The POS Kenmore front-loader gave up after a measly 5+ years of use, so we went in search of a new one. Didn’t Mom’s washer last her like my whole lifetime at home?? And if it did break there was REASONABLY-PRICED replacement parts? New Kenmore:$100+ for a pump. Ok not too bad I guess. But over $300 to replace the electrical board??? How about a nice old-fashioned electro-mechanical switch for about $10???
Let me save you some time in research:
-All front loaders are slow as ^#^%@#@#$. IT takes an hour to do one load of laundry. Don’t you think in this day and age they could do a little better than that??? I’ve watched the Kenmore we had and most of the time it is doing absolutely…NOTHING. If they programmed out the ‘dead time’ they could cut this time in half easily.
Yeah, yeah the Electrolux (which we just bought) claims an 18-minute cycle…but that is for a small load. We’ll see. Still 54 minutes for a full load.
So. Replacing the washer turned into:
-removing the utility tub BETWEEN the washer and dryer. Whomever designed that is a sheer idiot!!
-The hot water line didn’t shut off all the way.
-Outside to turn off the water.
-Go to Home Depot for a replacement shut off valve.
-Installed without agony.
-In removing the tub the CPVC line broke…(UNDER THE HOUSE!!).
-Went under the house(crawl space, mind you) and capped off the lines. Fortunately it is relatively warm here. Was about 30 but warm under the house.
-While under there I got the ‘wise idea’ of checking the dry vent tube. Yup, it was about half-full of lint.
-Back to “The Home Depot”(for you Larry the Cable Guy fans) and get some dryer vent lines and other stuff.
-Back under the house and I get to the last connection and not enough 45-degree tube sticking out below the floor. GREAT!
-Now I get to make another visit to Home Depot and crawl under the house once again. YEAH!!
Oh, the fun of it all.
In actuality I’m a glutton for this kind of punishment and don’t mind it all that bad.
After all… I could be washing clothes in a stream somewhere.
Good one BBW. The day after Thanksgiving our oven went out. The dishwasher was making a grinding noise as it cycled, and the refrigerator makes a noise at night like a 747 taking off (15 years old), so we decided to take advantage of one of ‘Black Friday’s’ offers by the Home Depot for a three-fer package and picked up a new refrigerator, dishwasher and oven/range for the price of a new refrigerator. Merry Christmas to us…
It wouldn’t be so bad that all the appliances in the house are wearing out, but all of my parts seem to be failing as well, and it just plain stinks. With appliances as well as the human body - old age ain’t for sissies.
Best,
Every appliance in my place is original and so far past due break down time its not even funny. The thing is they are all old enough to have been “Mom’s”. That’s why even though I have saved the money to replace them I’m not doing it until they do break down.
I’ll never be able to replace the quality at any price - they just don’t make them like they used to!
A long time ago I learned a valuable lesson from my Dad.
I keep a “spare” washer and dryer in my inventory tucked away. I pick them up at a garage sale, 2nd hand store, or curbside. I fix it up and and put it away. My rule of thumb is no more than $100 in parts to fix it to as new. Any more than that and I put it curbside and go on the prowl for another candidate.
So far I’ve replaced one each in my home either in the middle of the night or on a cold/wet/snowy weekend when the main unit went out. Kinda nice to just move another one into service and fix the other one as time and budget allows.
However, what’s really nice is when I learn that someone’s W/d burned out and so did their bank account…Nice to help someone and watch their faces when my boys and I deliver a “new used” machine for them.
Thanks Dad for teaching me that lesson (oh and also about keeping the old fan belt tucked away under the seat “just in case”). Taught that one to my boys and son #1 used it last weekend driving home from college. He had 3 girls and another young man in the car when blewie goes the belt in the Cherokee.
#1 calms the troops and tells the girls to get out of the car because what he needs is under the seat. … 15 minutes later and they’re back on the road and he makes it home without any further issue.
Got some really nice phone calls from parents of the girls on that one, but #1 is the hero with a grin wider than Montana for saving that old belt…just in case…
I’ve had to replace our stove and water heater in the past 2 months, and am waiting for our 20 year old refrigerator (which also make strange noises) to give up the ghost any day.
Seeing as how you live just a piece up the road from us here in Lancaster County, you don’t by any chance keep a spare heat pump on hand now do you? (Mine’s also 20 years old.)
I’ve got a newer Ford F450, on which I just had the diesel particulate filter replaced last week. I don’t think I could a-ford to carry around a spare DPF 'cause I heard they cost over $5,000. My truck is still under warranty.
I do keep a spare Jeep on hand though. And my wife has a Honda which they claim doesn’t need a spare.
Wait 'til it does break and you will wish you had a spare. My boss had a Honda and I would laugh evertime I had to pick up at the dealership…in my Ford pickup. Which by the way has 216,000 miles on it and is still going strong. His Honda was long ago replaced with a Subaru and I pick him up at that dealership in the old Ford when it breaks. LOL
Update on the new washer(in case anyone’s really interested ).
We got the Electrolux washer at the advice of the retailer(a personal friend and a guy that would not steer you wrong).
WAsh times have been cut down some but still these front loaders are just a bit slow. This one is faster than the POS Kenmore for sure. BUT what it does that is better is it spins the load much faster(or more efficiently) as drying time have cut down considerably(well that and the new, unclogged vent hoses ). But the clothes do come out of the washer more dry.
Quietness? About the same as the POS Kenmore. Infinitely more quiet than a top loader.
So if you’re feeling like spending way too much for a washing machine the Electrolux is a good performer anyway.
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