About Appliances
Things to know about your appliances.
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Do HE Washers Really Save Money?
There are a lot of cynical opinions about newer style washing machines – how well they are built, how long they will last and more importantly how much money they save (or don’t save) in water useage. I know they use a LOT less water, but I was unsure about what the actual savings were. So I dusted off my calculator, licked the ‘ol pencil tip and did a few calculations. Here’s what I came up with.
First some stats: (Data from Energy Star Site)
Old style, full size washers … the ones that filled up with water each load, used about 25 gallons per load. That is an average number – some were less, and some were more – but the average water usage was around 25 gallons.
The average family with 2 adults and 2 kids does about 10 loads per week. That number is based on my own experience for what it’s worth …
So, the first calculation is: 25 gallons x 10 loads per week = 250 gallons per week x 52 weeks in a year = 13,000 gallons of water per year used to run your old standard sized washer.
OK – lets look at HE (High Efficiency) washing machines.
Energy Star washers (the best of the High Efficiency washing machines) use about 13 gallons per load.
Calculations: 13 gallons x 10 loads per week = 130 gallons per week x 52 weeks in a year = 6,760 gallons of water per year used to run a HE washer.
OK – so what does that mean in terms of cold hard cash??
Here in Southern Manitoba I pay $13.80 per 1000 gallons of water.
So lets do some more figuring:
Old Style Washers = 13,000 gallons per year x $13.80 per 1000 gallons = $179.40 per year in water.
New Style HE Washer = 6,760 gallons per year x $13.80 per 1000 gallons = $93.29 per year in water.The average washer should last about 15 years …
Old Style Lifetime water cost = $2691.00
New Style HE Lifetime water cost = $1399.32That is a savings of $1291.68 over the lifetime of your washing machine!! And this does not even include the electrical energy savings!
So when some jaded, cynical old codger tells you that there is no real savings in HE washing machines, you can call him out with cold hard numbers … and money in your pocket!
EDIT: Many HE machines are now also limiting the amount of hot water used per load by reducing the water temp on the initial fill and using cold water rinses. Of course, not everyone is happy about this (for reasons I truly don’t understand,) but there are more energy savings to be had here as well. Tricky to calculate but will amount to a decent amount of savings when you combine with the reduced water usage.
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New Stove Exterior Really Hot
I’ve been getting more complaints these days about the outside of new stoves being way too hot. I’ve called several manufacturers about this issue and am getting the same answer across the board: Normal!
Apparently they have been approved with the higher temp ratings by CSA here in Canada and UL in the States. Not sure if these are new ratings that have been approved or if the exterior temp ratings have always been this high and I’ve just not noticed if before.
The temps are hot enough to burn you if you touch the stove in the wrong place or if you leave your hand on the stove long enough.
Here is a picture of the temps:
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Leaking Front Load Washer
Leaks can occur on these machines for many different reasons. The most common though, is leaking due to damage to the door boot (or bellow as it is also commonly called.) It does not take much for a leak to develop. In this case the customer had shut the door with an item of clothing trapped between the door boot and the bottom of the door glass. When the unit went into its spin cycle, it pulled on the gasket hard enough to change the shape of the flap that seals to the bottom of the door. This unit was not leaking much – maybe a tablespoon per load, but it was definitely caused by this little wrinkle.
If yours is leaking and there are no obvious tears or holes in the door boot, then take a look at the bottom edge and see if it is a bit misshapen. If it is, a door boot replacement is what you’ll be doing to fix it.
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Dishwasher Not Cleaning Well
If you dump all the unpopped popcorn kernels into the bottom of your dishwasher, it probably won’t wash as well. That goes for toothpicks, bones, olive or fig pits as well. Pretty much anything that should go into the garbage should not go into your dishwasher.
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Don’t Bypass Safety Devices
Bypassing safety devices like fuses and overheat thermostats is about the dumbest thing you could do to your appliance. Those devices are there for safety. If something were to go wrong, those devices will save your life!
This is another dryer with a grounded out heating element. It got hot enough to blow the high temp safety thermostat. Somebody (not sure who) decided to just bypass the thermostat and keep using the dryer. They are lucky they did not have a house fire with this one!
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Are Your Appliances Accessible for Service
One of the problems that I run into as a serviceman are appliances that have been ‘built-in.’ This is especially true of dishwashers that were installed before ceramic or hardwood floor was laid down. If the floor was not installed under the dishwasher, then it is virtually impossible to remove the dishwasher without either damaging the floor, damaging the dishwasher or lifting the countertop.
Other examples are cooktops that are siliconed or glued down. Hood fans or OTR microwaves that have been siliconed or grouted into place. Stackers installed into closets before the doors and door frames were installed. etc.
Pictured below is a regular Whrilpool washer that has been built-in with walls and a hard plumbed washtub. This unit appears to have a transmission problem, but until the customer has someone remove the washer from its current position, I cannot do anything further. Think about this when renovating or designing your home.
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Why the Cost of Appliance Repairs Keeps Going Up
Chart from TorontoGasPrices.com.Customers are often quite surprised by the cost of hiring an appliance professional to work in their home. I can sympathize. I feel the same way every time I have to bring someone into my home to upgrade or repair something. The truth of the matter is that costs keep going up. The above chart shows the changes in fuel costs since early 2009. As you can see, my fuel costs alone have gone up over 50%. But that is not the whole story. Every company in the repair supply chain has also seen their fuel costs go up over 50%. They transfer that cost to me … and I, in turn, transfer it to you. In the end, it is you the consumer that is hit hardest.
Tax changes are also costing consumers more. In July, Ontario Premier McGuinty combined the GST (Goods and Services Tax) with the PST (Provincial Sales Tax) to create the HST (Harmonized Sales Tax.) This should have been a neutral change … except it was not. Gasoline used to only have the GST added to it at a rate of 7%. Now it has the HST added at a rate of 13%. This tax increase comes directly out of the pocket of small (and large) business owners … again, we in turn, pass those costs onto you the consumer.
The consumer is at the bottom of tax pile. While I am a service supplier, I am also a consumer – so I totally understand the frustration that people feel when they see their basic cost of living continuously going up. I will always do everything that I can to help keep repair costs low, but much of the cost is directly out of my control. We all are paying more for pretty much everything these days.
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The Washing Machine is the Epitome of Human Advancement?
I never really thought about this before … but the invention of the washing machine may very well have been the tipping point that brought humanity into the modern age. What then took so much time and energy now literally takes an hour a week (or less) to complete. Energy savings and time savings … halmarks of modern society? Maybe.
BTW – have you ever tried washing your jeans by hand? I’ll bet not…
Here is a great article and video that talks about how washing machines have changed our society. Why The Washing Machine Pushed Humanity Forward.
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Empty The Pockets When Loading Your Washer
Here is another example of why you should always empty the pants pockets when loading your washing machine. This pump is from a rather expensive Whirlpool Cabrio clothes washer. See the little hole where the hose stem joins the body of the pump on the 1st photo? That was caused by the penny that was in the pump (see it sitting there in the 2nd photo.) The drain pump kicked that penny hard enough to punch a hole in the body of the pump. A $250 repair and a flooded basement later and the customer can do laundry again.
BTW – this unit was on the main floor of the house, so when it flooded it also ruined a section of the ceiling in the basement.
Empty the pockets folks – or keep my number handy, you’re gonna need me.
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Frigidaire Sweepstakes – Win Free Appliances
Frigidaire is having a draw for free appliances called 90 Years of making Life Easier. Loads of free appliances available to be won. Check it out at their Sweepstakes Home Page.The contest is only open to Canadians and ends March 31st.
