I think I have a shut-off in the sink near the washer? If I got a sudden hose break and flood, I would run out and turn of the whole house water supply, then come in and pull out the washer and then shut off the water to the washer, before turning the whole house supply back on.

I've never had a hose break in any house we have owned or rented! I did an uninterrupted counter over my washer and dryer.

If something like that breaks, the only thing that matters is if you are home to turn the water off at any shut-off. If you aren't home, things get more complicated!

Chispa you have the washer and dryer hoses under the sink or just a shutoff there?

@chispa I like your plan if there's a water issue while at home. For security, I had stainless steel wrapped hoses installed and the drain hose is zip tied to one of them. I’ll ask my contractor about a shut off under the sink.

Washer and dryer hoses are set up in the standard way. I thought I had an extra shut-off under the laundry sink ... it might be for the plumbed steam oven on the other side of the wall.

So many little details from 3.5 years ago! What I do know is where the main house shut-off is and how to turn the water off!

I also have the steel wrapped hoses.

Many people in FL will turn off the whole house water supply when they leave for several months. The last thing you want in a warm and humid climate is a slow leak that is left unattended for several months. People have come back to a house with mold all over their walls.

We are full time, so not an issue, but I don't think we could turn off the whole house water supply for months, because our auto pool filler is tied into it and with the heat and evaporation, it pulls water every few days to top off the pool.

We put a whole house shutoff right at the top of our attic stairs- so convenient

@chspa and @hall co I live in Virginia so if I would turn off the water to go on vacation in summer, would that not create too much humidity in the house and possibly mold to grow?

You are turning the water off ... not the AC!

I went and looked under the laundry sink! The extra shut-off is for the water supply to the steam oven in the kitchen, on the other side of this laundry wall. So a leak at the washer would definitely mean shutting the whole house water supply, for as long as it takes us to pull the washer out and turn off that shut-off under the counter.

Good reminder for me and that I should definitely share with DH, who doesn't think of these things!

I installed a wooden shelf that floats on cleats over my w/d. It covers the ugly plumbing and power supply and provides an area for folding clothes. The back flips down for emergency water access, and the whole thing lifts off when I need to service the machines or to clean out the dryer vent.

That is the most practical thing to do. I was just hoping for cohesion in my first floor countertop finishes and the rest have silestone quartz. So, I’m looking for a creative solution that meets both form and function.

IMO very important to be able to reach these taps easily and most washers tell you to turn the taps off whan not in use which really no one does but I think to have turn off all the water to the house while you wait for a repair person would be ridiculous . It is a laundry room so either make the counter a bit higher and easily removed or be practical . How is the counter attached IMO best to show us that. The one cableknit shows works perfectly and can be removed quickly and IMO thta is the whole point once the water leak occurs.

@Patricia Colwell do you know if it is possible to connect the water lines to a shut off valve placed in the sink cabinet to the left of the dryer?

It is possible to place a shut off valve in an adjacent cabinet

Thank you all so much for you generous input. I just spoke with my contractor who said that he can put a shut off valve on the washer waterlines in the basement! Since they are located in the unfinished storage area, it'll be very simple to do. I share this in case anyone else can use this solution. 😊

Make the cutout. Nobody is going to remember that there are valves in the basement -- or where they are. Those are ball valves that require only a 1/4 turn to shut off the water; five seconds and it's off.