A Brief Explanation of Front-Loading Washing Machines

August 23rd, 2011

The modern front-loading washer now accounts for early 35% of all new washing machines sold in the United States.  But it has not always been that way.  When top-loading washing machines first appeared in their modern form in the 1950′s, the front-loading washing machine started to take off in Europe.  There were a number of reasons why this occurred.  Front-loading washing machines offered increased efficiency and reduced appliance footprint size (floor space).  These two factors made this style of washer more appealing to the smaller homes in Europe.  Homes in the United States had more space in their laundry rooms to accommodate large capacity top-loading machines.  Low energy and water prices in the United States also contributed to the popularity of top-loading washers.  However, four decades after the modern top-loading washer took off in the United States, the front-loader would return to cater to the new energy and resource conscious culture that was growing nationwide.

The front-loading washing machine is actually a very simple appliance.  The wash drum in mounted horizontally with a door for loading clothes located on the front face of the machine.  A single drive motor and pulley set drives the drum.  Paddles located on the inside of the drum lift clothes and drop them down into a small amount of water sitting at the bottom of the drum.  This repetitive lifting and dropping combined with the detergent and absorption of water into the fabrics is what cleans the clothing.  The most complex system on the modern front-loading washer is the door seal.  This large gasket is responsible for preventing any water from leaking out of the machine during operation.  Most seals also incorporate a folded baffle design that attaches them to the drum and prevents small articles of clothing from slipping out of the drum and clogging the drain.  Early versions of front-loading washing machines suffered from leak problems but most of those problems have been resolved in the past decade.

Front-loading washing machines allow for the use of a relatively small amount of water to facilitate cleaning since the entire drum does not need to fill like in a top-loading washer.  Front-loading washers are also capable of spinning the wash drum at much higher RPM (up to 1200 RPM) allowing for more water to be removed from the clothes before drying.  While front-loaders offer many benefits, they are not problem free.  The horizontal alignment of the wash drum does allow for some water to remain between cycles which can allow the growth of mold and mildew in the washer.  This can produce unpleasant colors and scents in clothing.  This can be prevented by following manufacture’s recommended cleaning schedules which often include weekly cleaning of the door seal, monthly wash drum cleaning cycles and leaving the washer door open between loads.  If clothes do take on an unpleasant odor, washing them with detergent and 1/2 cup of white vinegar can remove the odor.

Overall, modern front-loading washing machines now offer an excellent combination of efficiency and reliability.  They still do have some drawbacks such as limited capacity, long cycle times and additional appliance cleaning steps.  Most front-loading washers are also still priced between $300 and $1000 more than their top-loading counterparts.  But the water and energy savings over the lifetime of the washer often offset these costs.  Find out more about how front-loading washing machines work.

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A Brief Explanation of the Top-Loading Washing Machine

August 18th, 2011

While the washing machine has been around since the late 1600′s, it was not until the 1950′s that it began to resemble what we now have in our homes.  Early washing machines were little more than a primitive washboard and wringer.  However, following World War II, the industrial might of the United States of America turned its efforts towards modernizing the washing machine.  The first modern washing machines featured electric drums and agitators arranged in a top-loading format.  These early automatic washers were expensive and outside the financial reach of many consumers.  However, by 1953 sales of automatic washing machines had exceeded those of the more primitive wringer-type electric washers.

At the same time that top-loading washers were beginning to become popular in the United States, front-loading washers were taking off in Europe.  It would take another four decades before the front-loading washer’s popularity would bring it back across the Atlantic Ocean to North America.  Surprisingly, the modern top-loading washing machine is actually a much more complicated machine than its front-loading rival.  This is primarily due to the gearbox drive that is necessary to rotate the wash drum and agitator separately.  However, thanks to its vertical orientation, the rest of the washing process is aided by gravity.  The large upright drum of a top-loading washer gives it excellent capacity to wash generous amounts of dirty clothes in a single cycle.  However, this capacity comes at a price as the drum must be completely filled with water to accommodate these loads.  The agitator is designed to draw clothes into the center of the drum and downwards in a cyclical pattern during the wash cycle.  Large or buoyant items like pillows and sleeping bags often do not submerge fully and as a result are better washed in front-loading machines.

Overall, the top-loading washing machine has reached the maturity of its technology.  Today’s top-loading washing machines are significantly larger, quieter, efficient and reliable when compared to their earliest predecessors over 60 years ago.  Find out more about Top-Loading Washing Machines.

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Saving Money and Time With Washing Machine Spin Cycles

June 20th, 2011

Have you ever looked at your washing machine’s spin cycle settings and wondered what the real difference between all the different settings is?  What would happen if you decided to use the Ultra Extreme Super Spin option instead of just High?  We wondered the same thing and here is what it all means to you.

Everyone knows that using a higher speed spin cycle will leave your clothes dryer and reduce the time and energy needed to completely dry them.  But how much dryer?  And is there any danger to using super high spin cycles?  To answer these questions we tested out a number of leading front-loading washing machines using a standard mixed load of towels, t-shirts, jeans and socks just like what you probably throw in your washing machine at home.  We ran the washers on a normal cycle but adjusted the final spin cycle speed.  We weighed each item before and after washing on each cycle to determine how much water was left after the spin cycle.  Here is what we found.

Higher speed spin cycles remove more water.  On average each setting removed 18% more water comparatively to the setting below it.  That means that while loads run on super high spin cycles weren’t completely dry, they were significantly dryer than loads run on a high cycle.  Even more impressively they had nearly 38% less water left in the clothes than if we had let the washer use the standard “normal” spin speed.

High speed spin cycles save money.  With nearly 20% less water for each higher speed that you choose, that can decrease the amount of time that your dryer needs to run by about the same percentage.  The U.S. Government reports that the standard clothes dryer is the second largest user of energy in most homes so any opportunity to cut it’s usage by 40% represents a serious opportunity for people to save some money on energy bills.

High speed spin cycles can damage clothes. There is a reason why when you choose the delicate setting it usually uses a lower spin speed.  Modern front-loading washers can spin at speeds between 1100-1200 RPM which is fast enough to stretch and tear delicate fabrics.  Use high speed cycles with caution.  In our tests with towels, t-shirts, jeans, socks and other relatively durable clothing we noticed no damage to the fabrics.

High speed spin cycles can increase vibration. Most consumers don’t plan washing machine loads with a perfect mix of small, medium and large items. A perfect mix allows the washer to automatically counter-balance vibration during spin cycles.  More often we choose to wash a whole load of towels, sheets or area rugs at once contributing to washer vibration.  Setting a front-loading washing machine to super high speed spin with one of these loads can create some pretty significant noise.  Consider installing an anti-vibration pad like our Silent Feet to prevent this vibration from damaging your home and your hearing while still allowing you to take full advantage of the cost savings of high speed spin cycles.

In conclusion, using a higher speed spin cycle on your washing machine can save you hundreds of dollars in energy costs over the life of your appliance.  It will also save you lots of time that would have otherwise been spent waiting for loads of clothes to dry in the dryer.  But caution must be used when washing delicate loads as high speed spin cycles can damage delicate fabrics like sheer, pattern and ultra soft types.  On everything else, save yourself the time and money by taking an extra second to press the Ultra Super Hurricane Spin Cycle button at the start of each load of laundry.

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Innovative Washing Machine Products – GE Profile Series

May 19th, 2011

If you’re looking for one of the world’s most advanced home washing machines then

Side by side GE Profile washer and dryer

The stylish design of the GE Profile series can make it the center of attention in your home

look no further than the amazing GE Profile series.  The latest GE Profile washers and dryers include a huge range of cutting-edge new features like SmartDispense, Overnight Ready, Adaptive Vibration Control, HydroHeater, SteamRefresh, eDry, eWash and Stain Inspector.  Today, we’ll cover these key features and how they can make your life easier.

All washers make claims about great cleaning performance, gentle and fast cycles, efficiency and high tech options, but GE has taken their Profile series to the next level with these great options:

SmartDispense: Unique pedestal that features 3 large capacity detergent and fabric softener reservoirs.  This pedestal can hold up to 6 months of detergent and will automatically integrate with the washer to ensure that the right amount is dispensed with each and every load.  It even dispenses at the precise time.  This great feature ends the mess and hassle of having to measure out detergent manually before each load.

Overnight Ready: Now you can start the washer before you go to bed and in as little as 8 hours your load will be washed and dried without having to move the clothes to the dryer.

HydroHeater: Special internal water heater that boosts water temperature to 160 degrees F to assist in sanitization.

SteamRefresh: Rejuvenates clothes and fabrics using a special steam cycle to remove odors and wrinkles.

CleanSpeak: The washer and dryer can communicate electronically to preset cycle times to help you save time.

eDry: GE’s unique dryer sensor that can reduce drying temperatures and allow for an additional 10% energy usage reduction.

eWash: A very effective cold water wash option that is the eco-friendly way to cut energy usage in the washer by an additional 10%.

GE SmartDispense pedestal

The unique GE SmartDispense pedestal can hold up to 6 months of laundry detergent

Stain Inspector: On-screen program built into the washer and designed to integrate with the SmartDispense system to clean even the toughest stains.  It uses specific combinations of pre-wash detergent, cycle tweaks and temperature adjustments to make sure that your clothes always come out clean and fresh.

Adaptive Vibration Control (AVC): This active vibration reduction system is the latest in a long line of technology features on washing machines designed to reduce the amount of noise and vibration caused during spin cycles.  This system allows the washer to adapt to changing load balances and spin patters to reduce noise caused by out-of-balance loads.  It is still recommended that owner’s install an anti-vibration pad under the washer to absorb the remaining vibration noise.

Now that you’ve heard what makes the GE Profile series so impressive, remember that if you plan on installing this or any other washing machine on a second floor or plywood sub floor laundry room you will need to install a washing machine mat or pad.  Anti-vibration mats and pads assist the washer and dryer’s built in vibration reduction technology and protect against the structural damage that long term appliance usage can cause.  This is no place to penny pinch if you’ve just invested in a great new washing machine and dryer, spend the extra few dollars now on a set of Silent Feet anti-vibration pads and save yourself costly home repair bills later.

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Washing Machine Vibration Facts

April 19th, 2011

Here are a few quick facts on washing machine vibration.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Prolonged use of a front loading washing machine on regular joist floors will cause structural damage.
    Joist construction sub-floor

    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.

  4. 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.
  5. 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.

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The Secret is in the Sorbothane

April 10th, 2011

It’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.

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Save big by renting your next washer and dryer

March 10th, 2011
compact stacked washing machine and dryer

Save big on money, hassle and piece of mind on your next apartment appliance and consider renting or leasing your washer and dryer

A growing number of apartment, condo and home owners are renting appliances.  Selecting and purchasing a washer and dryer used to be a major purchase akin to choosing a living room set or a new car, but not any more.  These very utilitarian appliances can now be rented for a fraction of the price and you never have to worry about them growing too old and obsolete.  Not to mention that you never have to worry about costly repair bills.  The other main advantage to renting appliances is that if your living situation ever changes or you have to move you can end your lease contract without worrying about selling or moving the appliance.

For parents of college age children, it used to be the norm to consider buying them a new washer and dryer as soon as they got their first apartment.  But what happened to that washer and dryer set after just a few years?  It usually ended up in the garage or storage unit collecting dust as soon as they moved or changed dwellings.  There is no need to waste money investing in extra garage ornaments, just rent and rest easy.  So give up the dream of buying a new washer set and trade up to the piece of mind offered by a state of the art rental set.  Just think, no mater what your situation is in the coming years, you won’t have to worry about your washer and dryer.

For added piece of mind, consider adding Silent Feet or Anti-Walk Silent Feet pads to your rental washing machine.  This is especially important for apartment owners.  Add the world’s best appliance anti-vibration pad before you neighbors start complaining about your late night laundry habits.

If you’re in the market for renting a new washing machine or dryer, here are some companies to consider.  Appliance Warehouse deals with many different appliance rental situations including leasing, apartment units, commercial, corporate and home contracts.  Rent-A-Center offers many different rental appliances as well as computers, electronics and furniture.  Azuma appliance leasing company has locations all across the US and makes renting washers and dryer easy.  Similar to Rent-A-Center, Aaron’s offers a diverse selection of electronics, computers, furniture and appliances like washing machines and dryers.  Rent Crusader is another great option for customers looking to rent or rent-to-own a washing machine and dryer.  These are just a few of the national appliance rental chains.  There may also be local rental, lease and rent-to-own washing machine and dryer companies in your area.  Consider this option next time you are in need of a new appliance, but don’t forget that all washing machines benefit from installing Silent Feet or Anti-Walk Silent Feet anti-vibration appliance pads.

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Building your dream laundry room

February 13th, 2011

Whether 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.

For more information about designing your dream laundry room consult a contractor, architect or check out this great article from Consumer Reports.

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Not Your Grandparent’s Washer Pads

January 24th, 2011

The technology of washing machines is advancing at a lightning pace.  Just a few years ago a

Stack of 4 Ant-Walk Silent Feet washer pads

The competition's cheap Chinese neoprene washer pads just don't stack up against the amazing results of Silent Feet washer pads.

washing machine was no more than a big metal box with a metal laundry tub and a timer on it (there may have been a few other electronic bits too).  Overall, all the washer did was fill itself with water, spin a bit, drain, rinse and spin dry.  It had little to no care in the world for what you were trying to wash, how balanced your load was or for how you managed to get a spaghetti stain on your sock.  These days your washing machine likely has more computer processing power than the Apollo lunar lander did.  Washers have digital displays that make George Lucas’s original Star Wars series look a bit ancient and you washer now knows exactly how heavy, balanced and dirty your clothes are at all times.  Kenmore has even introduced a new feature called Kenmore Connect where their washers can communicate their exact mechanical problems with technicians using your cell phone.

Samsung washers now include their outstanding Vibration Reduction Technology (VRT) where a series of large ball bearings spin counter to the off-balanced load of clothing to reduce vibration.  LG  TrueBalance anti-vibration system takes advantage of direct drive motors and counter balance weights to make their washers suitable for installation anywhere including on the second floor.  GE washers use ultra complex suspension systems that rival the suspension in modern luxury cars.

Despite the rapid advances in washing machine technology, most washer pads have not kept pace.  Just walk into any Lowe’s, Home Depot, Sears or Best Buy and you will find average, hard, neoprene rubber washer pads.  These simple pads are really glorified paper weights.  If you put them under your washing machine chances are that all you will gain is an inch of height on the washer.  Compare any washer pad to Silent Feet anti-vibration pads and the difference is clear.  Instead of cheap Chinese neoprene, Silent Feet use ultra high tech Sorbothane urethane.  Sorbothane’s unique carbon urethane properties actually convert vibration energy into heat effectively absorbing it before it can become annoying noise and vibration.  Anti-Walk Silent Feet washer pads use the same Sorbothane rubber but also lock your washer and dryer in place preventing walking and unwanted movement.  Don’t settle for cheap off the shelf washer pads, buy high quality, American made, Silent Feet washer pads to compliment your high tech front-loading washing machine.

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Silent Feet Washing Machine Accessories Are Now on Buy.com

January 12th, 2011

It’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?

Great deals on washing machine accessory pads combination packs

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.

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