You must have a dryer in your laundry room and want to know about its outlet. You must use a dedicated outlet for your laundry appliances. A dedicated outlet will have enough power to back up and provide enough power to your laundry room.
But that’s not all; you must consider other factors when installing the dryer & washer. Sometimes, you can plug the dryer and washer into the same outlet. But it would be better to plug them separately.
How high should dryer outlet be?
The dryer outlet should be 30-34 inches high, or you can install them 3 feet away and high from your dryer. It’s the safest option to install the dryer outlet. But sometimes, you have little space to maintain that distance between the dryer outlet and machine.
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If so, you can minimize the distance by measuring the room. Your space before installing your dryer mac is always a good idea shine.
It will solve unexpected problems within a while. You will have sufficient time to decide where to install the dryer machine so your outlet will have a safe distance from it.
In that case, you can install the outlet three feet above the dryer easily. Then, installing the dryer machine according to your safe distance outlet position will be a perfect solution.
If you have more outlets for other appliances, you can organize them since you have the choice to install the outlet together.
But you cannot install the appliances or all laundry appliances adjacent to each other. In that case, I suggest you follow the safe distance installation guideline.
It will save your appliance from damaging each other if they get any electrical risks. For all these reasons, you should install the dryer and other laundry appliances with space between them.
You might have the choice to keep all the outlets in an identical port. But it won’t be an ideal option to plug in all the appliances in a single outlet.
It might create issues in providing enough power voltage to run the dryer and washer simultaneously. So, you must keep a minimum of 2-3 feet distance between the outlet and appliances.
It will always be a good choice if you can install separate outlets for each appliance. For example, one outlet for the dryer, one for the washer, and one for other appliances.
It will give you the safest operation of all those appliances since they will handle the high-power consumed machines separately.
Whatever your strategy is, you must maintain a safe distance between the outlets and your appliances.
You must have a minimum of three feet or 34-36 inches distance between your outlets and dryer. It will ensure safety because once your outlet is damaged or destroyed, it won’t have any chance to affect your dryer directly.
When installing the outlet nearly, it might have the direct access to create any harmful situation to damage your dryer. Let’s say your outlet is producing a short circuit.
If you plug in your dryer, a short circuit will also happen, but the thing will be entirely different. It might also damage the adjacent dryer machine if it seriously damages the plug.
How high should a stackable dryer outlet be?
Usually, a stackable dryer outlet should also maintain the same height as the regular dryer machine. Considering the stackable dryer or washer machine, you won’t find that much difference between their outlets.
Therefore, a stackable dryer outlet should be about 34-36 inches high. You can reconsider its height according to your laundry room, but that would be the safest distance.
Suppose you have any further choices to increase the distance. I’d not suggest that you do that. Because it’s not ideal for keeping too much distance between your dryer and outlets since there is a concern of flowing good electric volts.
People always try to have their outlets within six feet of their appliances.
But three feet is more than enough unless you want to keep one single outlet for all the appliances.
In that case, you might need to keep your outlet in the middle of all the appliances, ultimately increasing the distance. You may install the outlet at the middle top, five to six feet away from your dryer.
Therefore, you must maintain a safe distance between your stackable dryer and the outlet. But never go beyond six feet; try to keep it around three feet height which is the best and ideal distance between any high power appliance and the outlet.
Where should a dryer outlet be?
The right place for a dryer outlet depends on your local building codes. Sometimes, it needs to be around a six-meter meter around your dryer. In other words, the outlet might be closer to your dryer.
Generally, a dryer outlet should be three feet away from your dryer, and the position might be above or under.
It’s always good to install the dryer outlet by keeping a three-foot distance from your dryer. But, it should not be closed enough or too much away from your dryer.
Too close or too much distance is necessary for installing the dryer outlet. You need to consider the code before installing the dryer outlet.
It’s always a good idea to look at your building codes, then install the high-powered machines and their electrical outlets.
If you don’t follow the codes and install the dryer outlet according to your needs, you will void the warranty. You cannot claim any customer service from your manufacturer.
So, it’s always good to consult or search for building codes. To be exact, you need to know some core codes related to your dryer outlet.
Most of the time, you may find those codes on your dryer manufacturer guidelines, but it might not be enough. So, I will explain some standard code in the following section.
Standard code for dryer outlet plug
Installing and maintaining dryer outlets requires some strict procedures. Here are some standard codes and requirements for dryer outlet plugs:
Ground:
One of the most important codes for a dryer outlet plug is its grounding. You must ground this dryer.
The ground serves as the electrical current’s route of least resistance; it also features an optional cord with a grounding plug and an equipment-grounding conductor.
Insert:
In conformity with all local codes and ordinances, the dryer outlet plug should be inserted into a suitable outlet that is correctly installed and grounded.
Connect:
If a control line is not utilized and the electric dryer is to be wired for all time, the dryer must be associated with a grounded metal wiring framework for all time.
Or, as an alternative, you must run hardware establishing conductors with the circuit conductors and associate them with the hardware setup.
Voltage & Fuse:
On both sides of the line, there must be a 120/240 volt, 60 Hz AC electrical service certified and fused with 30-ampere fuses or circuit breakers. A 30-amp outlet should be used for the power cord.
How do you install a dryer outlet box?
If you want to install a dryer outlet box yourself, follow the steps below:
Run Wires:
The first thing you must do is extend the connection from your electrical panel to the spot where the dryer outlet will be installed. To determine the perfect route, you can run this across the floor.
Route Wires:
It’s time to conceal the cables, so they are no longer visible. What kind of building you have and how long it is standing will determine how you choose to proceed.
You might opt to route the wires under the floor, down the walls, and through the ceilings. You should carve a passage into the walls to make room for the cables.
Link:
The grounding screw must first be linked to the earth wire. You will also have to link the central silver screw terminal to the neutral white wire.
It is now necessary to connect the black and red wires with the other remaining terminals. It makes no difference which way these turn.
Connect:
The next step is connecting your home’s electrical panel to this new circuit. You must turn off the circuit breaker at the main electrical panel before proceeding.
Check:
Finally, you should use your multi-meter to ensure that the outlet receives the correct amount of power. You should read 240V on the outside and 120V on the inner slots. You may be sure that using your dryer outlet is safe if you get these readings.
You can quickly build an elevated nesting box by carefully following the steps above.
Final Thoughts
The dryer outlet should be 34-36 inches high and be six-meter in diameter. But the exact distance or height of the dryer outlet will depend on some standard building codes that may vary from state to state. So, you should check your local standard codes and follow them accordingly.