Our washing machine had a minor leak so I purchased this product as prevention. After I installed it, it happened. . . this product saved my floors! Buy it now as insurance before it is too late.The stainless-steel pan material, depth, thickness, and quality welds make this a great product. You can even put a bead of silicone in the corners for even more protection but it is not necessary. If you have a slow or occasional leak, the pan can buy you time to still operate the machine until you get it repaired or replaced without damage to floors, drywall, or carpet due to moisture or mold. It is the perfect size for most washing machines and can provide a protected area for anything else that could leak. Being steel, it can also provide a floor barrier and containment for potential flammable liquids.If the hole is covered with a plate or plug with silicone, it can hold approximately 10 gallons of fluid before edge overflow. This gives plenty of time to notice a slow leak before floor damage can occur. If you add the supplied drain barb connection, it can safely drain any continuous leak as long as it does not exceed the flow rate of the drain line.I slightly enlarged the hole to fit a 3/4-inch PVC line for even higher flow rate for more extreme situations with a more permanent drain outside the property. Silicone adhesive under the pan for hard surfaces or a rubber anti-slip matt on carpet can help prevent pan movement from potential machine vibration.Place a couple of 2x4 boards at the front edge of the pan where you load the machine as a ramp and it will protect the edge until the machine is in place. Also, the edges are not sharper than any other thin metal surface. However, plastic edging can be cheaply purchased in a roll to put around the edge to increase the surface area if desired. Best regards, Mike Brice.
D. Forrest 
