Commercial Laundry Equipment Installations in the Okanagan

Installing large machines, such as washer extractors, dryers, flatwork ironers, etc., requires A LOT of forethought because they are huge, heavy, and not easy to maneuver through tight spaces, PLUS there are so many other things to consider before the installation.

 

Before you go out and buy any kind of commercial laundry machines, it's important to know the specs of your laundry facilities first. Here are just a few things you need to consider before an installation of commercial laundry equipment:

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• The size and width of your laundry room door. Can the machine you want to buy FIT through it or does it have to be removed to get it in there? 

• Layout of the laundry room. Will the new machine FIT into the room with enough room behind it for service people and hookups (at LEAST 18 inches is needed, preferably 24), and enough in front to get the door open, to get laundry carts by, etc.

• Do you have the right electrical hookups for it or will you have to have them modified?

• Do you have the right size drain system or will it have to be modified?

• Do you have the proper amount of concrete floor for a hard mount washer?

• Are there stairs up to the laundry or down into it? How will the installers get the machine up or down the stairs?

• Do other machines need to be moved out of the way to install a new machine and then put back in place?

• Etc. 

There are TWO types of washer extractors that we install for our clients in the Okanagan and surrounding areas: Hardmount and Softmount washing machines.

 

Hardmount installations are most involved take longer and WE WILL ONLY INSTALL HARDMOUNT MACHINES IF A BASE IS ALSO PURCHASED WITH THE MACHINE.

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To ensure a smooth installation of a hard mount washer extractor, we FIRST have to know the specific requirements for the machine, which we usually pull out of the appropriate areas of the installation manual. We then share that information with you and all the tradespeople involved so everyone is on the same page. 

Ideally, it is best to have all the specs in place before we even try to get the machine in there. Once they are good to go, we can go ahead with the install.

 

Here are the steps required for hard mount washer installations:
 

1. The base is grouted to the floor and left to dry for 24 hours

2. Once the grout is dry, the hardmount machine is maneuvered onto the base with a pallot jack, blocks, and finesse.

3. The machine is bolted onto the base. This is the most involved step.

4. Depending on if the trades have already been there to install all required hookups, the machine may or may not be hooked up to power and water and drainage so it can be tested. If it is ready to be hooked up, we usually get it going to make sure all is operational. If it isn't ready, the initial test is usually performed by the chemical techs once all the trades have done their part. 
    

Hardmount washer extractor installations are time consuming as getting these large machines into place is not a fast process, especially if space is tight or the room needs to be rearranged just to get the machine through the door and into place. Allow 10-12 hours for a hard mount, not including the grouting part. 

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Softmount washer extractor installations are less involved than hardmounts, but can be equally as challenging and time consuming in different ways.

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Once again, good planning is everything when it comes to installing any kind of commercial laundry equipment, so we do everything we can to be prepared for success. 

 

Here is our usual process for installing softmount washer extractors:
 

1. Grab the relevant machine specs from the manual and confer with the sales rep, the manager, and the trades to make sure everyone is following the same guidelines.

2. Install the base for the machine by drilling holes into the floor and installing anchor bolts, then bolting the base to the anchors.

3. Maneuver the softmount machine onto the base with a pallot jack, blocks, and finesse, and then fasten the machine to the base.

4. Again, if the trades have been in there to do their thing, we can usually hook it up and test it. If they haven't, we get it in place and it's up to the manager/owner to do the rest.
    

Softmount washer extractors can also be large, heavy machines that require a slow and steady approach to ensure the equipment and the surrounding room does not get damaged. So, rule of thumb is to allow 6-8 hours to get it in place. 

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Commercial dryer installs, despite not needing grout or anything involved to hold them in place, are still a finess game and it takes knowledge and innovative thinking to get them into a commercial laundry room safely. 

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Commercial dryers are more delicate than washers and it's easier to dent or collapse their shells when pushing them around on a jack. Therefore, planning is just as important with dryers as it is with commercial washer extractors. And, again, we need to know the specs for each particular dryer and make sure the trades have the proper hookups in place before we try to install a large dryer into a packed laundry room.

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The process for installing commercial dryers is much the same as with a washer, but with no need for grout. They can usually be set up and tested in one day.