Relocating taps for washing machine in laundry room - suggestions? feedback?

[RetiredAt63]

My laundry room has been gutted (full story in my journal) and I found the taps for the washing machine were behind a cupboard.  This is stupid, no access if they leak.  So while the room is being ripped apart and put together again, I want to move them.  There is a false wall where all the plumbing is tucked away (outside wall is well insulated, false wall is open at bottom, so no worry about freezing pipes).  There are two choices: 1. move to above the washing machine, but hide them in the cavity, and have an access panel, or 2.  bring them out to the room and have the hoses visible.  The plumber is coming today,and he may tell me only one option works for this room, but it is nice to know what works well and what doesn't work well.

So question - which situation do you have and do you like it?  Would you prefer the other situation?

PS  I can post pictures if that would help.

PPS  I am also changing the hoses to the washing machine, replacing old rubber ones with the metal mesh ones.

[Drifterrider]

Pictures would help a lot.

[Frankies Girl]

If I'm reading this right, the actual spigots that the hoses hook up to are hidden?

I have a laundry nook off our kitchen. It has an open panel where the drywall was cut out, a plastic insert in the wall where the pipes emerge from, and the handles for the hot/cold pipes look like outside spigots (I'm sure they're not, that's just what they look like to me). The hoses screw on like a garden hose and lead from the wall down to the back of the machine, and the drain is right below the spigots themselves so the drain hose hooks into the wall very visibly as well.

It does not bother me one bit to see them out in the open. They are just visible over the top of my washer (which is not a fancy new one - it's the regular old school type from before they were making giant fancy machines). I know it might be more upscale or neater to have them hidden, but as someone that has had issues with their washer drainage, having them easy to get to and visible (and audible!) made it much easier to hear that there was an issue when the drain was partially clogged (there was the sound of splashing water that might not have been as obvious until it had caused a major mess), and also for the plumber to get into to fix.

Just my 2¢ anyway.

[andy85]

recently moved my washer and dryer. see the attached pic. this was obviously taken before the closet was finished, but the connections and shutoff come out right above the washing machine...easy access.

[sokoloff]

I'd also consider one of the automatic timer valves. You push a lever once for each wash load to "arm" the water and then a spring timer turns the valve off an hour or two later, so the normal condition is that the washing machine hoses are not under pressure and subject to burst/leaking.

Keeney Automatic Washing Machine Valve

[RetiredAt63]

You guys are the greatest, so fast in the great responses.

Frankie's Girl, that is exactly the situation.  Only difference, it looks like the drain is hard-plumbed to the septic tank drain (i.e. it goes up, not down to a sump).

Sokoloff, that timer looks like a great idea.

[RetiredAt63]

Plumbers are here.  As it turns out, they would have had to move the taps and feeder lines anyway to supply the new laundry tub that is going in.  There is also a PVC pipe that is not being used as a drain for the washing machine, that they think goes to the sewage sump and can be used for the laundry tub.  We need gravity feed (obviously).  The sewage sump is there for the toilet and vanity that are also in the laundry room.

So nice to see things being made right.

Edited to add - and now they are done - new faucets, new hoses (flex metal), I can do laundry again and not worry.  Plumbing all ready for the laundry tub once the floor is tiled.

[RetiredAt63]

It's done, it's beautiful, I changed the hot and cold water hoses (metal mesh now), we taped the drain hose so it doesn't vibrate (it goes right to the septic system, it doesn't use a gravity feed to a sump), and the wall is mostly closed in, with enough open at the bottom that things are somewhat accessible.