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AIBU?

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Original poster

To consider no heating on laudry room

29 replies

OopsyDaisie · 18/11/2024 09:45

We're refurbishing our downstairs and will have a laudry room with washer, Tumble drier and clothes hanging/airing space.
We are adding an extractor fan to it, so that the air flows as there I'll always be a lot of clothes drying (DH and kids play sports and there are lots of muddy clothes needed washing etc)
The rest of the downstairs will have underfloor heating.
I'm considering not having any heating in the laudry room (no window there, door closes into the rest of the house). DH thinks we should add a radiator there to help drying clothes with the heat.
What do people think?
YABU- heating is needed
YANBU- no heating

OP posts:
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Original poster
OopsyDaisie · 18/11/2024 11:58

Thanks everyone! Very helpful!!

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 18/11/2024 11:32

To dry clothes you need to get the water out of the into the air, and then you need to get the water out of the air.

It takes a longer for cold water molecules to evaporate from clothes than it does if they're warmer. And cold air can't hold nearly much water vapour as warm air.

So, to dry clothes on a reasonable timescale you need both heat and then either a dehumidifier to condense water out of the air (this process gives back a bit of heat, it's why heat pump condensing tumble dryers are more efficient than other sorts) or else very good ventilation with drier air.

Birdied · 18/11/2024 11:29

ODFOx · 18/11/2024 10:00

We have an electric radiator in ours. I find that in the spring and autumn when the main heating isn't on things take too long to dry without a little heat.

I'd we ever get around to renovating this is what I'll be putting in our utility room.

TeaAndStrumpets · 18/11/2024 11:27

Certainly an extractor fan, but you can get one that switches on automatically when the air is damp (called a humidistat). Envirovent is a good make.

Jeezitneverends · 18/11/2024 11:22

OopsyDaisie · 18/11/2024 10:46

When you all mention dehumidifier, is it just a plug-in electric one?

Yes, I have a Meaco, and the clothes I put on the pulley at 7:30 this morning are almost dry with the dehumidifier on, no heating

RabbitsEatPancakes · 18/11/2024 11:05

You only want the extractor fan on when the humidity outside is lower than inside. So make use it has an isolator switch.

Original poster
OopsyDaisie · 18/11/2024 11:02

unbelieveable22 · 18/11/2024 10:58

Can you not extend the underfloor heating? Great for drying clothes and no faffing around with valves on radiators. Or trying to find wall space for a radiator.

This is an option too, but then it means I have to heat the whole downstairs, and there will be an extractor fan there so I fear lots of heat will escape meaning the underfloor heating would cost me more than needed... so maybe a radiator would be best (there's a very easy space perfect for it actually...)

OP posts:
RabbitsEatPancakes · 18/11/2024 11:02

I find that such an odd decision tbh.

You want a cold damp room on purpose?

My laundry room is purposefully the opposite, it's got an oversized radiator and is super insulated. Yes an extractor fan and windows to ventilate in summer but when it's raining outside that's going to make things worse.

I dry 90% of stuff hanging with the dehumidifier- get a decent one and you can dry a 9kg load in a few hours. It's quicker than my new tumble drier.

unbelieveable22 · 18/11/2024 10:58

Can you not extend the underfloor heating? Great for drying clothes and no faffing around with valves on radiators. Or trying to find wall space for a radiator.

FuckOffCleanShirt · 18/11/2024 10:51

Put a radiator in and have a thermostat valve. Then you can keep it off if you want to but at least you have the option.

As PP said, not having a radiator in there will be off-putting for any future buyer.

Original poster
OopsyDaisie · 18/11/2024 10:46

When you all mention dehumidifier, is it just a plug-in electric one?

OP posts:
Original poster
OopsyDaisie · 18/11/2024 10:45

Thanks everyone! Very helpful!
So DH is right! (For once LOL! I guess he was due one)

OP posts:
ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea · 18/11/2024 10:33

Makes no sense to me - put a radiator in there and it's your choice to have it switched on or off depending on whether you have clothes hanging to dry.

windyhairday · 18/11/2024 10:32

lochmaree · 18/11/2024 10:21

When I dry clothes inside, running the dehumidifier helps but it's much more efficient if the heating is also on at the same time. They work together is my understanding.

Same, times of year when its slightly too warm for the heating but still chilly, everything takes much longer to dry. Id go with heating.

GargoylesofBeelzebub · 18/11/2024 10:31

Definitely out a radiator in. Before ours was connected properly the clothes just were not drying properly.

crumpet · 18/11/2024 10:23

Put a radiator in. If you come to sell no heating in a room will be offputting. Keep it turned off it you don’t want to use it but to deliberately not choose the flexibility would be odd.

lochmaree · 18/11/2024 10:21

When I dry clothes inside, running the dehumidifier helps but it's much more efficient if the heating is also on at the same time. They work together is my understanding.

lochmaree · 18/11/2024 10:20

Id put a radiator in there and have a dehumidifier too. Clothes dry quickly and smell nice 🙂

poetryandwine · 18/11/2024 10:09

We have an older house. The washing machine and tumble dryer are in the unheated basement, which probably gets colder than your unheated utility room would.
Clothes hung to dry indoors from Nov-March never, ever get dry unless we run a dehumidifier and sometimes that isn’t enough.

I would heat the room

ODFOx · 18/11/2024 10:00

We have an electric radiator in ours. I find that in the spring and autumn when the main heating isn't on things take too long to dry without a little heat.

BrunetteHarpy · 18/11/2024 09:56

We have a laundry room with pretty much the set-up you describe, minus the dehumidifier. There’s a big difference in how long it takes clothes to dry in colder weather, depending on whether the radiator is turned on or not. I’d give yourself the option. We have the biggest size of Shelia maid suspended from the ceiling, and find it very effective.

BigDahliaFan · 18/11/2024 09:55

I think rooms without heating get musty. Especially if you drying lots of clothes in there. It'll also just make it a miserable room to be in while you are doing the laundry ...

Stuck1001 · 18/11/2024 09:54

We also have a ceiling pulley airer and I time the tumble drying (just sheets and towels) for when the ceiling airer is loaded up as everything dries quicker with the air pumping out of the tumble dryer.

Stuck1001 · 18/11/2024 09:52

We have a heated drying rack (freestanding) and a dehumidifier in ours and definitely don't need a rad in there - in fact we took it out.

TickingAlongNicely · 18/11/2024 09:50

We use our conservatory as a sort of the laundry room and tbh it does need some sort of heating. Even just a plug in radiator of some sort, otherwise stuff goes a bit stake while drying.

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