Digger / Neighbours washing machine issue

clones1980

Im sure the heading sounds strange but i have an issue and im worried sick.

I live in a mid terrace house and today I had a mini 3 tonne digger in my garden removing gravel and knocking a hole in the wall from the patio to the garden to fit steps

The neighbour called in accusing me "roaring at me" that the vibrations of the digger caused his week old washing machine to fall over and break. He said it was in his shed sitting on six inch blocks. The digger at its closest to his shed was about 10 feet away. I have a block built wall between me and him and at all times i had a glass bottle sitting on that wall which someone had set there with a drink it. The bottle remained in tack the whole time the work was going on. He is demanding the names of the digger drivers etc which I refused to give him

Where do I stand legally?

brian_t

Why was it sitting on six inch blocks. It probably would have fallen the first time it went into a spin cycle.

Washing machines are meant to be positioned on a flat hard floor.

clones1980

I said it fell because it was on the blocks and he shouted at me that I clearly never fitted a washing machine before. I replied mine wasnt sitting on blocks and he replied his was in a shed. I didnt know first thing about washing machines so I walked away as he was roaring at me

dev100

clonesbabe wrote:

I said it fell because it was on the blocks and he shouted at me that I clearly never fitted a washing machine before. I replied mine wasnt sitting on blocks and he replied his was in a shed. I didnt know first thing about washing machines so I walked away as he was roaring at me

I'd of roared with laughter

hurikane

Is he for real? Sounds like a nut job.

clones1980

dev100 i Think i have just fallen in love with you. haha

foggy_lad

When a washing machine is in a kitchen or laundry room under a counter-top and between presses or other appliances it is a lot more stable because although not held in place by the surrounding items and counter-top it is restricted by the slower movement of the air around it because of the narrow gaps, therefore when it spins at high speed it is more subdued and will not rock around so much but if you were to pull that same machine out into the middle of the floor and let it spin it will behave very differently and will dance around the floor a lot more violently.

OP your neighbour is silly to think that you are responsible for his own lack of knowledge and common sense.

The Sidewards Man

foggy_lad wrote: »

When a washing machine is in a kitchen or laundry room under a counter-top and between presses or other appliances it is a lot more stable because although not held in place by the surrounding items and counter-top it is restricted by the slower movement of the air around it because of the narrow gaps, therefore when it spins at high speed it is more subdued and will not rock around so much but if you were to pull that same machine out into the middle of the floor and let it spin it will behave very differently and will dance around the floor a lot more violently.

OP your neighbour is silly to think that you are responsible for his own lack of knowledge and common sense.

No it won't, that is rubbish. A washing machine will not move in operation once installed to manufactories specifications.

foggy_lad

The Sidewards Man wrote: »

No it won't, that is rubbish. A washing machine will not move in operation once installed to manufactories specifications.

Yes but if the load is uneven when the spin cycle starts it causes the machine to hop around a bit and usually the surrounding presses and counter-top will lessen the ferocity of the movement, leaving it out on the floor you would expect it to move around a bit but placing it on 6" blocks is only asking for trouble.

Common sense would dictate that the machine be put onto a level area of floor and the feet adjusted to level it out.

The Sidewards Man

foggy_lad wrote: »

Yes but if the load is uneven when the spin cycle starts it causes the machine to hop around a bit and usually the surrounding presses and counter-top will lessen the ferocity of the movement, leaving it out on the floor you would expect it to move around a bit but placing it on 6" blocks is only asking for trouble.

Common sense would dictate that the machine be put onto a level area of floor and the feet adjusted to level it out.

Regardless of load being uneven or not it won't hop around, you have been watching too many you tube videos or on the Google.
Why would the floor need to be level if machine has adjustable feet? Isn't that the very reason for such?

Canis Lupus

A three tonne digger just doing its thing in the garden next door is hardly going to make a washing machine fall over....

foggy_lad

The Sidewards Man wrote: »

Regardless of load being uneven or not it won't hop around, you have been watching too many you tube videos or on the Google.
Why would the floor need to be level if machine has adjustable feet? Isn't that the very reason for such?

Replace level with flat enough for a washing machine to be placed there and the feet adjusted to make it level.

Also most front loading washing machines will hop and jump and bounce around a floor if the load is uneven when it starts to spin.

The Sidewards Man

No it won't, is the fog clouding your judgement?

Renegade Mechanic

He probably had his big arse welded to the corner of the machine and knocked it off when things got exciting... Now someone other than him has to pay.

Tell him get stuffed. He has no standing.

manonboard

A herd of elephant could run on slightly moist soil (in ireland likely), and the vibrations would only be enough to jiggle water in a glass.

If his washing machine fell over, it' was about to anyways opening the shed door would of finished the job.

Your talking 10 feet of earth absorbing energy vibrations in wet soils with air pockets, grass, rocks etc.
He's talking out of his ***. A washing machine should only be installed in a way that it could take a good kick. The spin cycles contain alot of energy.
I say his machine just broke and he's looking for a new one. Total nonsense.