How do I reinforce my floor so that the washer will not shake the house?

Question

Bought a fancy front loading washer and when it spins, it shakes the whole house. It is sitting on a wood floor - 2x12 floor joist at 16" O.C.

Answer 1

If it is level, shipping bars are removed and all those other things are normal, you do have some options. But a good unit should not do this (unbalanced load, overloaded, sping speed to high for a light load).

You can "float it", which means separating it from the current floor. This can be done with rubber feet under each of the leveling feet, or by "sandwiching a layer of insulating material between the current floor and a sheet of plywood. You don't want the material betwwen the floor and plywood too dense, or the vibrations will continue to transfer to the current floor. You don't want the material too think or too soft, as this will destabilize the machine and cause violent rocking and loud noise (worse than shaking the floor).

I recommend the rubber feet. If you can move the unit closer to a load bearing wall, that should help as well.

Answer 2

I looked up this one, it's a top-load washer, Did you install the washer or did sears? I ask because there are devices that secured the internal parts of the machine for shipment, these must be removed at installation, these are usually removed before the machine is plugged in, they call them a rip cord and it is usually secured to the plug wire and you have to make an effort to not pull this device, I can't imagine them still being in place. usually they are yellow and the power cord is attached to one end of the rip cord. The rear legs of the washer are "self leveling" The front legs can be raised and lowered by turning them like a screw. If you can't rock the machine when it is not running then check it for level and adjust the front legs as necessary. Beyond this it should be OK, a little shake during the spin cycle is to be expected. Some older machines made by GE were so bad they put concrete 60# blocks inside to help stabilize them. Trade it. If your upstairs floor is solid then so should the washer be.

Answer 3

The Duet washers do shake the house, don't they. Mine is perfectly level and still shakes, depending on what clothes are in there. You can change the spin setting to a lower speed (high down to medium), which helps somewhat. Clothes still come out pretty dry.

Answer 4

first of all did you install it or the store that you bought it from send someone out to do it?? if the store send them call the store and have them come back to the house and level it for you. If you install it then it's very easy to level it yourself.....first look under the machine at each corner there should be a metal hexagon foot that screws into the base of the machine. Put a level on top of the machine and see how far out of level it is both front to back and side to side then adjust the feet by turning them clockwise to go up or counter-clockwise to go down. Once you level the machine your problem will be solved.............

Answer 5

Without doing any major structural changes, you might consider the "levelers" ??? Or check the balance of a "Load" as so often happens in any washer.

If 100 pounds of wet clothes in a washer "Shakes" your entire house,,,you have more to worry about than dirty laundry.

Rev. Steven

Answer 6

That washer is designed to sit in a concrete basement.Your best move is to return it to Sears and get a topload if you do not have a basement option.

Answer 7

make sure all the shipping rods have been removed.
Usaly you find them in the back of the machine, sometimes under.
If they are not removed that may have caused permanent damage. If you had it delivered and installed I would give the company a call.

good luck

Answer 8

don't renforce it....LEVEL IT.........it will be completly smooth