New washer and dryer. Wow on the energy savings!

[Brian26]

I caved in and replaced our 10+ year old still working washer and dryer with a Samsung pair about 2 months ago. I was reluctant as I am sure many of you are with all the electronics and stuff that could go wrong on these new units. But I kept the old ones in the basement just in case something goes wrong and have a 5 year extended warranty on the new set. If one has issues I can swap in one of the old units in literally a few minutes.

I hooked up my kill-a-watt meter on the washer and was blown away that it only used 0.15 kwh on the normal wash setting for an entire cycle. Our most recent city water bill was also reduced by about $30 and that was with only 2 months of use. The dryer has dried clothes in a fraction of the time of the old one due to the 1200 rpm spin cycle on the washer. The clothes are just damp coming out and cut my dryer run time in half. So far I am very impressed.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Awesome!

 

[Where2]

I know the feeling of doubt, we replaced a perfectly operating set of old mechanical timer top load washer (Kenmore), and simple mechanical timer dryer (Maytag) that still worked to install our first Samsungs. I didn't have space for two sets around the house, so we dumped the old appliances on CL for $150 and managed to get around $125 for the pair. We have now had our Samsung front loaders for 9+ years. We actually own two sets, now.
Over 9+ years of use (on the original set), faults have been limited to inlet valves (both hot, & cold, but not at the same time), one front seal (replaced as preventative maintenance) and the rubber flapper valve on the drain pump outlet (simply bought a new pump to obtain this simple part, considered the pump preventative maintenance). The electronics have actually been flawless, although the house has a whole house surge suppressor.
Just for comparison sake, I have my kill-a-watt on the washer right now, running a "Normal" cycle load to see how this compares to your consumption. (straight "normal" runs 0.18kWh on mine, a "Normal+Extra Wash+Extra Rinse+Prewash" is 0.40kWh)

We hope the second set we bought (second hand) work as flawlessly for us, as our first set. We dragged the second set 2,000 miles to our farm (occupied seasonably at best), and parked them there. The second set was picked up off CL in pieces. The washer came from a set where the dryer had issues within the first year and the owner got the store to buy the dryer back. That got us a 15 month old washer for cheap. The dryer (with a pedestal) came from someone who didn't know how to repair appliances. It had a broken belt, had a faulty heater element replacement that could have burned their house down and it needed the drum rollers replaced (one was missing entirely). After I got done replacing parts on the dryer, it had a new belt, a new heating element, 4 new drum rollers, had had a thorough cleaning inside, and should basically work as new. I searched an entire summer for a used set near the farm, at best they were 2+ hours away, and were priced at or above what I ended up spending for the set I have now.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Our washer has been flawless. The dryer has had 2 faults. We've had them probably 5 or 6 years. The first one was hose buildup that fried a fuse. I couldn't figure out how to get the top open so I called a repair guy. I watched him open the top so I'd be ready next time. Next year I was ready. The error was, well, I don't remember what the issue was. It was something I couldn't test like a fuse and I narrowed it down to that thing. I ordered it online and swapped it out, making sure I cleaned everything really well before I put it together.

Sadly, it's a gas dryer and the wife has never liked it. She likes the absolute dry feeling you get from electric dryers.so, the dryer runs 2x as long as it really needs to. But electricity per btu is 6x more expensive than gas. I say nothing and make sure the hose is clear every year. That reminds me. I should check it now that it's the end of the year and I'm cleaning the basement...

 

[Where2]

Sadly, it's a gas dryer and the wife has never liked it. She likes the absolute dry feeling you get from electric dryers.so, the dryer runs 2x as long as it really needs to. But electricity per btu is 6x more expensive than gas. I say nothing and make sure the hose is clear every year. That reminds me. I should check it now that it's the end of the year and I'm cleaning the basement...

Keeping the dryer vent line clear is amazingly important to proper function, no matter what heat source your dryer uses. I'm fortunate that mine makes two 90° bends through a telescopic (periscope shaped) flat sheet metal hose, and then exits through the exterior wall. I can clean 60% of the duct by hand with a flashlight from the outside of the house, if I just remove the plastic duct cap flaps. My sister's house requires the bottle brush looking gizmo and climbing on the roof!! Not sure who thought that was going to be convenient for routine maintenance??

One of the reasons our 4.4kW PV array can only generate 55% of the energy our home needs is due to the enormous energy consumption of running our electric dryer. The nearest gas line is 3 houses away, and adding natural gas would add to our monthly bills thanks to the gas company's $20 minimum monthly meter charge. We can't put a gas well in the backyard, but I could install a ground mount PV array to make more cheap electricity... Back before we changed out several appliances (dryer, water heater, & stove), we debated bringing gas to the house.

 

[peakbagger]

Time to look for a heat pump dryer if you need to run a dryer with solar.

 

[sloeffle]

Time to look for a heat pump dryer if you need to run a dryer with solar.

I looked at those when they first came out. I wonder what the ROI is? They are about twice the cost as a standard electric dryer though. Our HPHW cut our electric bill by $50.

 

[Brian26]

I looked at those when they first came out. I wonder what the ROI is? They are about twice the cost as a standard electric dryer though. Our HPHW cut our electric bill by $50.

I looked into the heat pump dryers and with having solar panels they were not worth the extra cost. My new Samsung dryer has a eco setting that supposedly uses 25-30 percent less power. Looking at the energy star ratings my new dryer is just slightly below the heat pump dryers in power usage.

https://www.energystar.gov/productfinder/product/certified-clothes-dryers/results

 

[peakbagger]

Not sure its easy to compare apples to apples on a Heat Pump Dryer compared to a resistance based dryer.

If you have room for more PV and are grid tied I agree its may be better to put in more panels.

 

[georgepds]

Old dryer habit.. wood stove in the winter, rope in the sun during the summer

Once you get used to it, it's second nature

 

[3fordasho]

Old dryer habit.. wood stove in the winter, rope in the sun during the summer

Once you get used to it, it's second nature

Started doing more of this, hang stuff up in the furnace room, especially heavy towels or jeans. Electric dryer is 3 years old and still a current energy star rated model. Still when it's used for a few loads my daily electric use doubles or triples (from 12-14 kwh to 30+). Normally I buy gas dryers but this time went electric because of everything else there was to do for a move, no time to run the required gas line. Starting to regret that decision now.

 

[OhioBurner©]

I need to get one of those kill a watt and see what my washer is consuming in power. But I only do a couple loads a week so I can't imagine the efficiency of a new unit would make economical sense (and I'm on well, so water/sewer cost of no concern). It's old mechanical unit, so far been perfectly reliable for almost 20 years, but guess it could go any time now. Electric dryer!?! I haven't used one of those in a few years, one of the easiest ways to go green! I enjoy the few extra minutes outside in the sun hanging clothes out in the summer, and winter helps humidify the inside air hanging clothes on the rack by the stove. If only they still put lint filters in wash machines now-a-days...

 

[Brian26]

I need to get one of those kill a watt and see what my washer is consuming in power. But I only do a couple loads a week so I can't imagine the efficiency of a new unit would make economical sense (and I'm on well, so water/sewer cost of no concern). It's old mechanical unit, so far been perfectly reliable for almost 20 years, but guess it could go any time now. Electric dryer!?! I haven't used one of those in a few years, one of the easiest ways to go green! I enjoy the few extra minutes outside in the sun hanging clothes out in the summer, and winter helps humidify the inside air hanging clothes on the rack by the stove. If only they still put lint filters in wash machines now-a-days...

My Samsung washer has a lint filter on it. It's quite suprising how much lint gets sent out the drain line when I empty it. I think I heard those on septic it's bad to have all the lint sent into the tank.

 

[Highbeam]

My Samsung washer has a lint filter on it. It's quite suprising how much lint gets sent out the drain line when I empty it. I think I heard those on septic it's bad to have all the lint sent into the tank.

It is bad! Those fibers are often synthetic so they don’t digest and worse than that is that they don’t settle out properly so the fibers shoot into the drain field and plug it with plastic.

Modern Samsung front loaders have a lint filter on the discharge line? Is it easily accessible for cleaning? Mind blown!

 

[woodgeek]

It is bad! Those fibers are often synthetic so they don’t digest and worse than that is that they don’t settle out properly so the fibers shoot into the drain field and plug it with plastic.

Modern Samsung front loaders have a lint filter on the discharge line? Is it easily accessible for cleaning? Mind blown!

My LG does.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Still keeping a 17 yr old Kenmore front loader on backup duty for a new GE Hi efficient top loader. Been using it for work clothes just to keep it hydrated. I have to say i think the front loader go the clothes cleaner and was more stingy on water and electric, and the GE top loader is kind of noisy.

 

[Highbeam]

My LG does.

My whirlpool has the coarse filter before the discharge pump but it is only good for catching nails, coins, and small clothing from getting wound up in the pump. Lint requires a very fine filter.

Also, the coarse filter is not easy to get to plus dumps a gallon or more of liquid when you open the filter chamber.

 

[OhioBurner©]

My Samsung washer has a lint filter on it. It's quite suprising how much lint gets sent out the drain line when I empty it. I think I heard those on septic it's bad to have all the lint sent into the tank.

Wow I am surprised, my mom has been complaining for years about lack of lint screens ever since her ancient washer went up, and I looked too and didn't see any (but not looking at expensive units). My washer isn't tied into my septic tank it goes out in the yard with the gutters and floor drains, but still it's quite a mess on my clothes when I leave a kleenex in a pocket once and a while. I don't like the idea of bleach in the septic either, though I rarely use it. I'm re doing my laundry room right now, probably wont be finished until spring/summer time frame, unsure if I want to plumb it back into the septic like it was or keep it on the grey water drain.

 

[CaptSpiff]

OK, stop keeping it secret, where is the lint filter on your Samsung or LG front loaders?

I have a old Roper agitator with a lint screen at the base of the agitator. I have to lift out the agitator and run my finger across it to clean it each wash. I also have my wife's old stocking rubber banded to the discharge hose, and a lint trap in the washtub drain. I can't believe how much lint I trap in each of these successive items.

My dad put the fear of god into me about discharging into the cesspool and clogging it. Haven't needed the sewer guy in 20+ years, so I'm sticking with what I know.

Trouble is,... wife wants the new front loader, and I don't see any lint screens.

 

[venator260]

Wow I am surprised, my mom has been complaining for years about lack of lint screens ever since her ancient washer went up, and I looked too and didn't see any (but not looking at expensive units). My washer isn't tied into my septic tank it goes out in the yard with the gutters and floor drains, but still it's quite a mess on my clothes when I leave a kleenex in a pocket once and a while. I don't like the idea of bleach in the septic either, though I rarely use it. I'm re doing my laundry room right now, probably wont be finished until spring/summer time frame, unsure if I want to plumb it back into the septic like it was or keep it on the grey water drain.

Be aware that this is against code in some places. I put in a new septic this summer; part of that was plumbing everything into the septic system

Not that I think it's harmful to discharge laundry water to the woods. Other places allow the use of grey water for irrigation. Just not in PA

 

[woodgeek]

@Highbeam has it right....I think mine, while full of lint sometimes is more of a coarse screen.

 

[3fordasho]

OK, stop keeping it secret, where is the lint filter on your Samsung or LG front loaders?

.

My LG front loader has a filter access door in the front lower left corner. Also a small drain hose in there. Cleaned it for the first time last night (my bad) and didn't find much in there. As others mentioned, pretty coarse filtration, for pump protection and not so much for lint.

 

[CaptSpiff]

My LG front loader has a filter access door in the front lower left corner. Also a small drain hose in there. Cleaned it for the first time last night (my bad) and didn't find much in there. As others mentioned, pretty coarse filtration, for pump protection and not so much for lint.

Yup, that's what I suspected, pump protection. Guess I'll just continue the "stocking and drain lint trap" process. Anyone else drain into their cesspool and use lint trap methods in the laundry tub that work?

 

[semipro]

Concerned about the lint going into our 30 year old septic field I installed a fine screen filter at our clothes washer discharge. I found we had to empty it often -- pretty much every load (lots of pet hair). The amount of synthetic lint we caught convinced me we needed to keep the stuff out of the drain field so I installed something like what's shown below.

 

[CaptSpiff]

..... The amount of synthetic lint we caught convinced me we needed to keep the stuff out of the drain field so I installed something like what's shown below.

What is that and hows it work?