Washer/Dryer question

[dawnbarnard]

We have an area (closet) that can be designated for a washer/dryer. However, I had wondered about the problem that the "moistness" could cause to the trailer? Does it cause any sort of mold or mildew? I just wondered if there's any risk?

I'd almost rather keep the closet space and use a laundry-mat.

Anyone with experience of w/d in a trailer?

[autofish]

Have one in the motorhome and love it use it all the time never a problem.

[squeak]

we use ours all the time

[bjsheldon]

It has to be installed porperly and vented to the outside, otherwise no problem. However with the cost of the W/D and the installation, you can go to the laundry matt for an awfull long time.

[RV Wizard]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjsheldon It has to be installed porperly and vented to the outside, otherwise no problem. However with the cost of the W/D and the installation, you can go to the laundry matt for an awfull long time.

This is true, but the convenience of not having to lug the laundry to and from is nice. We used ours everyday for 7+ years and the laundry mat for the throw rugs and furniture covers.

[Brigadoon]

The convenience of not carrying laundry around, and watching tv (or some more productive endeavor) in your own place on a rainy day while doing laundry- priceless.

We have had them in a 5th wheel as well as 2 mh's. The one in the 5er was a 1 piece unit that worked so-so and both mh's have stacked units that work great.

[redsoxfan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dawnbarnard We have an area (closet) that can be designated for a washer/dryer. However, I had wondered about the problem that the "moistness" could cause to the trailer? Does it cause any sort of mold or mildew? I just wondered if there's any risk? I'd almost rather keep the closet space and use a laundry-mat. Anyone with experience of w/d in a trailer?

We recently purchased a 1998 Golden Falcon 35RLTS. The closet is equipped with water source and power to facilitate a washer and dryer. Since our unit has 30Amp service, there are switches to divert electrical power to different appliances to prevent overloading the circuit. So, if your closet doesn't already have the hookups, you will have to add them and take into consideration the power load. I would also think you would have to vent the dryer, which our unit doesn't have. We decided at $1.50 a load, plus the cost of a washer and dryer, we would use the parks facilities. I added some wire shelving and now we have a nice closet for the vacuum, broom and linens.

[WindsorDave]

Dawn In Washington,

To a large extent it depends on your camping lifestyle. We have a Splendide W/D and it works just fine. That said, it spends most of its time as an expensive, small-capacity, dirty-clothes hamper.

It's not convenient to use when traveling and spending each night in a different location because it takes a long time to completely process a load and a small load at that. Also, when stopping for just one night, I may only hook up electricity and not water and/or sewer, in the interests of saving time getting underway in the morning.

The W/D uses fresh water and dumps it into the grey water tank thus shortening the interval for taking on water and dumping. That really works against the time available in any one stretch to dry camp. Not to mention that you have to run the generator to be able to run the dryer if the coach is not plugged in to shore power.

Conversely, if you're in a park where the utilities are essentially unlimited, there's likely to be a laundromat handy.

We have friends who frequently use their W/D and love it. For us the grief-to-joy ratio is not quite far enough into the joy region to justify using it very often.

Your mileage may vary!

[wnytaxman]

I would agree with Dave that it depends on your lifestyle and camping style. We use ours and will even run it while we are travelling to save time. You do have to run the generator, but it can save you time once you arrive and it cuts down on the amount of clothing you have to pack. Other than that we have never had a moisture issue of any kind with our unit. It is also a Splendide.

[dawnbarnard]

We stay in places for long periods of time due to the nature of our work. I plan on taking the summer off and a local campground and kicking around there until the fall. Then we will be relocating to Oregon where we will be for a couple of years or more. We have a big 40' -- so it's for long term. In fact, this particular trailer isn't for hauling around. It's meant to be moved once or twice a year and that's about it the extent of it. It's a big 'un.

[Melmoses]

We had a 5vr with a washer and dryer, stacked units. Never had any problem with moisture. Used it for moving from job to job doing rural telephone work. Some places we were there for a week in a rural area and used the generator to run them. Rural areas don't have many laundromats so it was a very nice thing to have for us. We now have a motorhome with stacked washer & dryer and although we don't do rural telephone companies anymore (most have been gobbled up!), I used them during our travels. I would highly recommend having the stacked vs the all in one if you can. I can dry a load while washing another, much faster. Not having to haul clothes around, find a laundromat and then sit there while they wash is invaluable to us.

[Vegasdan]

We added a Splendide vented unit to our motorhome and love it. We fulltime and started out using campground laundrys. The time lost waiting for the loads to get done sometimes waiting for other folks laundry to get done so we could grab a machine. After seeing a gal load her dog bed and several dog hair matted blankets into one machine caused us to consider our own machine.

[Cat320]

No problems with ours...our second. Also, as stated earlier, vent it outside.

[Old Rv'er]

Since this may have been beat to death, here is my two cents worth.
Our MH has a Whirlpool stacked unit, which works out for 90% of the things we use in it. It will for instance do the queen bedding, i.e., pillow cases, both sheets. We have washed the throw rugs in it, but perfer to take those to the campground LM. We do not wash the down comforter in our unit, needing a large capacity unit for that, so we don't do it but once a year. The cover we can do in our unit. I find it much easier to use my stuff, than haul it over to the LM in the campground, but we have done so, if we only have 30A power since the dryer won't do well without the 50A power we need, so we might wash in the MH, and dry at the LM in the CG.
Now the single units which do double duty, many owners have told me it's not worth the hassle to use it for much of anything because it just does not hold enough. If the closet wont take anything but the single unit, keep the closet.