One homebuyer learned during an inspection that moving the washer and dryer into the garage could be far more complicated than it first appeared.
Here's what to know
The buyer went to Reddit's r/Plumbing forum for advice. What looked like a relatively simple plan to move the washer and dryer from the kitchen into the garage turned out to involve more than the hot and cold lines near the heater. In the home-inspection thread, the original poster said several issues had been flagged with the water heater and asked the plumbing community whether they amounted to a major problem.
The discussion quickly narrowed to two practical questions: how old the heater was and how a garage laundry area would handle wastewater. The top comment read, "Water heater is definitely at the end of its life," adding that "It's about waste water and you need a waste pipe to drain the dirty water to."
More details from the buyer showed why the project had become more daunting. The heater was on the left side of the garage, but "the nearest drain is behind the right side of the garage in the kitchen where the washer and dryer are currently located."
And because "the house is on a concrete slab," the buyer asked, "So adding 220 and a waste pipe will probably be pretty expensive?" Another commenter responded bluntly, writing, "Won't be an arm and a leg but it's not gonna be a couple hundred bucks."
More background
The decision combines two separate costs, replacing an older water heater and reworking the laundry layout. Even if the heater can keep operating for a while, the garage conversion would likely still require new plumbing and electrical work.
Commenters did not agree on how urgently to address each issue. One commenter wrote, "Don't touch it, it could go another 10 years or die tomorrow. [Messing] with it will make it die sooner."
Suggestions in the thread focused less on the water supply and more on the missing pieces a laundry setup would need, including a drain, possible vent access, and added electrical service. Another suggested that if the garage wall is exterior, the homeowner could "put the new heater on a stand and drill the drain pan to exit the house and terminate it with a 90."
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For homeowners already facing replacement, Cala offers customizable smart heat pump water heaters. Cala's customizable smart heat pump water heaters can help homeowners lower energy bills by heating water only when needed.
For a buyer weighing whether to replace an aging unit anyway, that may be worth considering alongside the plumbing costs of any garage laundry plan. And if the old tank is nearing the end, Cala could be one option to compare before investing.
Where can I learn more?
Projects like this can get complicated fast once hidden drain, vent, or electrical limits come into play.
• A homeowner replacing a tank learned that an old relief-valve line can't serve as a heat-pump drain.
• In Washington, a condo owner found moving the water heater could cost thousands.
• A new homeowner discovered the dryer had been venting into the crawlspace since 1990.
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