Every year millions of new washing machines are sold in the United States. Prior to making their purchase, customers struggle to make the best choice based on capacity, wash-cycle time, steam clean options, brand, style, appliance color and price. But few people will evaluate the best location in their home for the washing machine. Almost every new washing machine that is purchased to replace an old or out-dated model will be installed in exactly the same spot that the previous appliance was installed at. But is that the best location? Very few homes have been designed to adequately withstand the constant wear from vibration and impact caused by the washing machine’s spin cycle. All washing machine manufacturers strongly recommend that your washer be installed on a concrete subfloor or a properly reinforced joist subfloor. But “proper reinforcement” is rare. This reinforcement normally includes adding joists, thicker or additional layers of plywood and up-rated fasteners and adhesives used to bond the joists and subfloor. Without this reinforcement, the floor will begin to weaken and degrade resulting in squeaking, sagging, gaps, cracks, and eventually structural failure of the support joists. But before you rush out to find a contractor to reinforce your laundry room, consider this, washing machine manufactures suggest that the best way to protect the structure and floor of your home is to install an anti-vibration pad like Silent Feet or Anti-Walk Silent Feet. The special military-grade rubber in Silent Feet anti-vibration pads absorbs washing machine vibration and prevents it from ever being able to cause damage to your home. The fix is simple and takes only a few minutes to install. So next time you’re shopping for a new washing machine make sure to do your home a favor and pick up a set of Silent Feet anti-vibration pads.
Archive for the ‘Washing Machine Vibration’ Category
Is Your Home in Danger of a Washing Machine Attack?
Monday, December 19th, 2011Washing Machine Vibration Facts
Tuesday, April 19th, 2011Here are a few quick facts on washing machine vibration.
- All washing machines and dryer vibrate. Dryers usually have less vibration than washers because the load is only wet clothes (as opposed to a drum of water and clothes). Front loading washing machines cause high frequency vertical oscillation while top loading washers usually have horizontal oscillation.
- Almost all front loading washing machines are not recommended for use on standard joist-construction floors (most common floor type, compared to a concrete slab sub-floor). Manufactures like GE, LG, Maytag, Samsung, Whirlpool, Kenmore, Bosch and more, all recommend installing a pad like Silent Feet under the washing machine to absorb the vibration.
- Prolonged use of a front loading washing machine on regular joist floors will cause structural damage.
Most laundry rooms are constructed on a joist type floor. Here long wooden joists support a plywood sub-floor. Vibration weakens the joints between all the parts of the floor.
This can result in minor issues like creaks and cracks in the floor all the way to sagging and collapse of the floor.
- The only alternative to using Silent Feet pads to prevent structural damage is costly upgrading of the sub-floor. This usually involves adding a second layer of plywood sub-floor and adding sister boards to the rafters that support the floor. But even this won’t reduce the amount of vibration noise that you hear. Sub-floor upgrades can cost thousands of dollars.
- Vibration can also cause appliance “walking” (unwanted movement) usually during the spin cycle. Simply installing a pad designed to prevent walking can solve this problem and mean that you’ll never have to reposition your washer after every load again. Both Original Silent Feet and Anti-Walk Silent Feet prevent walking, however for washers that move a lot or stacked units it is recommended that you install Anti-Walk Silent Feet for the best results.
The Secret is in the Sorbothane
Sunday, April 10th, 2011It’s no secret that the market is flooded with many different types of washing machine vibration damper pads. There are pads of many different shapes, sizes and materials. There are pads made of recycled tires, neoprene, foam rubber, cork, natural rubber and even complex platforms of steel and springs. But amongst all the options today, one has stood out year after year. That product is Silent Feet Anti-Vibration Pads made with Sorbothane.
Sorbothane is so much more than just a polyurethane rubber. It has been designed to offer the absolute best vibration absorbing characteristics. This means that it is actually what is called a “visco-elastic polymer.” This fancy term means that it has characteristics of both a liquid and a solid. Think of the ideal vibration isolation situation, it would probably involve a material that could significantly deflect and deform to smoothly absorb all impact and vibration energy, much like a thick liquid syrup. But syrup wouldn’t work well for long because it wouldn’t hold it’s shape, so the ideal material would also need to have shape memory, like memory foam. But all foam rubber is made with millions of tiny bubbles in it. Over time these bubble pop and wear out causing the material to become less effective and fall apart. So the ideal material would be a solid rubber with perfect shape memory and a fluid like feel. That is what Sorbothane is.
If you touch Sorbothane you will notice that it feels soft like the palm of our hand. It feels this way because it was actually modeled on possibly the best impact absorbing part of the human body, the soft flesh of your heel. It has very similar characteristics to this natural anti-vibration pad. When you run or walk, the impact energy of your foot on the ground is smoothly absorbed by your foot and heel. If you took a ball of Sorbothane and dropped it on the ground it would only return one tiny bounce before coming to rest. Compare that to a ball made of normal urethane rubber or foam which will return a bounce at least half as high as the original bounce height and then continue to bounce for a long time.
That comparison is the true secret to why Silent Feet washing machine and dryer pads continue to be the number one most effective product. All other rubber pads no matter what material they are made of, even fancy and expensive metal platforms with springs all will cause a violent and strong rebound force. Any time your washing machine is installed on those inferior pads the vibration will amplify and spread. Just like if you dribble a tennis ball with a racket, the ball retains more energy than is dissipates. So make the right choice today and install Silent Feet or Anti-Walk Silent Feet under your washing machine to see a dramatic reduction in vibration and noise. The Sorbothane rubber in your set of Silent Feet pads will continue working just as hard 10 years from now as it will on day 1 to absorb and smoothly dissipate spin cycle vibration.
One final benefit of Sorbothane rubber is that it is made in the USA (Kent, OH) by a skilled American workforce and is comprised of materials sourced only from the USA. The Vibration Solution supports the creation of American jobs for American workers and is committed to delivering the highest quality products to the world.
Building your dream laundry room
Sunday, February 13th, 2011Whether you’re getting ready to build a new laundry room or you’re just renovating a current space there are a few key things you need to consider before you start. It was once the norm for washers and dryers to always be located in a garage or unsightly utility space but the new trend is to make washers and dryers more convenient by locating them closer to living spaces. Not only does this mean that you might not have to haul heavy loads of dirty laundry up and down stairs but it also means that you can add value to your home. New luxury master closets and guest rooms often include their own washer and dryer. Stackable and ultra efficient front loading washing machines make this a very feasible option. Recently washing machine manufactures like Maytag, Kenmore, Samsung, LG, GE and Whirlpool have all added sleek and stylish designer colors to the option list for their washers. Now is the time to take the steps to modernize your laundry room but make sure you consider the following list so that your dream laundry room doesn’t turn into a nightmare.
Take the next step and start building your dream laundry room today but make sure to incorporate proper insulation and Silent Feet Anti-Vibration pads to make sure it's a successful upgrade.
Proper Utilities – There are a few basic utilities that every laundry room needs. They are water, electricity/gas and good drainage. It is especially important to consider the costs of routing these utilities when deciding on a location for your laundry room. When choosing between electric and gas dryers take a look at the current and historical prices for both utilities in your area. If natural gas prices are low and are likely to stay that way then now is a perfect time to add gas lines and invest in an efficient gas dryer. Gas dryers can dry much faster than electric appliances due to decreased warm up times.
Structure – This may be one of the most important items to consider for you new laundry room. If the room has a joist floor (most likely any room without a concrete slab floor) then you will need to add structural strength to the joists using sister boards. Without proper joist strength the vibration of a washing machine will cause damage to the structure of your home. Over time this can lead to creaking floors, sagging floors, cracking, gaps, uneven sub floors and in the worst cases structural collapse. It is also recommended that the sub-floor be made of double layer plywood to add rigidity.
Noise Insulation – No washing machine is silent and even the best washers will still be loud enough to be heard in all nearby rooms without some form of laundry room sound proofing. The best place to start is to add fiberglass for foam insulation in the walls, floor and ceiling of the laundry room. Then make sure that double layers of gypsum or drywall are used. Together this will help to greatly reduce the audible noise from the washing machine and dryer. But that is only half the battle for sound control. The next step is to reduce the vibration resonance noise that is caused when the vibration from the washing machine transfer into the sub-floor. The best way to do this is by installing an anti-vibration washer pad like Silent Feet Anti-Vibration pads. The patented Sorbothane rubber in these pads features a unique molecular structure that converts vibration energy into silent heat energy. The combination of proper insulation and Silent Feet anti-vibration pads will guarentee the quietest laundry room.
Style & Design – Finally, you will need to choose the fit, form and function of you dream laundry room. The wide range of colors, styles and types of washing machines and dryers gives you a huge amount of flexibility. Traditional top loading washers are great for families who need lots of laundry capacity and short cycle times. Efficient front loading washers are the best choice overall if you don’t mind that they may take up to twice as long as top loaders during the wash cycle. Compact and stackable washers are a perfect choice for apartments, condos, master bedrooms, guest rooms or anywhere that space is at a premium. Keep in mind that stackable washing machines have are more likely to walk or have unwanted movement during spin cycle so it is best to install an anti-walk device like Anti-Walk Silent Feet.
Silent Feet Washing Machine Accessories Are Now on Buy.com
Wednesday, January 12th, 2011It’s official, you can now order Silent Feet and Anti-Walk Silent anti-vibration pads for washing machines from Buy.com. Now you and over 14 million other Buy.com customers have access to all of our industry leading washing machine accessory pads. Purchase with confidence through Buy.com’s safe and secure checkout system which is protected with state of the art SSL encryption technology. Trust that you will receive outstanding customer service from Buy.com’s world class customer service representatives. Enjoy the ability to order Silent Feet anti-vibration pads while also buying other great items like books, movies, clothing and appliances. But even more importantly you’ll get a great price on every purchase of washing machine and dryer accessories made from Buy.com and you can even take advantage of fast free shipping on products like Anti-Walk Silent Feet anti-vibration accessory pads.
Why buy washing machine accessories from Buy.com?
Now you can order Silent Feet and Anti-Walk Silent Feet value packs from Buy.com
- Low Prices & Great Deals
- Bigger Selection, Better Buying
- Great Customer Service
- It’s Safe and Secure
- Award Winning Site
- Over 14 Million Customers Trust Buy.com
Buy.com and Amazon.com are also the only sites to carry Silent Feet Combo Value Packs. These packs offer great value pricing on Silent Feet and Anti-Walk anti-vibration pads for front and top loading washing machines and dryers. Check both sites out today and add Silent Feet to your home. It’s never to early to start enjoying the peace and quiet that these simple but effective appliance accessory pads offer.
Washing Machine Anti-Vibration Pads Make a Perfect Post Holiday Gift
Monday, December 27th, 2010Do you know someone who got a fantastic, shiny, new front-loading washing machine for Christmas? Chances are that they missed out on getting one of the best and absolutely necessary washing machine accessories. Major washing machine manufacturers like Samsung, LG, Whirlpool, Maytag, Frigidaire, Kenmore and GE all require their front-loading washing machines to be installed on anti-vibration pads. This is because the high frequency vibrations caused by the spin cycle can cause annoying noise and very serious long term structural damage to you home. Waiting to give this essential washing machine accessory to a loved one could cost you more than a few harsh feelings. Silent Feet and Anti-Walk Silent Feet anti-vibration pads for washing machines and dryers are the best pads available today. Our new Second Generation pads feature the latest technology and materials that provide the greatest vibration reduction and durability.
If you know someone who received a new washing machine for Christmas from any of the following popular brands tell them to order Silent Feet anti-vibration accessory pads for washing machines today. Waiting could result in thousands of dollars in costly home repair bills and a very tragic end to their holiday season.
Most popular front-loading washing machine brands:
- Samsung
- LG
- GE
- Maytag
- Whirlpool
- Frigidaire
- Kenmore
Is Your Washing Machine Doomed to Years of Vibration and Noise?
Monday, December 6th, 2010Never before have washing machine manufactures been ranked based on the vibration and noise characteristics of their products. That is until now with the latest release of test results from The Vibration Solution. Our test engineers have been busy in their lab testing washing machines from every major brand and even a few minor brands. The results of their tests have finally been compiled. Below is a ranking of each washing machine brand by the vibration that their family of washing machines generates during operation. The lower the score, the better. Higher scores indicate that the washing machine created significant and violent vibration throughout the majority of it’s cycles. Any brand scoring near 100 should be avoided. The industry average rating for front-loading washing machine vibration was 55. The average for top-loading washing machine vibration was significantly lower at only 23. But don’t pick your next washing machine based only on its vibration statistics.
Just because a clothes washing machine doesn’t generate as much noise as one of its competitors doesn’t mean that it won’t keep you up at night. Noise is another major problem especially with new front-loading washing machines. That’s why we have also included noise ratings as part of our evaluation. A perfect example of this issue can be seen on the results for front-loading washers. While Amana, Miele and Electrolux all scored well on vibration none of them were as quiet as Whirlpool machines. So consumers looking for a good balance of both a quiet and balanced washing machine should strongly consider Whirlpool for their next purchase. But not all washers are created equal. While some brands are better than others, consider that there still may be a few black sheep in every brand’s family of appliances. Steer clear of individual models with poor or below average vibration and noise ratings. These ratings can be found in our 2010 Washer and Dryer Buying Guides.
Other good front-loading washer brands to consider are Maytag, Kenmore and Samsung. All three of these brands scored better than the industry average on vibration and also scored well on noise. Buyers should avoid Speed Queen, Asko, Bosch, GE and Frigidaire washers if possible. While some washers within each of these brands do offer a good balance of noise and vibration performance, most do not. Over the past few years we’ve heard from many very upset Bosch owners who complain of serious vibration and noise. While Bosch has been slowly improving their appliances, they still have a long way to go before they will be competitive in the laundry appliance industry.
For consumers looking to buy a new top-loading washing machine, consider that while most offer the same low level of vibration, LG performed the best in our noise tests. GE and Fisher & Paykel washing machines also performed well with Kenmore following close behind. Avoid buying Frigidaire and Roper top-loaders as they suffer from severe noise issues during most of their cycles. Staber top-loading washing machines performed poorly in vibration tests, but their overall noise rating was on-par with the industry. Still, Staber should be avoided as a brand until they can resolve their vibration issues.
The Latest Generation of Anti-Vibration Pads Has Arrived for Washing Machines
Sunday, August 22nd, 2010
The compeition just doesn't stack up against the amazing results of Silent Feet pads.
3 years ago the first generation of Silent Feet were sent to the test labs. Just a few months after that they made history as the number one anti-vibration pads for washing machines and dryers. Today, we are proud to bring you the next generation of Silent Feet pads. To engineer and build this latest appliance accessory we had to take our design back to the drawing board and totally re-created it. We started with the same superior Sorbothane rubber as the primary vibration isolating material, but this time added a second top layer of stiff rubber. This second layer of rubber provides a second wall of vibration resistance to the pads. Then we added unique ridges to the top of each pad to help lock your washing machine in place. After installation, the rubber ridges deform slightly allowing for a custom fit on every installation. Finally we polished our molds and finished them with the highest grade of Teflon coatings to give every one of our products a clean, brilliant shine to accent the high gloss finish on modern washing machines.
Never before has there been an anti-vibration pad that offers all of these benefits and looks this stunning. In fact, these new Silent Feet make all other washing machine pads look like, big ugly blocks of rubber. Just like before, our Original Silent Feet offer easy installation and can be installed in most applications in less than 5 minutes. Also like before, our Anti-Walk Silent Feet offer the best solution to eliminating unwanted appliance movement and “walking” without using any glue or adhesive. All of this has been provided at the same great price as before. And just like before, all of our washing machine pads carry a 10 Year Limited Warranty against defects and material failure.
The 2nd generation of Silent Feet pads makes our product line-up even better than before.
Still not convinced that we’ve outdone ourselves? Then give our products the greatest test of all. Install them in your home and if you’re not completely satisfied that they have solved your washing machine vibration and noise problem, simply return them. We’re so convinced that you will love them that we still offer our 100% satisfaction guarantee. Take this opportunity to try them out today. You’ll see and hear the difference one the first load of laundry and on every load after that for years and years.
Consumer Reports Tests Silent Feet Anti-Vibration Pads
Thursday, June 17th, 2010A posting on the Consumer Reports website has officially confirmed that Silent Feet as well as other anti-vibration pads
for washing machines are in the labs for testing. This marks the first official independent comparison of vibration isolation pads. The washing machine anti-vibration pad industry is only a few years old. The Vibration Solution was one of the first companies to really begin putting significant funding towards research and design on washing machine noise and vibration reduction. Prior to 2007, most R&D was done internally at major appliance manufactures like Maytag, Whirlpool, Samsung, LG and General Electric. However, as the front-loading washing machine market expanded, it became clear that the major manufactures were falling behind on providing noise and vibration protection products.
The Vibration Solution began product development in 2005 when the company discovered a loud consumer outcry for a real anti-vibration product that worked for washing machines. Prior to the release of Silent Feet, consumers were forced to resort to a wide range of cleaver but not always effective alternatives. Some examples included tennis balls cut in half, rolled up gym socks, cow and horse mats, anti-fatigue mats, rolled up towels and our favorite, sitting on the washing machine. None of these really solved the problem of washing machine noise and vibration. Our company, realizing that no regular rubber would provide enough vibration dampening, contacted Sorbothane. Sorbothane had already developed cutting-edge solutions for NASA, the U.S. Military and NASCAR. Together our engineers developed Silent Feet Anti-Vibration Pads. After 2 years of exhaustive testing to ensure that every Silent Feet pad would withstand years of use and abuse without degrading, Silent Feet were officially released.
Now, just a few years later and with a market now filling with knock off imitations, Silent Feet have officially been recognized by Consumer Reports as one of the leaders in the industry. Check out the August issue of Consumer Reports Magazine and Consumer Reports Online for full details of the tests.
A Hole-in-One for the New Whirlpool Duet Steam Washer – Review
Monday, May 3rd, 2010Despite a troubled past and rumors of mold and mildew issues in older Whirlpool washers, the company has blown away the competition this
The perfect accent to your stylish laundry alcove
year with one of the best new front-loading washing machines on the market. There really isn’t anything you can complain about with this year’s Whirlpool Duet Steam Washer. I guess maybe if you wanted one in a blue color then maybe it wouldn’t be the perfect addition to your laundry room. But for those looking for a white, Lunar Silver or Cranberry Red addition to their laundry alcove, you will be pleased with the color selection.
But on to the serious side of this review. In terms of overall performance for getting dirt and grime out of clothes, the Duet Steam Washer does it’s job very well. It’s 90 minute cycle time right about in the middle of the pack, but it sure gets the work done. Unlike other washer’s in this category, it’ll keep your clothes looking new for years to come thanks to it outstanding gentleness. But it’s gentle on more than just your clothes. This washer is one of the most quiet and vibration free in the industry. When installed properly, following all of Whirlpool’s guidelines it will operate without upsetting your sleeping babies or evening dinner party. Just make sure that this beast has a well supported and level subfloor to rest on. Whirlpool recommends no more than 1″ of slope under the washer. If your laundry room floor doesn’t quiet live up to Whirlpool’s requirements, they recommend that you add a sheet of 1/2″ plywood for bracing or install an anti-vibration pad like Silent Feet from The Vibration Solution.
The Whirlpool Duet Steam is also gentle on your wallet. Besides earning the Energy Star rating, it’s also already priced only $700 to $850 in most markets. And the savings will keep on coming as you’ll qualify for excellent government Cash for Appliances tax credits. Not to mention that you’ll quickly notice a drop in your water and electrical bills. The Duet Steam has earned CEE Tier III validation and uses 74% less water than before. Compare it to your old top loading washer and this baby is thrifty as they come using a whopping 80% less electricity.
The perfect couple: Whirlpool Duet Washer and Dryer
The Whirlpool Duet Steam will keep you happy for years to come. Beyond the 1 year warranty, Whirlpool has consistently ranked as one of the most reliable manufacturers of front-loading washing machines according to Consumer Reports. And don’t worry about getting left behind the technology curve. Whirpool’s steam cleaning technology is forging to the front of the pack and looks to be one of the must have’s in the coming decade. So rest easy, wash quietly and add the Whirlpool Duet Steam Washer to your home today.