Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: Common Laundry Advice Needed

[Douglas G. Larson (ddhle]

I have seen and used the residential stackable types of units you spoke
of in some apartment complexes. Like the Speed Queen stackables we
purchased here at Songaia, they have the dryer over the washer. But they
use a top-loader washer and the way the stack is built it's a bit
difficult to get clothes in and out of the washer. They tend to be a
little small in capacity too. As I said before front-loader washers use
much less water that top loaders. 

We do have one set of residential washer and dryer in our common house.
They are the regular type, i.e. separate machines, not stacked. They
have served us well in the 4 years we have had them. They probably won't
last as long as the commercial machines we have but they offer a little
bit more flexibility in the options for operating them over the
commercial types. 


>Douglas, you sound wonderfully organized and it sounds like a great
system. To add a
>little info. to those considering options, residential units 
>also come as a stackable unit,(dryer over washer) but I'm not sure if 
>residential units would be adequate for the amount of use you describe 
>(how many units in your communty?)  Does anyone have experience with 
>residential washers and dryers in a common house?
>James