 

Roger that. I had a customer who had one replaced due to excessive vibration, and asked me to dispose of it when I was through with my job. As soon as I tilted it onto my truck, I saw the shipping bolt, but, didn't dare open my mouth to make matters worse than they were. I would recommend the 3/4" ply with a rubber cushion as well to help quell the vibration.