If the developer of a condominium project did not design the buildings to accommodate clothes washers in units, water usage, lost revenue, flooding problems, damage repairs, noise, and vibrations, become issues. In addition, clothes dryers can create problems. if not properly vented.
Clothes Washer Retrofits
Water Usage. Most condominium developments are master metered for water. That means everyone else in the association pays through their regular assessments for the owner of an unauthorized clothes washer's increased water usage. It means all other owners in the development are subsidizing the increased cost.
Lost Revenue. Buildings not designed for in-unit washers/dryers often have communal laundry rooms with coin-operated machines for residents to use. Associations rely on the income from those machines to offset utility costs. Owners who install their own washers and dryers deprive the association of income from communal machines (which raises costs for everyone else). In addition, residents with in-unit washers are more apt to use their own machines more frequently than they would with coin-operated machines, thus increasing their use of "free" water.
Potential Floods. Flooding can occur if an owner installs a washing machine without association approval. The sudden surge of water into a drain line during the rinse cycle can overload the line and cause backups in other units. When developers build multi-unit developments, they calculate normal water flow and only install lines needed to handle those flows per applicable building codes. Clothes washers require larger lines due to the higher water flow and turbulence, plus the sudsing effect of detergent.
Damage Repairs. When floods occur, the association has a duty to repair the damage, even if it did not cause it. It has a duty because the common areas are affected. Condominium units are surrounded by common area walls, ceilings, and floors, all of which the association is responsible for repairing and maintaining. This is true regardless of who caused the damage. (Civ. Code § 4775(a)) The board must ensure everything is dried out as soon as possible to avoid mold on the common area walls.
Noise and Vibration. Once the washer and dryer are installed, noise and vibrations can radiate through walls and floors into surrounding units. The problem may be minor or significant, depending on how the building was constructed.
Clothes Dryer Venting
Venting a clothes dryer can be problematic. Dryer exhaust lines cannot, under any circumstances, vent into the common area walls, ceiling, or floor spaces. Doing so puts moisture into those spaces, which can lead to dry rot that destroys the wood structure and mold that can create health problems for residents. It also puts lint into the space, which can lead to a fire. If the dryer vents to the outside (as it should), there is a limit on the hose length (no more than 25') because of lint accumulation in the line and back pressure buildup. Where venting to the outside is not possible, a special indoor dryer vent can be used, but they have their own problems. Every time a load is dried, a gallon or more of water is released into the unit, creating excessive humidity and possible condensation and mold.
Retrofit Option
There is a benefit to installing clothes washers and dryers in units. Associations can retrofit their buildings if larger drain lines and proper dryer venting can be installed. One association decided to upgrade its drain lines to accommodate washing machines. It installed larger drain lines whenever an owner requested approval for a clothes washer or a serious plumbing problem occurred in a stack. After eight years, all drain lines were replaced. If boards go this route, the work must be done by a licensed plumber, and permits will likely be needed. In addition, with the increased water flow into the vertical lines, the main line exiting the building may need to be enlarged.
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