Washers & Dryers

Washers & Dryers have a came a long way from the traditional top load washers where you could stuff them to the rim and press go! Washers today have load sensing technology, require HE soap to prevent oversudsing, and have to be correctly loaded to operate properly.

Dryers use sensors, thermistors, thermostats, and computers to sense the dampness of the load and will automatically stop when the clothes are dry.

Your typical washer has around 2-3 computers in them. You normally have a control panel, where you select the cycle you want, there is a main computer which is the brain of the washer, and some machines have a computer that works in conjunction with the motor.

With load sensing technology, the washer will toss the clothes around in the tub, and depending on the amount of electricity the motor is drawing, the washer will then fill the washer with the right amount of water, and the motor will use the right amount of energy to wash the load.

The amount of water is minimal, so you have to use the High Efficiancy soap. This soap is designed to not oversuds, which can cause the washer to take longer to finish, but could potentially damage the washer. The soap also has special binding agents in it, to help attract the dirt moleules and keep them away from the clothes.

It is recommended to use only a tablespoon of soap for regular loads, and 2 tablespoons for a larger load.

The front door seals on front load washers need to wiped down and cleaned after every use. The seal tends to get moldy and have a mildew smell, so it's imperative to keep it clean. If the seal gets too bad, the only option is to replace the seal, which is costly.

With proper maintenance and using the correct amount of soap, your washer should perform optimally.

Dryers normally have 2 computers, the control panel, and the main computer.

The dryer uses sensors, called thermistors, to tell the main computer the temperature inside the dryer. Thermistors are resistors that change resistance with temperature. So as the dryer heats up, the thermistor tells the main computer what the temperature is. Thermistors can fall out of cailbration, and report the wrong info to the computer, this can result in the clothes not drying properly, or even the dryer prematurely shutting itself off.

There is also a moisture sensor in the drum of the dryer and as wet clothes rub on it, it sends a signal to the computer that they are still wet, and will automatically adjust the length of time the dryer runs.

Between all the sensors and computers, there are bound to be some type of communication errors, a lot of the times these errors are due to the dryer being misused. It is imperative to keep the lint filter clean, and vacuum out the lint filter housing frequently. If the sensors get too dirty, they can give misreadings to the main computer.

Another overlooked, but major issue with dryers, is the venting of the home.

If the vent is over 8ft long, with 90 degree elbows, this will restrict the air pressure that comes out of the dryer, this will reult in poor drying times, but add strain to the dryer. If your clothes are taking a long time to dry, or not at all, check the vent hose of the dryer, but also of your home. If the vent has not been cleaned in years, you will need to get a vent cleaning company to clean it out.