A laundry pedestal is a piece of home laundry equipment designed to raise the height of a washer or dryer in order to make the loading and unloading of laundry easier. They are designed to sit underneath washers and dryers, and are available in a range of heights and styles. Most pedestals physically attach to the washers and dryers they elevate. They can be pre-installed by the manufacturer in many instances, but can also be purchased and assembled independently.
For many people with stand-alone washers and dryers, doing laundry is a task that can involve a lot of uncomfortable bending. One must usually bend down to put clothes into the appliances, as well as to take them out. The main idea behind the laundry pedestal is to raise the laundry appliances to a more comfortable height, which can reduce back strain and discomfort. There is usually no need for a laundry pedestal if machines are stacked or are otherwise mounted.
The most basic laundry pedestal is a simple platform upon which a washer or dryer stands. More complex types of laundry pedestals feature drawers or storage shelves for laundry accessories, which can serve the dual purpose of making laundry more ergonomically efficient while de-cluttering the nearby space. Laundry pedestals are sometimes made to fit specific brands or types of washing machines, while others are more universal.
Installation is usually the hardest part about using a laundry pedestal. For safety, a laundry pedestal must be somehow anchored to the machine it supports. This can require some heavy lifting, as well as a degree of technical precision.
Most of the time, a laundry machine must be moved aside before a laundry pedestal can be installed. The pedestal is then situated on the floor, and the machine lifted to sit on top. Most laundry pedestals attach to machines with bolts, rods, or screws. Others use simple adhesive tape. In all instances, getting a laundry pedestal set up requires the strength of several people.
Laundry pedestals of all varieties are available from many washing machine manufacturers, as well as from home improvement stores. The pedestals have a tendency to be rather expensive, but more often than not, their list price includes the cost of professional installation. Shoppers who find great deals on laundry pedestals only to discover that they must reorient their appliances themselves often spend about the same amount once installation costs are factored in.
Depending on the type and density of laundry pedestal, vibrations and noise may be a concern. Washers and dryers that are mounted on laundry pedestals sometimes move more against the floor when spinning the clothes within them than they would if standing alone. Laundry pedestal users often solve this problem by setting mounted laundry machines on a rug or other non-tiled surface, or by soundproofing their laundry room floors.