The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Maryland

Use our tips to make sure the washer and dryer in the house you’re thinking of buying are in good repair.

Local Companies

BASK Properties
717-830-2767
240 South Potomac St
Hagerstown, MD
Grayson Homes
410.761.8585
112 Sanderling Court
Glen Burnie, MD
DMV Properties
(202) 413-3052
9420 Key West Ave. Suite 105
Rockville, MD
Strands of Style
443-880-0115
26693 Bevin Lane
Hebron, MD
The Highland Real Estate Group
301-831-9947
50 Citizens Way
Frederick, MD
IndeBleu Properties
443-569-7400
10 S Wolfe Street
Baltimore, MD
Taylor Properties
202 528-1134
2042 Somervile Rd
Annapolis, MD
ZipRealty
443.928.0003
Kenniworth Business Comples
Towson, MD
PreConstruction Catalysts
(301) 570-9100
1816 Darnell Dr
Olney, MD
PreConstruction Catalysts, Inc
(301) 570-9100
18156 Darnell Dr
Olney, MD

provided by: 

You’re in negotiations to buy an older home and the seller offers to throw in the washer and dryer to persuade you to notch up your offer. Before you jump at the deal, ask the owner about the appliances and carefully inspect them.

You can also ask your home inspector to evaluate the appliances’ age and serviceability, but first find out what appliances your state requires the inspector to check and whether he or she must gauge their efficiency or estimate their life span. Your best bet is to take it upon yourself to be thorough and know what you’re getting.

Your real estate agent can ask the seller for the purchase, warranty and repair receipts. This will tell you the age and reliability of the appliances. Older appliances typically demand more energy so assume the higher the energy bills, the older the appliance.

When taking stock of the appliances, the laundry room is particularly important because problems with washers and dryers are costly to repair. Most laundry appliances will last about 12 to 14 years. To test them, turn them on and note whether all the cycles work; whether there’s adequate water pressure as the washer fills and whether the dryer gets warm; and whether there are any leaks or squeaks – signs of worn belts. If the dryer vent is vinyl, it will have to be replaced as vinyl ducts are flammable and are now in violation of safety codes. Next, check the washer hose for cracks, corrosion or blisters, which are signs the inner hose lining has deteriorated and could rupture. Positive features to look for include delicate or hand-wash settings, larger load capacities, low noise level while running and conservation functions, as these indicate newer models.

If you have children, an older washer or dryer could pose another danger. The Consumer Product Safety Commission warns that small children can climb in, become trapped and possibly suffocate. The CPSC has guidelines for childproofing your working appliances and those you are discarding.

Even if the appliances work perfectly, replacing them when you can afford to do so will likely save money on your energy bills. In 2003, Americans saved $9 billion by installing ENERGY STAR®-rated appliances, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Published on January 12, 2007

Read full article at realestate.com

Featured Local Company

BASK Properties

717-830-2767
240 South Potomac St
Hagerstown, MD
http://www.BASKProperties.com

Regional Articles
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Annapolis MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Baltimore MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Bel Air MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Beltsville MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Bethesda MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Bowie MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Brooklyn MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Capitol Heights MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Catonsville MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Chevy Chase MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Clinton MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Cockeysville MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home College Park MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Columbia MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Crofton MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Cumberland MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Derwood MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home District Heights MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Dundalk MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Edgewood MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Elkridge MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Elkton MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Ellicott City MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Essex MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Forest Hill MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Fort Washington MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Frederick MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Frostburg MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Gaithersburg MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Germantown MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Glen Burnie MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Greenbelt MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Gwynn Oak MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Hagerstown MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Halethorpe MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Havre De Grace MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Hyattsville MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Jessup MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Joppa MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Kensington MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home La Plata MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Lanham MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Laurel MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Lexington Park MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Lusby MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Lutherville Timonium MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Middle River MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Millersville MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Montgomery Village MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Mount Airy MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Nottingham MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Odenton MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Olney MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Owings Mills MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Oxon Hill MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Parkville MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Pasadena MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Pikesville MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Potomac MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Randallstown MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Reisterstown MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Rockville MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Rosedale MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Salisbury MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Severn MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Severna Park MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Silver Spring MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Suitland MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Sykesville MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Takoma Park MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Temple Hills MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Towson MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Upper Marlboro MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Waldorf MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Westminster MD
- The laundry room: What to consider when buying a home Windsor Mill MD
Related Local Event
Free Introductury Real Estate Investing Class
Dates: 6/30/2009 - 6/30/2009
Location: Investors United School of Real Estate
Baltimore, MD
View Details

Rss   Delicious   Digg   Add To My Yahoo   Add To My Google   Bookmark   Search Plugin

Topics:
Advertising Family Home Services Real Estate Resources
Business Services Fashion Industrial Goods & Services Retail & Consumer Services
Career Financial Services Insurance Software
Cars Food & Beverage Internet Technology
Computer Hardware Franchise Legal Telecommunications
Construction Health Miscellaneous Trade Shows
Education Holidays Nightlife Travel
Entertainment Home Appliances Online Database Weddings
Environmental Home Electronics Pets World History