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Protecting Your Garage Washing Machine from Freezing

Washing machine freezing, Although it’s not the best place for a washing machine, an unheated garage occasionally provides the only space for one. The washer may sustain damage in regions with winter temperatures below freezing if hoses or valves freeze and break. Pay attention to winter weather forecasts and prepare for icy conditions by protecting the washing machine. This will save you from paying for expensive repairs or a brand-new washing machine.

How to Keep Washing Machine from Freezing in Garage: Some Important Steps

washing machine freezing

Below are some of the steps on how to keep your washing machine from freezing in the garage:

 1: Make sure the windows and garage doors are completely shut.

 2: Install weather stripping around windows and garage doors.

 3: Cover exposed pipes leading to the washing machine with foam insulation that snaps on.

4: Warm the water to the desired temperature and pour 3 to 4 inches of water into the tub. After the tub is filled, start the cycle to spin. In severely cold weather, repeat this procedure every three to four hours.

Step 5: Position an oil-filled radiator heater close to the washer. Set the thermostat to its lowest setting to keep the space around the washer warm enough to avoid freezing.

Is It Okay to Put a Washing Machine in the Garage?

You can put your washing machine in the garage. This helps you in saving space in your home. However, the garage may not be the best place to place your washing machine. There are several disadvantages to doing so. Below are some of the downsides involved, which will be explained in detail in this article:

  • Condensation that could harm some components
  • Faults can remain undiscovered and lead to more harm
  • Challenging to plump-in correctly
  • Extreme temperature ranges

Condensation

In winter, garages may experience low temperatures and a lack of ventilation. When an appliance, like a washing machine, is in use and the weather is cold, this moist air might condense on the chilly walls and windows or even on the appliance itself.

In extreme circumstances, condensation can harm PCBs and motors or can result in rust or black mold. If at all feasible, attempt to reduce condensation by keeping a window open while the washing machine runs during cold weather.

Faults May go Unnoticed and Result in More Harm

You should consider checking your washing machine if it started making an odd noise while it washed or acted strangely. However, most people start the cycle on a washing machine and leave it to do its work while doing other house chores.

If you are never present when the machine is in use, you can miss early indications of a problem that needs to be investigated before it worsens.

An illustration of this would be if the washing machine occasionally made a noise while spinning that resembled a little chain being dragged around. A coin trapped between the drum and the outer plastic tub could be the noise source, which might appear and disappear a few times during the spin.

If discovered in time, this may frequently be removed; nevertheless, if ignored, the coin may eventually punch through the outside tub, rendering most washing machines inoperable.

If your washing machine is in the house rather than in the garage, you are more likely to notice such issues and have your washing machine checked.

Challenging to Plump-in Properly

It is doubtful that free-standing garages constructed significantly away from the main home will have access to plumbing. This makes the plumping process hard.

You must ensure the inlet pipes are sufficiently insulated against the cold if you plan to install plumbing in a garage. Additionally, avoid plumbing the washing machine into the surface water drain because doing so is against the law and harms the environment.

This is very simple to do without realizing it because if the garage has guttering that empties into the surface water drain, it’s simple for people to assume that this is the perfect location for the washing machine to drain into, but it’s not.

Extreme Temperature Ranges

washing machine freezing

 

Garages can experience extreme summer and winter temperatures. Temperature extremes aren’t good for washing machines. Items can overheat if it’s really hot, especially if doing consecutive loads.

Also, the water inside the fill hose or the water pipes may freeze during extremely cold temperatures. 

Will a Plumber be Required to Install a Washing Machine?

You should contact a professional plumber rather than attempting to install the plumbing yourself because washing machines use a lot of water, and a tiny plumbing error can cause major house water damage.

Can You Leave a Washing and Dryer Outside?

Can you leave your appliances outside in the cold weather? No, leaving appliances outside in below-freezing weather can lead to major issues like damaged pipes, water pumps, valves, and drain lines.

Can You Put a Washer and Dryer in a Garage?

Through the story’s affiliate links, Hunker could receive payment. Sometimes the greatest location for your washer and dryer is the garage. Generally speaking, installing your washing machine in the garage is not problematic. In actuality, the concrete floor is ideal for a device that might occasionally leak a little water.

Is Installing a Washing Machine in the Garage Worthwhile?

There shouldn’t, of course, be any chance of water freezing in the machine or supply pipes. Keeping your garage above 5°C throughout the winter may be pricey, depending on how cold it gets.

Is a Laundry Room in the Garage Acceptable?

Nobody likes to work in filthy conditions, whether the space is your garage or not. A separate problem arises if you can not take three steps in your garage without tripping over something. You’ll have to dedicate one or two weekends to getting rid of some things if you want to set up a laundry room in the garage.

Final Take

Sometimes, keeping a washing machine in the garage is a smart move. This is especially true if your garage is the only available area or you’d like to free up some space in your house.

However, the possibility of severe temperatures in garages must be kept in mind. The advice provided in this article on preventing your washing machine from freezing will be useful if you are concerned that it will freeze throughout the winter because of the low temperatures.