Letters to the Editor
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Cold water
Most of the energy used in washing clothes is used to heat the water. I switched to cold water a year ago and am saving oil that is used to heat my boiler that supplies hot water and heat to my house. I think the energy used to gyrate and spin the clothes is a small fraction of the energy used to heat the water. The clothes seem to be just as clean, and don't seem to mind the cold. By the way, I have a coil on demand water heating system instead of a hot water tank. The water is heated when you turn on the tap, and no energy is wasted storing hot water. With the on demand system, you never run out of hot water. You may, however, have to reduce the volume of flow a bit so the boiler can heat the water fast enough. These systems are common in Europe.
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Love my front loader
I've had a front loader about a year, and have had no problems with it of any kind. No funny smells, no soap residue in the clothes. It's kinder to the clothes - no straps caught and twisted in the agitator, which also means you can do delicate clothes which otherwise had to be hand washed. As other folks have mentioned, clothes come out with much less water, so they dry faster - and are lighter to carry upstairs!
Because of problems in my pipes I had to have the plumber over to install it. When everything was attached, he ran some water into it to make sure it was filling and draining properly, and we all stood there and watched the thing spin, him, his assistant who was also his daughter, and me. My old machine clanked and shook so much it could walk across the floor. This just spun so quiet, smooth and fast it was like watching a gyroscope spin. As we stood there, mouths hanging open in admiration, I thought to myself, yes, we've reached the point where watching the washing machine spin really is entertainment.
(On the way out the daughter said "We need to get one of those things." Her father asked "Why, is ours broken." She said "It will be.")
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Trick with front loaders and icky smell
When the washer isn't in use, leave the door open a crack. The difference with front loaders and top loaders is that front load machines are water-tight. When you leave the door shut, stuff will grow and it will stink. Kind of like leaving the lid on an empty thermos bottle.
Once in a blue moon (when I need it), I run a load of whites on hot water with bleach. Combined with leaving the door open, I've never had a problem with smell.
I love my front loader, for all the reasons already mentioned. My next step is installing a backyard clothesline, next spring when the rain stops.
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Yes, there are problems with the Energy Star ratings, but
The author overreaches a bit to make her point about the differences in Energy Star rated machines. Comparing a Whirlpool top loader to an LG front loader is apples to oranges. They are different machines and at different price points. Why not use the Whirlpool Duet (a front loader with comparable water usage to the LG) in comparison? Or at least make it clear that there is an American company also developing and producing green appliance technology?
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So what you're saying is that efficient machines present a mold hazard
Hmm not sure that's a good thing. I suppose the ninny nanners will have clothing autoclaves or perhaps some new Japanese machine that uses ultrasonic or microwave cleansing or something like that. Maybe in the end the best solution is to not be such an anal retentive obsessive compulsive American neat freak who does 3 loads a day. I often ask this question of my wife who does the same number of loads with 3 people in the house as with 5. The piles upon piles of wash never seem to abate. I swear the woman will be living alone someday and she'll still be fussing with 20 loads of wash a week. With that kind of wear and tear I get the cheapest units I can and hope they hold together for 3 years.
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Whatever you're going to buy, buy it before Dec. 31, 2007
If you want the federal tax break.
I believe tax incentives for solar-powered stuff is extended through 2008, but most of the Energy-Star-related stuff expires this year.
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Great information, everyone - thanks!
Thanks, Rebecca and commenters!
We have a Sears Kenmore washer & dryer that my parents bought new for us in 1978. It's the set of appliances that won't die. My husband has been quite resistant to replacing it (he's of the "if it ain't broke" school), but once he reads all of this - and he will, when I point it out - well, let's just say I bet we'll have a new front loader by the time 2008 rolls around.
So, thanks again!
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Our expensive, front-loading lemon
About 5 years ago, I did the research and ended up with a very expensive front-loading Bosch washer and dryer. I cannot tell you how much trouble it was, and how much extra water and energy it used due to malfunctioning.
The first time it happened, the repair man explained that anything such as a dime, piece of thread or lint, etc. stops the draining process, locking up the machine and forcing you to drain it manually through a tiny tube at the base of the appliance before re-starting the load. In fact, several grains of sand from my toddler's playclothes caused the sensors to lock up. This used to happen about once a month. If you have ever left anything in your pockets by accident, this washer is not for you.
Maybe they have improved significantly since then, but I recall the repair people telling me that a large proportion of their calls were for frontloaders.
Good luck!
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about detergent
Read somewhere about Charlie's Soap -- you use just a tiny amount of this laundry soap (not detergent) and you don't need fabric softener or much more than a bar of Fels naptha for stain removal (just rub the bar over the dampened stain and then wash). Tried it about two years ago and am totally hooked. No residual detergent left to irritate winter skin or skins conditions, cheap, non-toxic, biodegradeable and very green. charliesoap.com.
So I use that in my Energy Star top loader that cost us $400 at Home Depot. We use cold water to wash almost everything. Our electric bill went way down (we heat the water with electricity) and the machine has very few bells and whistles (just what we need and no more) so that if it breaks, we can fix it. Same with our dryer, which "matches" (they're both white). Why do dryers have to match, anyway?