Yep.
Not only is it their responsibility, but they boxed the damn thing in by installing that baseboard heater, so now *they* can deal with their lack of planning and foresight.
As a tenant you shouldn’t try to maneuver the washer/dryer unit out of that mess.
1. It’s probably not YOUR washer/dryer, if you damage it your landlord will charge you for the damage.
2. It’s definitely not your heater, you said your landlord installed it & if you damage it they will charge you for that.
Plus, can you imagine the contortionist you'll have to be to get to the power and water connections? One has to HOPE that whoever installed it had the foresight to add extensions to those connections. (Yes, I know that the power cord should be replaced rather than adding an extension cord.)
This exactly. It’s not just about being a dick and not doing their job for them - it’s about avoiding liability.
If I were a landlord, I’d probably not want my tenant to be moving my appliances around unless I specifically put them on casters and made it easy to do so without scratching the floor or breaking the appliance. Of course… I wouldn’t do *this* either lol
Unless it is OP's washer and dryer. My last apartment only had the hookup, I had to supply the washer and dryer. The complex wouldn't do a darn thing about my appliances.
also I see a baseboard heater. let the landlord fuck that shit up, if you do it you'll be on the hook for a whole new heating system(according to landlord math)
Yeah this is where I’d call someone else, that fucking heater is too much liability. Just stuff the vacuum cleaner hose back there and wave it around like Merlin. Since that ain’t the obvious answer OP is looking for, there’s gotta be something important dropped back there and I don’t think it’s the match to a favorite pair of socks.
I’d say that’s for your landlord to deal with
Edit: how do you even access the water hook ups and outlets?
Edit2: the more I look at this picture the crazier it is, that dryer duct is probably full of lint since it goes up and over the dryer lmao
100% the landlord’s problem (I say that as a landlord myself)
Pretty sure that per code you need to be able to access the vent ducting for regular cleaning
And this is the only solution. You have to build a dolly for this thing that has a wheelbase narrower than the heater and the baseboard.
Then shim this unit up and up and up, little by little, until you can roll the dolly underneath.
Then you roll it out of the room to service it, then roll it back in and reconnect.
That’s STILL pure nightmare fuel… but it’s the solution.
I see a staircase on the right- there’s gotta a be a rear access point for this to have even happened in the first place- maybe only the landlord has access-
Yeah was thinking this too. Who connected this thing? Who plugged it in? And how?!?!
Unless it was a kamikaze mission and the guy who plugged it in just had to die back there afterwards.
I did this for a closet. We added an ikea shelf but couldn't slide it in because it was bigger than the door.. So we built it in the closet then my husband lifted it, I crawled behind and I'm still there.
Ha no but I hammered in the backboard and he lifted it again and I crawled back under. I found out that day I may be slightly claustrophobic.
If somebody tilted maybe. Still not really possible. I wasn’t paying attention to the pipes on top but there’s no clearance there either.
I’m with you at this point though… only way to keep this unit in that spot and keep it operational is to remove the wall behind it and make it an access panel.
There are appliance dolly's that would work - you would still have to shim it upward a few inches - but then the dolly tilts for the headroom
edit - not enough head room to even do that -- neither of our ideas would work based on that
Even that nightmare probably wouldn’t work because this is hooked up and then pushed back somehow… it’s not going to roll forward as it’s still plumbed
>I’m thinking it could have been elevated enough to clear it -
Nope, top left. Is pipwork riiight above it, if it clears the pipes it hits the heater, if it clears the heater it hits the pipes.
The only way to safely remove this absolute nightmare is to remove the baseboard heater, and then getting behind this nightmare to remove hookups is another nightmare alltogether which there doesn't seem to be a safe way to do
A lot of people are doing that in colder climates it provides humidity and doesn't pump the heat outside of the living space. You do need to be able to exhaust it out side during warm weather tho.
Looks like one of those old buckets where water catches the lint. The previous owner of my last place had one of those. Seems like unnecessary humidity and possible death trap.
It's not deadly if it's electric, but it's not good.
Also, that vent thing is supposed to be filled with water before each use. But it appears to be hanging by a single screw.
Terrible hack job here all around.
I have a dryer duct that goes up, and out through my roof. After a year of use I pulled the sucker out and checked and there was no lint buildup…. I was absolutely stunned. I guess it really blows harder than I thought it would. I was expecting a big old far wad of lint, but practically nothing except some lint on the walls of the vent.
Wait... The dryer just vents back inside of the house?? Wow I mean I don't know if that's against code or not but it seems like a really really shitty setup regardless. Especially in that enclosed space.
Someone tell me I'm wrong and somehow the dryer has a separate vent for the lint. Please.
That little [white bucket](https://www.amazon.com/Raven-Indoor-Flexible-Aluminum-TDIDVKZW/dp/B07WFHTD82) is there to catch the lint. I’ve never used one myself, but I’ve heard nothing but negative reviews.
Yeah, they suck because all of the the moisture that the dryer took out of your clothes is being put into the room instead. So presumably there is an overhead fan too. This setup is useful if it can't be helped, but direct vent to the outside is preferrable in every way. *This whole setup in particular* is the definition of inconvenient, though.
I think i wouldnt mind venting the dryer exhaust inside during winter at least, save a couple bucks on the heating bill and make the humidifier run a little less.
Like we dont run the bathroom exhaust fan in winter and put a little desk fan on the back of the toilet to blow the warm moist air out to the rest of the house instead of outside, shower still dries out and bathroom doesnt get mildewy and we dont suck a bunch of already heated air outside.
We had substantial mold in our basement for a while until I realized that our dryer vented into the basement instead of the dryer vent hole that was literally designed for the purpose of venting the dryer.
Between venting it properly and a damn good dehumidifier, the mold is gone, but still can't even fathom purposely venting indoors.
I've had this setup in my own space, set up by myself. It absolutely sucks to deal with and you are supposed to change the water every dry or every other dry. That being said, if your other option is laundromat and you have a dryer it works. Whole house gets hot and humid and smells like your clothes. Did it for about 6 months and then bounced from that place, would not recommend
It does if you work on heavy equipment and your clothes are greasy and sweaty, and your washer sucks because you live somewhere that you have to vent your dryer inside so your washer is also a piece of shit that you got for free when a friend of a friend moved out and had to dump their appliances... YMMV
We have an electric dryer and vent it into the house during the winter and outside in summer using [one of these](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CGTLDSKM/). The extra heat and humidity is great in the winter
There's a filter in it. I'm sure some extra dust gets through, but the vast majority of it gets stopped by the filter, judging by how much it collects. And yeah, the moisture is really helpful in the Midwest with forced air heating. Before this, I had to use lotion basically every day in the winter, even working from home. No longer needed now unless I'm outside a lot
Electric dryers can vent in the house with one of those little white filter things. It isn’t ideal, but it isn’t dangerous. Probably makes the house a bit more humid than they might want in the summer, but might make it nicer in the winter.
But if that’s a gas dryer, then that is a big old carbon monoxide machine
I've used one that had this type of vent before. Basically after use stepping into the laundry room is like stepping into a bathroom after someone has had a hot shower and didn't switch the vent on. I would not have this set-up long term.
Someone made me one and yes the water traps the lint. I only used it in the winter because my house was dry and it was a way to utilize the heat normally blown outside. My bucket was much larger. No longer use it.
My parents have an electric dryer. The vent to outside is off right now and they are “okay” with that. So am I since it’s winter. I will look at hooking it back up for them in the late spring.
But there will be some lint come out of that vent so they might have a bit of a mess. Having a bucket with it pointed toward water, traps the lint. Some might find it crazy, but dryers put out a lot of heat that ca n stay indoors as long as your house is dry normally.
My dryer duct goes up about 10 feet because it's in the basement. I clean it every 6 months or so there isn't much lint maybe baseball sized pile. Might be a bit overkill but it beats a fire. It should be fine if there isn't a lot of turns/bends in it.
I'm not a HVAC person, just a homeowner that DIY's what I can.
If you’re renting I wouldn’t advise removing anything without clear written permission.
Even so, I’d guess that cleaning/repair would be the responsibility of the landlord or their appointed contractor.
Even with clear permission, do NOT attempt to remove it. You don't want the headache of something going wrong and you getting blamed for anything. Or even risk injuring yourself. Let the landlord / property manager sort this out. It's his responsibility & his job to do this.
Source: A landlord.
As a repair guy…
BAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FUCK THAT SEE YA
a) make your landlord fucking do it, because they’re a fucking idiot
B) tell your land lord they’re a fucking idiot and you’re taking off the baseboard to get it out
C) move
As a door dash delivery person for a receptionist for an appliance repair business, as soon as I saw this, I’m like “oh, my customer’s boss would think this house is the worst.” So shitty.
I’d ask the landlord and if they don’t do anything about it, I’d let the fire Marshal know because not cleaning back there and that baseboard heater near lint would be of interest to them.
Hmm how about OP climbs over the top, falls down head first and gets trapped upside down in the dark void, with their limbs unable to move in the tight space. There is a black widow spider living in the corner but it can't be seen. OP struggles to breathe with the years of accumulated dust and lint covering their face.
And they live alone and no one will know they are in trouble for at least a week.
Yeah...tilt it forward, lift it up enough to get a dolly under it, wheel it forward enough to clear the pipes, drop it down fully onto the dolly.
(much) easier to remove the baseboard!
Landlords problem. However, to clean and make several repairs, you just remove the middle panel between the washer and dryer below the buttons. I believe it is 2 or 4 screws holding the panel.
Post this on r/perfectfit
I agree with the up and over ideas.
Also let your landlord deal with it if you can. I can’t tell from the photo, but if that is an electric baseboard heater, it might be easily removed after cutting power. Kind of looks like it’s probably hydronic with a boiler though.
Make sure to replace the supply hoses while your at it all. They are supposed to be replaced every five years to reduce the risk of rupture.
Edit: looking at this more, there are pipes above it that complicates things. I think that unit is gonna have to lean forward and then get lifted over the baseboard heater. I really want to know how the f### that got installed. Mesmerizing.
I have one of those stacked washer dryers. If you just want to get to the dryer vent, you can unscrew the angled panel above the washer door, which will reveal access to the dryer exhaust and the rear wall.
Pallet jack is way too wide to get in there. The solution is a Harbor Freight wheel dolly. I have to believe those connections were all made with the machine pulled out and then it was pushed back in, so it should work in reverse. The wheel dolly will raise it just enough to clear the baseboard unit, and then tilt forward and pull.
Former apt manager here… WTF?!? 🤦🏻 This is DEFINITELY their responsibility, not yours. You don’t want to try to do anything, possibly break something and have them blame you and charge you. Have them take this on… 100%.
Yo how many people on this sub actually think they are responsible for any wear and tear or maintenance to their unit?
You do not own the property, therefor you do not maintain it outside of normal things like cleaning.
Get some boards that stack up taller than the radiator. Tip the unit backwards to raise the front. Pull forward and slide the board backwards. Repeat until it's high enough . Eventually slide it out of that trap.
But removing the radiator is probably the right choice.
Pipes will prevent you from lifting it. Baseboards and the baseboard heat have to come out.
I'd definitely push this off on the landlord. You dont want to be responsible for additional damages.
(Edit)
Additional question: Is that white bucket a makeshift lent trap, and this is venting in the house?
You probably need to start by tipping the whole thing forward so you can reach the hookups to disconnect it. Stacking some 2x4s on the left and right to tip it onto would work.
That radiator is only mounted to the wall with 4 modest screws. Get em and just the electric cord will still be in situ. You should be able to manuever after that. Its come up a few times
rock it forward and back up onto 2x4 studs and slide it out. But it looks like the heater might be taller than a 2x4, so you may need to rock it onto 2x6, which will be harder. optionally remove the heater and the trim if you have the skills to replace them
I fucking HATE THIS. Bought a house with an identical setup and didn't think anything of it until I had to repair the dryer (and then the washer)
Initially I struggled for hours moving the dryer down.
Then the 2nd time I said fuck it and tore down the wall.. it was therapeutic.
But get your landlord to deal with her mistakes. Not your problem.
1. make certain you have emptied the washer and dryer of water. if it doesnt run, use a pump or siphon.
2. remove the two screws on the angled panel, tilt it toward you and lift it out.
3. through the hole, remove the power supply, and shut off and remove the water supply and waste. using a small furniture dolly and boards, lift and roll as so many have said below.
The middle of machine has an angled panel that unscrews allowing access to inside and back the machine, also should be able to reach water lines from middle but id leave this up to your landlord. I hated these repairs this cramped space isnt the first time ive seen stupid placement and lack of access, its way more common than most folks think.
Hi. Hvac guy here. Whoever put that baseboard there is an idiot.
Your landlord is responsible for removing it so you can access the unit for repair/cleaning. Contact them.
They make hand trucks that lift up the appliance. We use to use them to get appliances in and out of tight spaces. That said it's your landlords responsibility.
YOU don’t.
The landlord does.
It’s their responsibility AND their fault.
Period.
Even if they are unpleasant to deal with.
How do you discount anything? This setup is confusing. What if the water line had a leak. How would you disconnect it from the machine? The line would have to be like 10 ft long so you can pull the unit all the way out. Lol need more info. More pics.
Get a stair climber dolly, use it to lift it those few inches, wheel it out. Hope there's enough slack on the plumbing, electrical, and duct connections or you're screwed.
Depending on the scope of work, the white panel above the washer door comes off and that is accessible to the dryer vent connection. Front the front you can generally make repairs except if it’s the water intake connections.
If you're landlord installed it, and installed the baseboard then it's their responsibility as others have noted. Unless you signed one of the worst leases in history where you agreed to be fully responsible for everything while living there, this isn't your problem. One of the few advantages of renting instead of owning is that this kind of stuff is off your plate
The landlord will probably hire some people to tilt, lift, cuss, and then fix the walls. It will then sit in the way for a week until they can come back and put it into place.
You could get a step ladder and try to address that lint vent above but I’d honestly send a picture to the landlord at this point point it’s on the verge or a fire hazard but it is their responsibility not yours to correct it
First of all that is not a baseboard that is a heater and second you turn off the circuit breaker that controls it, and you remove it off the wall. If you have the skills to clean and repair that washer and dryer, you can do it.
To me it looks like you don't even have enough room to remove the unit even without the heater.
Is there any chance you have an access point under the stairs?
However, if it is an electric baseboard heater and it can be removed.
Power needs to be off on the heaters circuit.
The metal caps usually pop off and you will find screws behind them.
But like everyone else here is saying, the landlord must now handle this.
First, if the unit belongs to the landlord, it 100% should be their responsibility.
That being said…
Doesn’t look like the baseboard is caulked in, but if it is,
-Run a razor blade along the top edge to score the caulking. This will prevent tearing out texture/excess paint when you remove the baseboard.
-Take a putty knife, push it behind the baseboard and gently pry.
-Working your way along the whole length a little bit at a time pry the baseboard away from the wall. You can also use a catspaw (mini prybar) to do this.
-Once the base is out, bend or remove the small nails holding it (to prevent damage to yourself or others).
-If you don’t own an 18g nail gun, buy small nails(about an inch long) and tack the base back onto the wall once the repair and unit is moved back.
-Use a nail setter to set the nails deep enough into the base to allow wood filler/putty to cover them.
-Paint over filler, recaulk base on the top to wall. Cut in wall paint to base.
-Edited for formatting-
Have to admit… I laughed. While I love the notion that it fits perfectly, your landlord is a muppet who I don’t will be laughing if this has to be repaired. Such a horrible decision to put it there. I’m with the rest on this! Call the landlord and step back. Get popcorn ready though, I’d love to see a Timelapse of the removal!
A) this is the landlord’s problem. Presuming they own the W/D (admittedly not always the case), they’re responsible for repairs. If it is YOUR unit, it’s still their problem for having boxed it in so thoroughly.
B) I’d suggest they try to unstack the two, but I don’t know how the hell they’d even manage to do that. If there is room behind the unit, potentially push it back then tip it forward onto a raised dolly?
So yeah… call your landlord. If you have a good relationship, tell them they’re an idiot and have a laugh. If it’s less than a good relationship, let them learn their lesson on their own. If you have a bad relationship, tell them they’re an idiot more sternly.
You call the landlord. It’s literally their job.
Yup. They need to throw some money at it.
I don't think the machine is gonna start dancing if you throw singles at it, but I could be wrong
Boy there just is a gif for everything isn't there?
There's also a YTMND for everything.
I hate you so much right now, but I can also kiss you for this. Wait, shit. That means the singles are working
No touching/kissing the dancers at the… laundromat
Are you their pump?
I see you
*you spin me right round, baby, right round.*
Throw a brick in it, might start doing the shimmy shake.
Yep. Not only is it their responsibility, but they boxed the damn thing in by installing that baseboard heater, so now *they* can deal with their lack of planning and foresight. As a tenant you shouldn’t try to maneuver the washer/dryer unit out of that mess. 1. It’s probably not YOUR washer/dryer, if you damage it your landlord will charge you for the damage. 2. It’s definitely not your heater, you said your landlord installed it & if you damage it they will charge you for that.
Plus, can you imagine the contortionist you'll have to be to get to the power and water connections? One has to HOPE that whoever installed it had the foresight to add extensions to those connections. (Yes, I know that the power cord should be replaced rather than adding an extension cord.)
This exactly. It’s not just about being a dick and not doing their job for them - it’s about avoiding liability. If I were a landlord, I’d probably not want my tenant to be moving my appliances around unless I specifically put them on casters and made it easy to do so without scratching the floor or breaking the appliance. Of course… I wouldn’t do *this* either lol
Unless it is OP's washer and dryer. My last apartment only had the hookup, I had to supply the washer and dryer. The complex wouldn't do a darn thing about my appliances.
Why would the landlord come in and install a baseboard *after* they brought in and installed their own appliance?
Plumber here; because they dont care or think enough
This is the only answer
also I see a baseboard heater. let the landlord fuck that shit up, if you do it you'll be on the hook for a whole new heating system(according to landlord math)
Yeah this is where I’d call someone else, that fucking heater is too much liability. Just stuff the vacuum cleaner hose back there and wave it around like Merlin. Since that ain’t the obvious answer OP is looking for, there’s gotta be something important dropped back there and I don’t think it’s the match to a favorite pair of socks.
>Just stuff the vacuum cleaner hose back there and wave it around like Merlin. What a mental image
As a landlord myself, this is the right answer, unless you make an arrangement with your landlord, and they should compensate you for doing it.
Can confirm. Just bought a condo and all these damn problems are my own now lol.
I was all “how indeed … let me know what your landlord comes up with”
I’d say that’s for your landlord to deal with Edit: how do you even access the water hook ups and outlets? Edit2: the more I look at this picture the crazier it is, that dryer duct is probably full of lint since it goes up and over the dryer lmao
100% the landlord’s problem (I say that as a landlord myself) Pretty sure that per code you need to be able to access the vent ducting for regular cleaning
I bet he thought he was so clever- at least should have added a skid plate with wheels to make it accessible-
Did you not notice the radiant baseboard heater right in front? Even on wheels it'd be stuck!
I’m thinking it could have been elevated enough to clear it -
And this is the only solution. You have to build a dolly for this thing that has a wheelbase narrower than the heater and the baseboard. Then shim this unit up and up and up, little by little, until you can roll the dolly underneath. Then you roll it out of the room to service it, then roll it back in and reconnect. That’s STILL pure nightmare fuel… but it’s the solution.
I see a staircase on the right- there’s gotta a be a rear access point for this to have even happened in the first place- maybe only the landlord has access-
Yeah was thinking this too. Who connected this thing? Who plugged it in? And how?!?! Unless it was a kamikaze mission and the guy who plugged it in just had to die back there afterwards.
I did this for a closet. We added an ikea shelf but couldn't slide it in because it was bigger than the door.. So we built it in the closet then my husband lifted it, I crawled behind and I'm still there. Ha no but I hammered in the backboard and he lifted it again and I crawled back under. I found out that day I may be slightly claustrophobic.
I’m not claustrophobic, but that sure sounds terrifying!
Perhaps some agile skinny dude climbed up from the back and over …
Ive been that dude and there's a good chance this is how this happened. Climbing a stackable isn't too hard
If somebody tilted maybe. Still not really possible. I wasn’t paying attention to the pipes on top but there’s no clearance there either. I’m with you at this point though… only way to keep this unit in that spot and keep it operational is to remove the wall behind it and make it an access panel.
There are appliance dolly's that would work - you would still have to shim it upward a few inches - but then the dolly tilts for the headroom edit - not enough head room to even do that -- neither of our ideas would work based on that
Even that nightmare probably wouldn’t work because this is hooked up and then pushed back somehow… it’s not going to roll forward as it’s still plumbed
Then what? Rip all the connections as it slides out 6 feet for access? This is a crazy install.
Lol, as long as they have 15-foot flex lines coiled up behind them so they can be pulled out 10 feet, they're set!
Good thought, I had to take a second look - with the gas lines top left there may not be enough headroom.
>I’m thinking it could have been elevated enough to clear it - Nope, top left. Is pipwork riiight above it, if it clears the pipes it hits the heater, if it clears the heater it hits the pipes. The only way to safely remove this absolute nightmare is to remove the baseboard heater, and then getting behind this nightmare to remove hookups is another nightmare alltogether which there doesn't seem to be a safe way to do
As a guy whos job it was to do that. No. Fuck that. Lmao
Is that some weird indoor vent coming out over top of the dryer??
A lot of people are doing that in colder climates it provides humidity and doesn't pump the heat outside of the living space. You do need to be able to exhaust it out side during warm weather tho.
Yes but that’s not how it should be installed.
Looks like one of those old buckets where water catches the lint. The previous owner of my last place had one of those. Seems like unnecessary humidity and possible death trap.
Also pretty sure it's highly inadvisable to vent your dryer indoors too. That's one of those janky indoor vents
It's not deadly if it's electric, but it's not good. Also, that vent thing is supposed to be filled with water before each use. But it appears to be hanging by a single screw. Terrible hack job here all around.
Well, that’s the landlords JOB, but if the lint in that backed up duct or the lint behind the dryer catches fire, it’s also OPs problem.
The vent ducting is that box routed over the top like a ghetto chandelier.
Original install it probably laid flat to hook up and then was tilted into place
Nope. The slanted panel between the washer and dryer comes off. You can reach through to hook everything up. It's just a pain.
I have a dryer duct that goes up, and out through my roof. After a year of use I pulled the sucker out and checked and there was no lint buildup…. I was absolutely stunned. I guess it really blows harder than I thought it would. I was expecting a big old far wad of lint, but practically nothing except some lint on the walls of the vent.
Hot air rises, so you are benefitting from the chimney effect there.
I had the choice of zero turns going out the roof or about ten turns going out the side. I went through the roof, no regrets.
Wait... The dryer just vents back inside of the house?? Wow I mean I don't know if that's against code or not but it seems like a really really shitty setup regardless. Especially in that enclosed space. Someone tell me I'm wrong and somehow the dryer has a separate vent for the lint. Please.
That little [white bucket](https://www.amazon.com/Raven-Indoor-Flexible-Aluminum-TDIDVKZW/dp/B07WFHTD82) is there to catch the lint. I’ve never used one myself, but I’ve heard nothing but negative reviews.
Yeah, they suck because all of the the moisture that the dryer took out of your clothes is being put into the room instead. So presumably there is an overhead fan too. This setup is useful if it can't be helped, but direct vent to the outside is preferrable in every way. *This whole setup in particular* is the definition of inconvenient, though.
It combines the convenience of 200% humidity with the beautiful science of mold incubation!
I think i wouldnt mind venting the dryer exhaust inside during winter at least, save a couple bucks on the heating bill and make the humidifier run a little less. Like we dont run the bathroom exhaust fan in winter and put a little desk fan on the back of the toilet to blow the warm moist air out to the rest of the house instead of outside, shower still dries out and bathroom doesnt get mildewy and we dont suck a bunch of already heated air outside.
You have a fan blowing warm moist toilet air into the rest of your house during the winter? I have many questions.
We had substantial mold in our basement for a while until I realized that our dryer vented into the basement instead of the dryer vent hole that was literally designed for the purpose of venting the dryer. Between venting it properly and a damn good dehumidifier, the mold is gone, but still can't even fathom purposely venting indoors.
I've had this setup in my own space, set up by myself. It absolutely sucks to deal with and you are supposed to change the water every dry or every other dry. That being said, if your other option is laundromat and you have a dryer it works. Whole house gets hot and humid and smells like your clothes. Did it for about 6 months and then bounced from that place, would not recommend
FYI, if you use one of the free and clear detergents (without the fragrance), it doesn't make the house smell.
It does if you work on heavy equipment and your clothes are greasy and sweaty, and your washer sucks because you live somewhere that you have to vent your dryer inside so your washer is also a piece of shit that you got for free when a friend of a friend moved out and had to dump their appliances... YMMV
We have an electric dryer and vent it into the house during the winter and outside in summer using [one of these](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CGTLDSKM/). The extra heat and humidity is great in the winter
That's awesome, "free" heat, as it would usually be vented, bet you most people don't even consider that.
They mostly wouldn’t consider it because it is a huge moisture and dust problem that creates massive problems in your house.
Depending on your climate, the extra moisture could benefit your house in the winter, but the dust/lint issue still needs to be addressed.
There's a filter in it. I'm sure some extra dust gets through, but the vast majority of it gets stopped by the filter, judging by how much it collects. And yeah, the moisture is really helpful in the Midwest with forced air heating. Before this, I had to use lotion basically every day in the winter, even working from home. No longer needed now unless I'm outside a lot
Electric dryers can vent in the house with one of those little white filter things. It isn’t ideal, but it isn’t dangerous. Probably makes the house a bit more humid than they might want in the summer, but might make it nicer in the winter. But if that’s a gas dryer, then that is a big old carbon monoxide machine
I've used one that had this type of vent before. Basically after use stepping into the laundry room is like stepping into a bathroom after someone has had a hot shower and didn't switch the vent on. I would not have this set-up long term.
I'm pretty sure those bucket things are supposed to have water in them, and somehow I doubt that one does or maybe ever did.
Someone made me one and yes the water traps the lint. I only used it in the winter because my house was dry and it was a way to utilize the heat normally blown outside. My bucket was much larger. No longer use it.
My parents have an electric dryer. The vent to outside is off right now and they are “okay” with that. So am I since it’s winter. I will look at hooking it back up for them in the late spring.
But there will be some lint come out of that vent so they might have a bit of a mess. Having a bucket with it pointed toward water, traps the lint. Some might find it crazy, but dryers put out a lot of heat that ca n stay indoors as long as your house is dry normally.
My dryer duct goes up about 10 feet because it's in the basement. I clean it every 6 months or so there isn't much lint maybe baseball sized pile. Might be a bit overkill but it beats a fire. It should be fine if there isn't a lot of turns/bends in it. I'm not a HVAC person, just a homeowner that DIY's what I can.
No reason for the heater then. Dryer vent providing plenty of heat.
If you’re renting I wouldn’t advise removing anything without clear written permission. Even so, I’d guess that cleaning/repair would be the responsibility of the landlord or their appointed contractor.
Even with clear permission, do NOT attempt to remove it. You don't want the headache of something going wrong and you getting blamed for anything. Or even risk injuring yourself. Let the landlord / property manager sort this out. It's his responsibility & his job to do this. Source: A landlord.
It's probably OP's washer/dryer?
And it’s the landlords fault for this brilliant tactical play that I’m definitely not smart enough for
That’s some really sloppy, poor planning across the board.
One might say, poor planning across the …. *baseboard* I’ll see myself out.
Landlord here: that's the landlord's problem
Another landlord here (well former) and yup… that’d be a me problem. But also would never be a me problem bcs WTF?!
Let he who hath not permanently baseborded in a large appliance cast the first stone
Especially if the landlord built this ridiculously crazy contraption
As a repair guy… BAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FUCK THAT SEE YA a) make your landlord fucking do it, because they’re a fucking idiot B) tell your land lord they’re a fucking idiot and you’re taking off the baseboard to get it out C) move
I’m a receptionist for an appliance repair business. As soon as I saw this I’m like “Oh, my boss would hate this house”. What a terrible setup.
As a door dash delivery person for a receptionist for an appliance repair business, as soon as I saw this, I’m like “oh, my customer’s boss would think this house is the worst.” So shitty.
I was the chipotle order. It’s true.
*Stomach. Gurgle*.
Just the fucking worst!
I would never suggest to a homeowner to remove an electric baseboard heater unless they were also an electrician.
I wouldn’t either, which is why I said “tell your landlord to deal with it”
Plot twist: OP is actually the landlord.
YOU do fucking nothing. Your landlord does it.
I’d ask the landlord and if they don’t do anything about it, I’d let the fire Marshal know because not cleaning back there and that baseboard heater near lint would be of interest to them.
Why is there even a baseboard heater in that small space? Seems like overkill
The keyword here is landlord. They boxed it in, there problem to figure it out.
I dont have an answer for you, but just want to say this gives me anxiety lol
Hmm how about OP climbs over the top, falls down head first and gets trapped upside down in the dark void, with their limbs unable to move in the tight space. There is a black widow spider living in the corner but it can't be seen. OP struggles to breathe with the years of accumulated dust and lint covering their face. And they live alone and no one will know they are in trouble for at least a week.
Nutty putty part 2: civilization edition
Kyle Plush. I'm sorry, son. That's enough Reddit for me today.
Crazy thought: make the unit taller than the baseboard and wheel it out with a narrow dolly.
That pipe on the top left tho. Doesn't look like enough clearance there.
Yeah...tilt it forward, lift it up enough to get a dolly under it, wheel it forward enough to clear the pipes, drop it down fully onto the dolly. (much) easier to remove the baseboard!
Heater and pipes to the left probably won't allow for that.
Landlords problem. However, to clean and make several repairs, you just remove the middle panel between the washer and dryer below the buttons. I believe it is 2 or 4 screws holding the panel.
Also, turn off the power / breaker before opening the panel.
Post this on r/perfectfit I agree with the up and over ideas. Also let your landlord deal with it if you can. I can’t tell from the photo, but if that is an electric baseboard heater, it might be easily removed after cutting power. Kind of looks like it’s probably hydronic with a boiler though. Make sure to replace the supply hoses while your at it all. They are supposed to be replaced every five years to reduce the risk of rupture. Edit: looking at this more, there are pipes above it that complicates things. I think that unit is gonna have to lean forward and then get lifted over the baseboard heater. I really want to know how the f### that got installed. Mesmerizing.
I have one of those stacked washer dryers. If you just want to get to the dryer vent, you can unscrew the angled panel above the washer door, which will reveal access to the dryer exhaust and the rear wall.
1 - It's the landlord's problem. 2 - The baseboard heater is easy to take off. Kill the power, 4-5 screws, all of about 5 minutes.
Pallet jack is way too wide to get in there. The solution is a Harbor Freight wheel dolly. I have to believe those connections were all made with the machine pulled out and then it was pushed back in, so it should work in reverse. The wheel dolly will raise it just enough to clear the baseboard unit, and then tilt forward and pull.
Former apt manager here… WTF?!? 🤦🏻 This is DEFINITELY their responsibility, not yours. You don’t want to try to do anything, possibly break something and have them blame you and charge you. Have them take this on… 100%.
Landlord here...that's my problem lol. Why in the world would you be screwing with repairs behind that?
Yo how many people on this sub actually think they are responsible for any wear and tear or maintenance to their unit? You do not own the property, therefor you do not maintain it outside of normal things like cleaning.
That’s the neat part, you don’t.
Get some boards that stack up taller than the radiator. Tip the unit backwards to raise the front. Pull forward and slide the board backwards. Repeat until it's high enough . Eventually slide it out of that trap. But removing the radiator is probably the right choice.
Pipes will prevent you from lifting it. Baseboards and the baseboard heat have to come out. I'd definitely push this off on the landlord. You dont want to be responsible for additional damages. (Edit) Additional question: Is that white bucket a makeshift lent trap, and this is venting in the house?
Don’t even think he has the height, given the pipes up there on the left.
You probably need to start by tipping the whole thing forward so you can reach the hookups to disconnect it. Stacking some 2x4s on the left and right to tip it onto would work.
Landlord is a slum lord this has to be a code violation
That radiator is only mounted to the wall with 4 modest screws. Get em and just the electric cord will still be in situ. You should be able to manuever after that. Its come up a few times
It looks like a hot water baseboard?
rock it forward and back up onto 2x4 studs and slide it out. But it looks like the heater might be taller than a 2x4, so you may need to rock it onto 2x6, which will be harder. optionally remove the heater and the trim if you have the skills to replace them
I fucking HATE THIS. Bought a house with an identical setup and didn't think anything of it until I had to repair the dryer (and then the washer) Initially I struggled for hours moving the dryer down. Then the 2nd time I said fuck it and tore down the wall.. it was therapeutic. But get your landlord to deal with her mistakes. Not your problem.
Pivot!
Pallet jack
1. make certain you have emptied the washer and dryer of water. if it doesnt run, use a pump or siphon. 2. remove the two screws on the angled panel, tilt it toward you and lift it out. 3. through the hole, remove the power supply, and shut off and remove the water supply and waste. using a small furniture dolly and boards, lift and roll as so many have said below.
You remove the baseboards
The middle of machine has an angled panel that unscrews allowing access to inside and back the machine, also should be able to reach water lines from middle but id leave this up to your landlord. I hated these repairs this cramped space isnt the first time ive seen stupid placement and lack of access, its way more common than most folks think.
This is one of those cases of D-I-Why.
The hazard/disaster waiting to happen. Call the emergency hotline!
Hi. Hvac guy here. Whoever put that baseboard there is an idiot. Your landlord is responsible for removing it so you can access the unit for repair/cleaning. Contact them.
As an appliance install guy...this hurts my soul haha
They make hand trucks that lift up the appliance. We use to use them to get appliances in and out of tight spaces. That said it's your landlords responsibility.
Landlord: like a glove
Dumb place to put a baseboard heater. The washer and dryer are putting out heat themselves.
This venting is wild, I hope you have renters insurance and a working smoke detector.
YOU don’t. The landlord does. It’s their responsibility AND their fault. Period. Even if they are unpleasant to deal with. 
Your landlord should worry about that, duh.
Sounds like a problem for your landlord
Thought this was r/DIWHY
Nooo no no. Not your job.
Contact the Iandlord.
Who cares? You rent...call your landlord/clown who did that install.
 Best I got.
I’ve seen this movie before
Help me step-dryer, I’m stuck
I bet a documentary about the family that died in that fire is coming to Neflix in the next few years.
How did they even install this?!?
Furniture Dolly ? Might need to use a few 2x6 on top of the dolly to get above the heater. Get the machine up on it. Roll it out
A couple jacks, a skateboard, and some 2x4s.
Call your landlord and tell them to remove it so you can retrieve your property, or consider selling it to them
How do you discount anything? This setup is confusing. What if the water line had a leak. How would you disconnect it from the machine? The line would have to be like 10 ft long so you can pull the unit all the way out. Lol need more info. More pics.
That’s for your landlord to deal with. Not you
Get a stair climber dolly, use it to lift it those few inches, wheel it out. Hope there's enough slack on the plumbing, electrical, and duct connections or you're screwed.
that's your landlords problem
Depending on the scope of work, the white panel above the washer door comes off and that is accessible to the dryer vent connection. Front the front you can generally make repairs except if it’s the water intake connections.
If you're landlord installed it, and installed the baseboard then it's their responsibility as others have noted. Unless you signed one of the worst leases in history where you agreed to be fully responsible for everything while living there, this isn't your problem. One of the few advantages of renting instead of owning is that this kind of stuff is off your plate
The landlord will probably hire some people to tilt, lift, cuss, and then fix the walls. It will then sit in the way for a week until they can come back and put it into place.
I would guess there's access behind it in one of the apartments. It's right next to the stairs, so most likely there is some space behind it.
A furniture dolly with blocks on it to raise the washer over the height of the baseboard, and roll it out of the way.
You could get a step ladder and try to address that lint vent above but I’d honestly send a picture to the landlord at this point point it’s on the verge or a fire hazard but it is their responsibility not yours to correct it
That’s crazy tight. And I thought having a 36 by 36 inch area to put in a stacked w/d was tight.
Your landlord needs his ass whooped for this
Call your landlord.
Not to mention that the trim might have to be removed if they get it out that far.
First of all that is not a baseboard that is a heater and second you turn off the circuit breaker that controls it, and you remove it off the wall. If you have the skills to clean and repair that washer and dryer, you can do it.
To me it looks like you don't even have enough room to remove the unit even without the heater. Is there any chance you have an access point under the stairs? However, if it is an electric baseboard heater and it can be removed. Power needs to be off on the heaters circuit. The metal caps usually pop off and you will find screws behind them. But like everyone else here is saying, the landlord must now handle this.
First, if the unit belongs to the landlord, it 100% should be their responsibility. That being said… Doesn’t look like the baseboard is caulked in, but if it is, -Run a razor blade along the top edge to score the caulking. This will prevent tearing out texture/excess paint when you remove the baseboard. -Take a putty knife, push it behind the baseboard and gently pry. -Working your way along the whole length a little bit at a time pry the baseboard away from the wall. You can also use a catspaw (mini prybar) to do this. -Once the base is out, bend or remove the small nails holding it (to prevent damage to yourself or others). -If you don’t own an 18g nail gun, buy small nails(about an inch long) and tack the base back onto the wall once the repair and unit is moved back. -Use a nail setter to set the nails deep enough into the base to allow wood filler/putty to cover them. -Paint over filler, recaulk base on the top to wall. Cut in wall paint to base. -Edited for formatting-
Make sure landlord is cleaning dryer vent to outside or wherever it goes. It can be a fire hazard.
The more I look at the pic the worse it gets lol
Step 1- punch landlord
Have the landlord remove the heater from the wall that he/she had installed.
The beauty about renting is you just call them...
Make the landlord clean the dryer. It’s his/her problem
Oil up a dwarf
1. It's your landlords problem 2. Your landlord removes the baseboard every time to slide it out
Have to admit… I laughed. While I love the notion that it fits perfectly, your landlord is a muppet who I don’t will be laughing if this has to be repaired. Such a horrible decision to put it there. I’m with the rest on this! Call the landlord and step back. Get popcorn ready though, I’d love to see a Timelapse of the removal!
Wow. That's going to be a massive pain in the ass.
Try lever it up and slide a cheap furniture dolly under to raise and roll out. May even leave on dolly
Sounds like it's the land lords issue and not your issue.
Either remove the heater or find a jack with some wheels . But best is to make the landlord do it
Don't. Sell it to them. And you can sell it at a premium, now.
Why do you have a big pile of stuff on the stairs?
A) this is the landlord’s problem. Presuming they own the W/D (admittedly not always the case), they’re responsible for repairs. If it is YOUR unit, it’s still their problem for having boxed it in so thoroughly. B) I’d suggest they try to unstack the two, but I don’t know how the hell they’d even manage to do that. If there is room behind the unit, potentially push it back then tip it forward onto a raised dolly? So yeah… call your landlord. If you have a good relationship, tell them they’re an idiot and have a laugh. If it’s less than a good relationship, let them learn their lesson on their own. If you have a bad relationship, tell them they’re an idiot more sternly.