Do you REALLY need a washing machine in apt if you have kids?

so..shut it down mr big shot

Shut what down?

the laundry room Mr REAL Vice President
how dare they use the W/D's
You should teach them a lesson

Oh don't worry. I have a convincing way of persuading them to move aside and let me go before them.

By sneering? Or twisting the ends of your mustache and watching them lecherously?

Or maybe you bore them to death by telling them they are using the machine incorrectly.
Tell me again how details aren't important, but you know the story...I love that one!

night night sweetums

uws10023, my mom has always used a gas dryer in her UWS apartment ... since the late 1960s or so when she first got one. Why would they be banned?

Which reminds me -- her building's laundry room is in the basement, which is accessible only by the service elevator. So the (rental) management has always encouraged people to install their own washers and dryers. But people usually do so in the little-used maid's room bathroom, or on the even less-used scullery sink plumbing line.

An alternative (I'm not sure if they still do this; the milkman no longer cometh either) was to leave your laundry basket near the service elevator with detergent and the appropriate amount of money for the machines plus tip -- and the building's janitor would do the laundry and return it to your back door!!! I'm not sure about folding, but so far the LG combo units don't do that, either.

Alan: Gas dryers are generally not allowed these days - she's grandfathered in. I think buildings have the idea that gas dryers are more prone to fires, leaky gas connections, etc.

"Yes, I've done this. It's terrific. But I'm so bone-lazy that all it means is that I have more laundry sitting in the dryers."

You must love the Fisher & Paykel dishwashers.

"Alan: Gas dryers are generally not allowed these days - she's grandfathered in. I think buildings have the idea that gas dryers are more prone to fires, leaky gas connections, etc."

I'm fairly positive that by code, you can only use a gas dryer if it is vented to the outside.

I've lived in buildings w/no W/D at all, W/D in basement, and W/D in unit. The W/D in unit was a ventless Bosch system (the only system that I'm familiar with that has a ventless dryer). Yes, it takes hours to dry a load, but on the positive side you don't have to lug your laundry downstairs and share machines with your neighbors. I love not having to deal with the Sunday night crush of people doing laundry in the building's laundry room. I kind of solved the drying time situation in our new place by installing a "normal" size HE washer and 2 Bosch ventless dryers, stacking one on top of the other. Bosch doesn't necessarily recommend the stacking of the dryers, but I did it and I've had no problems 6 months later.

I did have the FP dishdrawers. But they turned out to be wildly impractical for a family.

I have kids and a w/d (ventless) in unit. I have also lived in a building with laundry in the basement. YOU NEED THEM IN THE UNIT. lol... why is this even a debate?

Why do you need kids in the unit? You may want them, but certainly no one NEEDS them in that limited space.

gcondo- I've had two kids in a coop without a W/D. If you use cloth diapers, I may agree with you.

The funny thing is, no where else in the country would this be a question. It is assumed that if the coop or condo is for the middle class or above, then 99.9% of them have a private w/d. Why we put up with having to find a building that allows them is incredible.

not necessary at all -- send your nanny to do the kids laundry oor do it once a week (many loads at a time). I loved having a w/d in my last apartment -- but have adjusted to doing my laundry on sunday nights (5 loads at a time) --

A washing machine in an apartment is an incredible amenity providing weekly cost savings and convenience. I still recall the rude neighbor tossing my clothes out of he dryer because I arrived 30 seconds after the completion of a cycle.

upperwestsider, perhaps I did not make my point clear.
The two seemingly opposing statements show how much of a pain a communal laundry room is. You can't win any way you choose to look at it. From the point of view of the person with no dryers available to them or the from point of view of the person who did score dryer but had their clothes tossed out because they were a few seconds late.

Could the answer to all problems inherent in sharing w/ds with scores of other people be a w/d in your own home? By golly I think you've got it!

I totally agree with everyone on all sides of this argument. I just don't think very many people have baby goats in their apartments -- even in Classic 7s. I know on "Friends" they had pet poultry for awhile (and I have no problem with that), but really, baby goats?

hey UWSfan. I did not read through this thread so have to admit to having no idea what the overall consensus is and am totally shocked that there are 121 replies on the topic.

My 2 cents - You NEED very few things, at all, in life, w/ or w/o kids...

That being said, the closer you are to a washer/dryer, the easier life will be (I presume). We just spent the 1st year of baby #1's life w/o washer/dryer in building. We send our clothes out but I wash baby's myself around the corner...YEP, strap baby on and head to the laundromat. Was fine until morning sickness kicked in w/ #2 (didn't feel like schlepping anybody/anything anywhere!). We're moving in a few months and I am VERY MUCH looking forward to having laundry in the building. In the actual apartment would be ideal, but I'm not going to let it be a dealbreaker if we find a great space w/o it (though, having it in the building is a must at this point).

So, yes, I think life will be easier with facilities in apt. Can you survive with something less? Absolutely.

(Now, I'm going to read through this thread and see if anyone has convinced me that I MUST have it in the actual apartment ;).

be careful with the miele/boshe ventless -- if you do not have the proper electrical current in the closet -- it will not function

LOL re: the person who can't remember the laundry card. Life's rough, huh? ;)

Re: soiled things - if you have hot water, detergent, a little muscle, and a place to hang things to dry, you'll survive until the next round of laundry.

Good Luck!

When the sun is shining I hang my laundry outside for drying in the wind.
Sleeping on sun'bleached' linens is hard to beat.
Add to this the smell of freshly cut gras and you will be in heaven.

Ok, so, any recommendations from persaonal usage and experience on a pretty good ventless W/D? As stated before, I have a regualr/normal-size/CAN'T-wash-or-dry-king-size-comforters Asko ventless W/D. These work fine but you can't overload these OR use too much detergent OR close the closet door when drying - else the dryer will over heat and die (never happened to me but have happened to others).
http://www.askousa.com/laundry/family_size_laundry/w6222-washer/

And, I am leanly towards this X-Large-Capacity/CAN-wash-&-dry-king-comforters Asko ventless W/D. It doesn't state it but these W/D can be stacked. The bottom pullout drawers on each don't have to be used and the overall height would be reduced. http://www.askousa.com/laundry/xxl_laundry/wl6511xxlw-washer/

Other good looking ventless, CAN be stacked ventless W/D, that CAN handle King Size Comforters?

I never would have thought that i'd come down on the side strongly in favor of the WD in the apartment. I've lived with both scenarios, didn't particularly care for the stackable ones we had, didn't mind the laundry room, although it has its issues.

but now that Tishman has quit maintaining the WDs properly, I'd love to have laundry in the apartment. Sending out the laundry isn't so bad, though. Not much more expensive and they fold much better than I do (and match the socks!!)

1OneWon, the megahuge LG washer/dryer in one drum ventless one is the way to go.

alanhart, how would you compare the drying time to a regular dryer?

ar: It's actually my friend who has it, and she has a 110v line. From what I understand about the technology, it should be pretty much the same dry time. The heating element vaporizes the water. What's different is that instead of venting outside, the steam gets sent to a condensation pipe that has cold water tubes running around it (or through it?), and then the resulting water from both go down the drain.

I suspect they also have a 220v version for the US market that's faster for drying.

Electrical venting dryers with a lint trap vent kit (about $20) are significantly superior to ventless units. We have tried both (in different apartments). The venting units are almost like the ones in the basement. They take about 30min to dry a load (as opposed to two plus hours on a ventless dryer with poor results).

The lint trap vent kit look like this
http://www.amazon.com/Lambro-Lint-Trap-Vent-Kit/dp/B000KKIG38/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=home garden&qid=1242673990&sr=8-3

"Electrical venting dryers with a lint trap vent kit (about $20) are significantly superior to ventless units. We have tried both (in different apartments). The venting units are almost like the ones in the basement. They take about 30min to dry a load (as opposed to two plus hours on a ventless dryer with poor results). The lint trap vent kit look like this
http://www.amazon.com/Lambro-Lint-Trap-Vent-Kit/dp/B000KKIG38/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=home garden&qid=1242673990&sr=8-3"

These are ILLEGAL in New York City.

I found the lint trap kit to be useless at best. It caught some lint, but the majority of the lint, steam and fine particulates of detergent chemicals, were broadcast across the apartment and into my lungs. I wound up building a crazy-looking conduit out the top of my bathroom window.

I don't see why venting/ventless should have such a big time difference, unless the difference was voltage or gas vs. 110v, rather than vented/ventless.

My electrical ventless dryer doesn't take a long time to dry. I never timed it but it's pretty dry even before the full dry cycle is over, with the exception of say something really cotten heavy like a full load of heavy thick cotton towels and rugs.

I also heard the lint trap vent kit is illegal in NYC.

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions!

UWSmom - It looks like I am a few months ahead of you on the kid track. I currently have 2 under two. It is much easier than I thought it would be. Good luck to you!

Thanks UWSfan. I love hearing that it's easier than you expected. I usually get the "it's best to have them close together...you'll be happy for it in the end". Always sounds like desperate rationalization to me. Your response is much more reassuring. Best!

Some things change when you go from one to two. I had no trouble keeping up with cloth diapers when it was just 1 or doing the occasional hand washing of laundry. After two - I found out what my real priorities were wrt to kids. I have prioritized cooking fresh meals, and everything else - fuggedaboutit.

I'll just be happy if I survive from day to day. Fresh meals and clean clothes will be a nice bonus!

I have to say that as a stay-at-home mom you find yourself finding solace in unlikely places. The handful of times that I did get to go to the laundromat solo AND sit AND read a trashy magazine...well, sad to say, but it was a pleasant treat. I totally understand karen23's preference for a laundry room over washer/dryer in house. Sometimes getting things accomplished alone is quite heavenly. But, of course, you can't deny the counter argument...

I have had both - the indoor true dryer with the water-based lint trap and the non-venting dryer. The new LGs are fantastic and really do get your clothes dry (old ones always left the clothes a little damp).

Saw an apartment with a laundry room right next to the children's playroom. Looked like heaven!

Didn't read the whole chain...

I'd love a w/d in the apt, and I'd probably still send some laundry out. I don't trust the drop off with some finer items so I do use the laundry in the building. Seriously, I find using the machines AS EXPENSIVE as sending it out. By the time you separate the clothes for washing and then dry them, and spend the effort lugging and folding, outsourcing is cheaper then using a coin op.

i have one kid and do about 9 loads a week. great feature of my condo was ability to put in full washer/dryer. it's fast and can handle delicates. i wash everything - shoes, coats, blankets, lingerie, you name it. it's the HE kind - very economical and doesn't mess up my clothes.

also, got the big drawer pedestals that function like a linen closet, so just keep extra towels and sheets right with the laundry machines.

my dryer does vent, so i can do quick drying.

Wisco, I hate you.

;)