The (unsexy) Washer/ Drier Thread . . .

[Dan in Pasadena]

40 years ago when I was in my early 20's and newly married my then wife and I needed to buy a washing machine. We didn't have a pot to piss in. Found a deal in "The Recycler" - think Craigslist before the internet - A retired couple in their 70's were moving to a retirement home. It was a Maytag from the 1950's. They would wax it, it looked brand new.

It worked flawlessly, had NEVER been repaired in any way. We kept it til my wife wanted a matching washer/dryer combo. Dumb, that started the process of having to buy new ones every ten years or so.

 

[belvedere]

Which is, as it usually is, nonsense. If the model number is the same, it's the same machine. The stuff in the sales flyer may be special low end stuff, but it's not special for the big box. the supply complexity is too hard for that, beyond the occaisional store exclusive finish.

No one said the model numbers were the same. Not an appliance, but here's an example: I'm typing this reply on an HP laptop. It has a conventional HP model number on the sticker, except the model number ends in "wm". Guess where it was purchased?

 

[Busted_Knuckles]

Bought a pair of matching Speed Queens last year. Got the TR5 washer, was told it was built like a brick *********, for a consumer model. And it was just recently updated/improved over the older model. They had a transmission shaft sitting on a display, that helped sell me ( its massive for a clothes washer ). We have a crazy laundry load, so I went for it.

Less than 6 weeks in service, I smell rubber burning as I pass the laundry room ( drive belt measures 360 degrees ). Thing starts to shut down, because the drive motor is getting so hot. The trans locked up. The dealer sat on the unit for 4 months, after riding corporate for 2 months, a replacment machine arrived (so we where without the machine for 6 months, after 6 weeks of use ). The replacement is now maybe 6 months in use with no problems.

The dealer was the problem, but the machine did fail almost out of the box. The robust transmission that helped sell me... LOL !

I really like this machine because its terribly in-efficient ( 1-hp motor ) and uses a BOAT LOAD of water if you want " properly rinsed clothes ". I think it can use up to 45 gallons per load ? with the proper settings !

YMMV..

 

[tool_scrounge]

I got tired of repairing the old Mayteg dryer and picked up a Speed Queed dryer to match the Speed Queen washer we purchased years before. Both work great.

 

[Davegvg]

I've never owned a front loader, but have heard some of the mold issues like you described. I am really indifferent to the type, just as long as it gets my clothes and rags clean.

Any washer that does not have an internal heater that can sustain 140+ for 10-15 minutes will have some mold somewhere.

Watch a few "clean my washing" machine threads to see whats behind that drum.,.,,.,,

An internal heater does wonders for cleaning really dirty clothes and keeping whites bright even without bleach.

Front loaders spin significantly faster - some incredibly fast so the clothes come out nearly dry.

Front loaders are gentler on clothes in general because they dont yank the clothes through the water with an agitator- they use the weight of the wet clothes themselves lifted and dropped as the mechanical washing action.

They also use less water because you dont need to cover the load and less water = less soap to achieve optimum mix.

I run 33ML of soap per load or just a hair over 2 tablespoons.

Im not going back to top loaders. They simply dont perform as well full stop.

 

[Grant Gunderson]

We also replaced a 7 year old Maytag front loader set with a Speed Queen 7 series and couldn’t be happier. They clean bette and faster and are way more quiet too.

 

[danski0224]

My Maytag Neptune super stack started giving problems after over 15 years of heavy use.

The Maytag washer door bellows is no longer available as an OEM part, and changing it is a PITA.

There were other parts that could stand replacement due to use/age alone.

Decided to get a Speed Queen stacked unit.

Been happy so far. It does "trip" out on an out of balance condition more easily than the Maytag, it doesn't reset without unplugging it. That's the only big annoyance.

 

[KnurledNut]

Also a fan of Speed Queen, but had a timer fail prematurely on a washer.

 

[qqzj]

This thread can be a lot more useful if any one can tell us which washer and dryer WE SHOULD BUY right now. A model number and a website link would be great. A lot of people, including me, won't get a used frige or washer or dryer. So I guess something labeled Whirlpool or Kitchenaid should be good. But it would be better if we know which one exactly to buy.

 

[danski0224]

Speed Queen makes only one factory stacked washer and dryer, excluding their true commercial products.

 

[BTL-A4]

No one said the model numbers were the same. Not an appliance, but here's an example: I'm typing this reply on an HP laptop. It has a conventional HP model number on the sticker, except the model number ends in "wm". Guess where it was purchased?

I heard that model numbers can vary just a little like yours so that people doing comparison shopping can be told that the store won't honor the price because it's not EXACTLY the same model, based on the model number, even though we all know the specs are exactly the same. So, Model #12345X might really be the same as Model #12345Y, but the store can say, "No it's not, they are different model numbers," and not honor price matching, even though we can point out the specs are the same.

 

[GrantCee]

This thread can be a lot more useful if any one can tell us which washer and dryer WE SHOULD BUY right now. A model number and a website link would be great. A lot of people, including me, won't get a used frige or washer or dryer. So I guess something labeled Whirlpool or Kitchenaid should be good. But it would be better if we know which one exactly to buy.

Again: Speed Queen.

Before we bought ours (new) last year, I talked to 4 different appliance repair people at 4 different companies. I asked them how long a new washing machine could be expected to last, and on average they estimated 8 years — top loads maybe a little more, fronts a little less. Under heavy use, say in a big family, definitely less. They all said “if you’re thinking about the Maytag or Whirlpool your parents bought in the ‘80s and how well it was built, forget it — they’re not the machines they used to be.”

When I asked them if there were ANY washing machines made which weren’t designed to wear out quickly (planned obsolescence) and would give us decades of service, regardless of price, they all said Speed Queen. Even the two guys who didn’t work for SQ dealers said SQ. (Yeah, the guy who worked for the local Miele dealer said SQ too.)

So we bought a Speed Queen. Very happy with the choice.

 

[RedneckWelder]

I have an old cheap Kenmore (whirlpool) set I bought from my father in law 6 years ago. Every couple of years I dump $20 of parts (I buy online because the local stores are smoking crack wanting $100 for the same thing I can buy for $10) into one or the other and keep them ticking. I have the back cover on the washer loose because to put it back properly secured makes it really hard to get apart but the dryer is pretty easy to work on.

 

[Mechanical Noise]

This thread can be a lot more useful if any one can tell us which washer and dryer WE SHOULD BUY right now. A model number and a website link would be great. A lot of people, including me, won't get a used frige or washer or dryer. So I guess something labeled Whirlpool or Kitchenaid should be good. But it would be better if we know which one exactly to buy.

Yale Appliance | Yale Appliance | Framingham, Hanover, Dorchester, MA

Shop for products at Yale Appliance. The greatest catalog is on its way! Stick around – seeing is believing.

www.yaleappliance.com

 

[joseywales]

Our house is 25 years old. We bought it 15 years ago, and it came with a Speed Queen dryer. I’ve replaced the coils years ago. Today, I thin the Start switch went. No continuity. I jumped the wires and drier started.

Call Parts Direct and the part is discontinued. Found a used switch on eBay.

anyone know where to find a new switch or a replacement? If the eBay used switch doesn’t work, I might have to get creative!

As I suspected, I reconnected everything, and voila...it works again. Starting another thread for insight.

 

[IRQVET]

Anyone know how to solve an underground vent issue. I’m on a slab foundation and the exhaust vent is under the slab, and then pops out of the ground on the west end of the house. But even though I have a exhaust cover for it, rain is still making its way inside.

Any idea’s of ways to keep water out of these?

(Forgive the landscape fabric, I’m in the middle of a landscape project)

 

[Wrench97]

Anyone know how to solve an underground vent issue. I’m on a slab foundation and the exhaust vent is under the slab, and then pops out of the ground on the west end of the house. But even though I have a exhaust cover for it, rain is still making its way inside.

Any idea’s of ways to keep water out of these?

(Forgive the landscape fabric, I’m in the middle of a landscape project)

Are the joints all glued or just pushed together?

 

[jbfsr]

Make something that goes over top, wishing well, fake rock, etc.

 

[Firebrick43]

Anyone know how to solve an underground vent issue. I’m on a slab foundation and the exhaust vent is under the slab, and then pops out of the ground on the west end of the house. But even though I have a exhaust cover for it, rain is still making its way inside.

Any idea’s of ways to keep water out of these?

(Forgive the landscape fabric, I’m in the middle of a landscape project)

Um, you can not use pvc for drier vent, it should not be under ground, and should have positive slope. There is nothing right about that vent. Plug it and stop using it. Put a new one in through the wall.

 

[beemerphile]

Hot humid exhaust in a cold buried pipe and most likely what you have is lots of condensation with no way for it to get out. Abandoning it is the proper course of action. Either vent it through the roof or invest in a condensing or heat pump dryer.

 

[ricleh]

I have a 38 year old Miele washer and dryer set. I just replaced the tub dampeners and springs on the washer and it still works like when it was brand new. The dryer had a board go out that controls the drum reversing motor about 10 years ago. That is the only problem I have ever had with it. I have been very happy with the quality of these Miele machines. I have owned older American machines and they were nowhere near the quality of my Miele machines.

 

[IRQVET]

This is how every house in my subdivision is plumbed. Our laundry rooms are in the center of the houses, so we can’t plumb to an exterior wall, hence why they are ran under the slab, which makes it prohibuted to remove.

No it is not caulked, maybe I need to do that.

 

[WWheeler]

Why's the thread got to be "unsexy"?

 

[Davegvg]

I have a 38 year old Miele washer and dryer set. I just replaced the tub dampeners and springs on the washer and it still works like when it was brand new. The dryer had a board go out that controls the drum reversing motor about 10 years ago. That is the only problem I have ever had with it. I have been very happy with the quality of these Miele machines. I have owned older American machines and they were nowhere near the quality of my Miele machines.

Try to find a reversing dryer today...
Have 2 houses full of Miele. Love that stuff.