An in-unit washing machine is an apartment that includes a washer and dryer fitted inside the apartment unit. It is one of the many basic apartment amenities you need to watch out for while searching for an apartment to buy. Though they are in high demand by home buyers and tenants, the luxury comes with high costs and risks.
My experience with the use of washing machines in my apartment has exposed me to some of the pros and cons of having the machine fitted in one’s apartment.
Pros of an In-unit Washing Machine
The following are some of the pros of having an in-unit washing machine fitted in your apartment;
1. Effiency of use
It’s so exciting how efficient the use of my in-unit washer and dryer makes me feel. Since I moved into my apartment fitted with an in-unit washing machine, I no longer think about scheduling my laundry as I can do them anytime. The most amazing part of this experience is that it affords me the time of doing other things while my clothes are being washed.
2. It saves time
Instead of me going out to a community facility to do my laundry, like I use to do before moving into my new apartment. I now do my laundry in-doors as this saves time which they say is money. The time I spend before, planing my trip to the laundry facility and sometimes forgetting one or two things are now being channeled into other productive activities.
3. Energy conservation on an in-unit washing machine
I time the loads while using the washing machine in my apartment back-to-back so that the already conserved heat in the dryer can still be used for other loads. This cuts down the amount of energy utilized and the electricity consumed.
4. Good apartment resale value
With my experience while searching for an apartment to buy before finally buying the one I am in, coupled with my interactions with potential apartment owners, I discovered that in-unit washing machine is one of the most sought after apartment amenities. Therefore the resale value of any apartment fitted with the in-unit washing machine will definitely be high.
Cons of an In-unit Washing Machine
Of course, for every good thing, there are other bad sides to it. Since I have been using my washing machine, I have discovered some downsides to it. Below are some of the disadvantages;
1. Increase in apartment cost
I noticed while searching for apartments to buy, that apartments fitted with washing machines are like 20% costlier than other apartments. Acquiring washers and driers are expensive which drives the cost up.
2. It requires more maintenance
Having an in-unit washing machine like mine is amazing but it’s at a cost. It requires repairs and regular maintenance to keep the machine’s performance at the optimum. This of course eats into your financial resources.
3. It can get damaged
Just like any electrical appliance, the in-unit washing machines can back up at any time. The dryer vents can get blocked, also water supply lines can break leading to flooding. This is why I made it a point of duty to have all my properties insured in case of any damage to my properties
In conclusion, there are no good products or facilities without their own downside. The most important thing is for the pros to outweigh the cons. In this case, the pros outweigh the cons, therefore I will always go for an apartment with an in-unit washing machine any day, anytime. Washing machines are often hard to fit into small apartment spaces. However, with the Lightning One, this is no longer a problem. It’s compact and you only need one machine to both wash and dry.