Tips of the Trade
How to choose the right Washing Machine
In order to choose the right washing machine among the many options available nowadays, you have to consider some important facts with are:
1- your budget. If your budget is limited, you may find yourself more comfortable getting a second hand or used machine but, it is very possible (or not) that you will get a unit that will die soon or will be in need of repairs and that will only increase your machine cost but also, many parts are (NLA) or no longer available. If your budget is not limited then comes the second fact.
2- Available space. Some houses are built with a laundry room with plenty of space. Some are built with a laundry room area that is open (like a basement) where you can accommodate any machines while others have a horizontal laundry closet (where you can install the washer and the dryer only side by side) and the other typical setting is a small vertical laundry closet that will only allow you to choose stackable machines or laundry systems. Stackable machines are front loader washers which will take a dryer on top and will require a helper to take down the dryer in case of need and laundry systems are one machine with the washer at the bottom and dryer at the top but it’s one machine.
3.- Preparing the laundry space. Every time a technician is called to service your machine, he or she will need to have access to the front of your machine, the top of your machine or the back of your machine so please don’t bury them inside an unreachable place. The floor must be sort of slippery and hard (no carpets) in order for him or her to slide them out of their position to find the problem.
With regards to the quality of the wash like in top loaders, the long agitator tower is way better than the flat wash plate and the horizontal wash system like in front loading units is best.
All of the machines will require maintenance like cleaning the water valves inlet ports (hot and cold) filters to be cleaned often because the water coming in is not clean, actually is full of solid micro particles that will clog the filters, dispensers cleaning and in the case of front load machines, the door seal (boot) and tub cleaning with some special products like washer magic or afresh or any other washer cleaning product will do. Not all but most of the front loader machines come with a clean cycle or machine wash or what ever name they put on it, that’l do. In this cycle you CAN’T PUT ANY LAUNDRY INTO THE MACHINE. These cycles don’t respect the timings for wash, drain and spin so your washer is going to walk away with extreme damage. With front load machines avoid any odorizes, washers or anything with cleaning pads, that will release their “benefits” but will leave the pad behind and they will clog the sump area, the pump filter and/or the pump itself.
They had departed from the city lying in the mud. A very thin silhouette stretched on the horizon, barely strong enough to support the weight of a distant city, which still lay upon it. They were free from paths, free from people, and a shared sense of liberation filled them all.
How to choose the best Dryer
To choose the right dryer from the many options available, you need to consider your budget and the washer you have.
1—If your budget is limited, you may want to consider a used or second-hand dryer. If budget is not a problem, you have to consider the space available and the washer you already have.
2- Space available. Some machines can’t take a dryer on top of the washer like the ones with a control console on top, so if you have a washer like that, your only option is to have them side by side.
The only machines out there that can receive a dryer on top are front-load washers and, of course, laundry systems (factory-set washer and dryer in one machine). You also have to consider that stacked units “must be matching units,” meaning the same brand. The clamping systems of the machines (the mechanism that secures the dryer to the washer) are different for every brand.
The other fact that you also have to consider is the power income. If the dryer is a gas dryer, the machine will have a power cord similar to the cord of any other appliance, stereo system, or else, so you’ll need a gas valve protruding from the wall. If it is an electric dryer, the plug will be a huge gray or black plug which will need a big outlet in the wall. You must verify this to have the right plug/outlet. Gray has 3 prongs and black has 4. A very important fact is the vent. The shorter and straighter vent is the best, Blowers in the dryers are not able to push the air in a good way more than some feet away and also, a clean vent will allow your machine to dry faster and more efficiently. Call for vent cleaning once a year if you have a medium to long vent to avoid long dry times or a fire.