clothes washers and dryers for older units with "weak" plumbing?

 I live in a relatively old condo complex, built in the 1960’s or
1970’s, and not the fanciest place around.  One issue is that we can’t
have clothes washers or dryers in the units because (we are told) the
plumbing can’t handle it (and maybe the ventilation system, I'm not
sure if that's an issue too).  I don’t know the technical details of
that, just what they tell us.  (We have a common laundry room with
coin machines.)

Question:  With all the advances in technology, you’d think someone
would have developed washers/dryers designed for these older type
living units.  The people who run the condo complex may not be aware
of such units (if they exist), so I’m posting this query.  Does anyone
know if there are special washers and dryers that have been designed
to work with plumbing and/or ventilation which is otherwise too “old”
for standard washer/dryers?  And if so, can you specify what such
washer/dryer units are called, and/or who makes them, etc?

Thanks in advance for all replies.

  On Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:43:07 -0700 (PDT), CJ


the problem seems to be the detergent suds.  in new york city, people
pay over a million dollars for a coop or condo apartment which won't
let them have a washer.  dryers ore ok but you either need 220 volt
current or a gas hookup.  

the problem here is the drain pipes which are too small to handle the
suds so ther is a problem with things backing up.  i had thought that
dishwashers were ok because the standard leases with the no washing
machine clause were older than dishwashers, but it seems to be ok for
them because the dishwashing detergent is low suds.  

i don't know why they don't make a detergent for washers that would be
ok, but there is evidently some problem about it or they would.

elise

  ediefaber@yahoo.com (elise d faber) wrote:


Any idea if the new style "H/E" laundry detergent made for the front
loaders would be a solution here?

And if you are paying a million for a condo, can't you afford to run
a new drain pipe down to the basement?

-john-

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Possibly, if you also used a front load washer with it.  The reason is
simple, the front loader will use about 70% less water, so the drain
might handle the front loader. (the same drain that could not handle a
top loader MIGHT handle a front loader)

If you used H/E detergent with a non-H/E top loader?  It wouldn't suds
enough to get your clothes clean.  That is, unless you used about twice
as much H/E detergent...in which case you'd be paying more money for
the same amount of suds, and you'd be flushing the same amount of gray
water down the drain... (back where you started).



That's what I was thinking.  I'm guessing it's landlord preference as
to why there are no washers in the building.  That is, the landlord
doesn't want them in the building, and is using the weak excuse of, the
pipes won't handle it.  -Dave

 Dave wrote:

If it's a condo, there's no landlord -- just a homeowner's association.