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A Storm should be installed on a wall near the back of your washing machine. Near enough for the cold-water hose coming from the wall to reach the ‘Inlet’ on the Storm and near enough for the water hose (included with the Storm) to reach from the ‘Outlet’ of the Storm to the cold-water inlet of your washing machine.
The Storm will require a minimum space measuring 15-inches wide by 21-inches high to allow room for the power cord and water hoses. The Storm Deluxe needs a minimum space measuring 12-inches high by 25-inches wide to allow room for the power cord and water hoses. The Storm OPL Deluxe will require a minimum space measuring 20-inches high by 35-inches wide to allow room for the power cord and water hoses.
The Storm comes with a super-simple bracket to hang it with. You will need a phillips screwdriver (included) and some type of level to make sure you get the Storm level on the wall (it will look better). It is suggested to mount the bracket (3 screw holes) with one of the holes aligned with a stud in the wall. It is not required though. The unit is not that heavy, even when full of water. The unit comes with screws and inserts for mounting on sheetrock/drywall. If you pick out a good spot in advance and make sure you have everything you need, mounting should not take more than 30 minutes for most people, including moving the washing machine a little and reconfiguring the water hose connections and connecting the power cord.
The Storm, Storm Deluxe, and Storm OPL Deluxe all require a standard, 110-volt power outlet. Most of the time, you can use the other half of the plug your washer is plugged-in to. All Storm units only draw about 35 watts of power. Each unit has a transformer with a cord, similar to a cell phone charger.
The cleaner your water, the better your Storm will work. If you have really cold and really soft water, you will get the absolute best results possible from a Storm. If your water has some hardness, it really won’t make that much of a difference. If you have really hard water, you should look at getting a water softener for your entire household. Soft water has many benefits throughout your home. If you have high iron content and/or high manganese content, the Storm will not work as well as it could. Both iron and manganese rapidly consume ozone. If you have these elements in your water, you must get a filtration system to remove them before you can get the full benefits of the Storm. These elements pose problems everywhere else you use water in your home too, including stained fixtures and negative health impacts.
For the avid Do-It-Yourselfer, who wants to get the most out of their Storm, it is suggested you put a carbon filter on the cold-water line feeding the Storm. Chlorine in the tap water will neutralize some of the ozone. A carbon filter will remove that chlorine from the water before the Storm adds the ozone. Every little bit does make a difference.
The Storm produces ozone in very small quantities and dissolves the vast majority of that ozone into the water where it acts upon contaminants in your laundry. Only a tiny, tiny amount of ozone gas is actually released into the environment around your washing machine. Very little ozone is needed to achieve the spectacular results you get from a Storm. However, your nose is able to smell ozone at extremely low concentrations. Concentrations far below the threshold where they may begin to present any issues to people with any breathing concerns. You will be able to smell the ozone in your washroom and it will smell like the air outside after a springtime thunderstorm. This smell is very friendly and has no negative impacts on you, your family, or your pets. When compared to the smells (VOC’s) you get when you use chlorine bleach, ozone wins by a mile. Chlorine bleach is poisonous and the vapors it creates are extremely hazardous to all living creatures. Using chlorine bleach creates nasty VOC’s called THM’s that are highly carcinogenic. Google it!
You really do not need any additional ventilation around your washing machine when you get a Storm and start using ozone laundry. However, if you use chlorine bleach, it would be recommended to keep your laundry room door closed and install some type of ventilation that would exhaust the chlorine fumes and THM’s to the outside of the building!
The Storm requires absolutely no maintenance. The system is built with advanced technology that should last a minimum of 5 years without any service. You should never stack towels, clothing, boxes, or other items in front of, on, around, or near the Storm that may interfere with the air intake or normal cooling of Storm units. Always make sure that your Storm is not covered in lint or with any dirt that may interfere with its normal operation.
