How High Should a Washing Machine Outlet Box Be
When purchasing or installing a washing machine, it is important to ensure that the outlet box is high enough off the ground so that the washer will not be sitting in water. The National Electrical Code (NEC) requires that an outlet box for a washing machine be at least 18 inches off of the ground.
There are some special circumstances in which an outlet box can be as low as 12 inches off of the ground, but these are rare cases. In this blog post, we are going to discuss some factors on how high should a washing machine outlet box be. So keep reading this blog post till the end to find out!
How High Should A Washing Machine Outlet Box Be: 8 Factors to Consider
1. Water Supply and Drainage Configuration:
Suppose the washing machine is located in an area that has a drain directly below it, without any intervening floor-mounted obstructions like cabinets or pedestals. In that case, the outlet should be lowered to within 6″ of the finished floor. The 6″ minimum depth allows space for the drain line to drop vertically down from above.
Fixtures are typically installed on a U-shaped trap that forms a “P” shape, emptying into the main drain line. The length of this “trap arm” varies from 1 to 2 feet depending on the drain line length required. For example, a two-foot trap arm length will give you an additional foot of vertical drop for every foot of lateral distance between the sink and where the drain line enters the main stack. Next, you need to clean the drain. The easiest way to do this is to use a plunger and fill the sink up with water. This will create enough suction to break loose any blockage that might be in there.
This means that if the washing machine is located next to a kitchen sink, its outlet should be configured to allow the vertical drop distance of the drain line for that sink. The washing machine outlet box should be right next to the kitchen sink to be fed by a trap arm whose length is equal to the total drop needed, plus 6″ for clearance.
2. Existing Floor Drain Location:
If there’s no drain in an area that needs one, then the laundry sink should be installed in an area that can accommodate its drain line. The height of this outlet box for a washing machine will vary accordingly depending on the distance between it and the floor drain, as described above. An offset or exterior-grade receptacle can be used to assume the load of any fixture fed directly by the floor drain.
3. Need for GFCI Protection:
If you are electrically sensitive, or if there is any electrical equipment in the area where the washing machine is to be located, then a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) should be installed with its receptacle outlet inside an acceptable “equipment grounding conductor” (EGC) wiring method. The GFCI receptacle should be installed upstream from the washing machine to protect any downstream receptacles, outlets, or equipment in this area.
4. Structural Considerations:
When it comes to the height of the washing machine outlet box, you also have to consider structural issues. For example, if an existing overhead beam cannot be modified without causing structural damage to the building, you should install a free-standing outlet box for the washing machine. You can use either a metal box or one made of a non-metallic material such as plastic, fiberglass, or wood.
5. Minimum Clearances:
There are standards for how high above the floor an outlet box for a washing machine can be. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) sets the minimum height of 4″ above the finished floor for an outlet box, with no minimum vertical drop distance. However, the National Electrical Code (NEC) gives electricians specific advice about where to install water receptacles to certain fixtures.
6. Cable Management:
Installing electrical equipment like lighting fixtures in places where they can’t be wired directly to the circuit can be a challenge. However, perforated drain tile can be used to allow the safe and proper drainage of water coming from a washing machine. This can be routed through an existing basement floor or installed as a portion of a complete laundry room floor slab.
7. Electrical Outlets:
If you want to have more than one electrical outlet in the area near your washing machine, you need to install a grounding-type outlet. This type of outlet is different from a regular outlet, and you must use the right wiring method when installing it. For example, green-colored rigid metal conduit (RMC) and green-colored electrical metallic tubing (EMT) are commonly used to route an EGC from the washing machine outlet box to the nearest GFCI receptacle upstream.
8. Special Applications:
If you use a washing machine with a grounding-type attachment plug, then the outlet box must also be grounded. This is done by making sure there is a ground wire in the EGC and the receptacle has been installed with its ground terminal in contact with the exterior of its enclosure.
You Can Check It Out to Wash Spin Mop Head in Washing Machine
How High Can Washing Machine Pump?
To know how high it is safe to position the washing machine pump outlet, we need to know:
1. Maximum water level in the drum with and without clothes (and shoes and whatever is inside)
2. Maximum suction head that the machine can produce
3. Maximum distance between the highest-level point inside the drum and the pump outlet.
4. The height of the water level in the sink or floor drain
5. The depth of the floor sink, or the distance between the bottom surface of the sink and the inlet
6. The distance between high-point inside washing machine drum and inlet on top
7. Friction loss when water is traveling via pipes from point to point
In addition, make sure there is no risk for the washing machine to fall from the sink. The best way to do this is to install a wall shelf or base cabinets under the sink/floor drain and position the washing machine in such a way that it would be impossible for it to slide down when moving aside all cabinets and pushing aside the sink (to get access to the floor drain).
Conclusion
A washing machine outlet box should be installed so that the top of the box is at least 18 inches but no more than 24 inches above the floor. This will ensure plenty of room for a water hose to reach the washing machine and leave enough space for a person to work on or around the appliance.
We hope after reading this article you now have some ideas on how high should a washing machine outlet box be. Also, if you have questions about where to install your washing machine outlet box, or if you need help installing it, please let us know in the comment below!
