Should I buy a top loader or front loading washing machine?

Saw this on CTV News last night, “Top or Side? Should you go with a top or side-loading washing machine?” You can watch the video online, of course, but to summarize:

Top- loading washing machines are cheaper to purchase, but front-loading washing machines will save you money throughout the lifespan of the appliance because it uses less water and removes more water from your laundry during the finally spin cycle. Less water means shorter dryer times equals greater savings.

Consumer Reports, the agency that tested over 71 types of washing machines, estimates that decreased drying times will save the average household $130 a year.

Watch the video to see which brands and types of clothes washer were considered a “best buy”.

Front-loading washing machines sometimes have a foul smell associated with using them. This can be caused by mold growing in the gasket or seal of the machine. Wiping your gasket down monthly and leaving the door ajar after each load will help prevent this. If you still have problems, try a HE Washing Machine Cleaner like Affresh™ Washer Cleaner or WasherFresh to get rid of smelly washing machine odors.

Related Links

• Clothes Washer and Washing Machine Repair Help
• Washing Machine Replacement Parts that ship to Canada
• Kenmore Washing Machine Parts
• Maytag Washing Machine Parts
• Danby Washing Machine Parts and Accessories

Recall of Thermador® Built-In Ovens Due to Fire Hazard

Consumers with Thermador Brand built-in double ovens should stop
using their oven’s self-cleaning mode and check to see if their oven is one of the 37,000 being recalled due to a fire hazard.

Model and Serial Number Location

The oven’s manufacturer, BSH Home Appliances Corp., of Huntington Beach, Calif., has received three reports of incidents, including two that resulted in fires that damaged surrounding cabinets. No injuries or deaths have been reported. Gaps in the oven’s insulation can lead to overheating, posing a fire risk especially when the oven in is the self-cleaning mode.

SEC,SECD 272 and 302

Consumers should immediately stop using the oven’s self-cleaning mode and contact the firm to schedule an inspection and free repair, if necessary.

The recall involves Thermador Brand built-in double ovens with model numbers C272B, C302B, SEC272, SEC302, SECD272 and SECD302 and serial numbers between FD8403 through FD8701. Model and serial numbers are located on the underside of the control panel.

The ovens were sold at appliance and specialty stores throughout the U.S. from June 2004 through July 2007 for between $3,000 and $4,400.

For additional information, contact Thermador at (800) 701-5230 24 hours/day, 7 days/week, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.thermador.com

C272 and C302

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10118.html

My refrigerator/freezer in my garage does not work

Question: I have read about the issues of a freezer not working in a garage as the temperature drops. We just went through a very cold spell (minus 30 degrees C most days) and the freezer stopped working (the fridge part seemed to continue working properly). As the temperature rises, will the freezer begin to work on its own again, or have we permanently damaged it?

Answer: Possibly, although time will tell if you have damaged your refrigerator. Refrigerators are not designed to be in cold areas. If the temperature goes too low, you will cause excessive wear on the compressor.

If you  decide to leave a refrigerator in your garage  all winter, you should turn it off, clean it out, and leave the door slightly ajar. This will help prevent mold and mildew from accumulating in the refrigerator.

For our friends that live in places where is only occasionally drops below 10 Celsius  (but remains  above freezing) and they might want to keep their  refrigerators humming,  with a  Garage Refrigerator Kit.

The Garage Refrigerator Kit is a  heater kit designed for Top-Freezer-No-Frost refrigerators. The kit supplies a little bit of heat so that the refrigerator portion of your appliance detects an increase in ambient temperature, signaling that more cold air  is needed from your freezer. Cold air is then produced in your freezer, keeping frozen items frozen and  keeping refrigerated items at their proper temperature.

Related Part Links:

• Garage Refrigerator Kit
• refrigerator replacement parts
• Refrigerator Repair Help

Refrigerator Parts

• Whirlpool Refrigerator Parts
• Inglis Refrigerator Parts
• GE Refrigerator Parts
• Kenmore Refrigerator Parts
• Maytag Refrigerator Parts
• Sears Refrigerator Parts

Why is my humidifier leaking?

Answer: Your household water supply feeds the humidifier. Yours may have a reservoir or use a continuous flow system.

Check the water connections and valves for leaks. Reservoir systems use a float ball to control the level of water in the holding tank. Make sure the float is working properly.

If your humidifier is a continuous flow set-up,you want to make sure that all the hoses, valves, and tubing are connected tightly.Plastic fittings and hoses have a tendency to break down over time. You will also want to make sure that the filter and drain lines aren’t clogged or kinked in any way.

Due to expansion from heat, and contraction from cold, sometimes fittings become loose. Put a wrench on and make sure the   connections are snug and secure.

More Humidifier Repair Help and Fixes

• Why doesn’t my Humidifier work at all?
• Why is my Humidifier so noisy
• Why is there no water going through the flow pad?
• Should I clean my Humidifier?
• Why doesn’t the pad spin?

Humidifier Parts and Cleaners in Canada

Ontario introduces time-of-use pricing

Be careful what time  you run that dishwasher or turn on your washing machine, it could be costing you more money. Thanks to time-of-use pricing, now being expanded to all of  Ontario as of  January 8, 2010, it will cost hydro power consumers more money to run their appliances during peak power usage times.

Residential electricity consumers are charged a premium when they consume power during weekday peak periods – from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the winter months.

Toronto Hydro Customers have been on the time-of-usage plan since the end of 2009.

WEEKDAY PRICING:

SUMMER (May 1 to Oct. 31)

• Off-peak / 9. p.m. to 7 a.m.
• Mid-peak / 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. / 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• On-peak / 11 a.m to 5 p.m.

WINTER (Nov. 1 to April 30)

• Off-peak / 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
• Mid-peak / 11 a.m to 5 p.m.
• On-peak / 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. / 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

WEEKENDS AND STATUTORY HOLIDAYS: all hours are off peak

APPLIANCE / Off-peak 4.4¢ per kWh / Mid-peak, 8¢ per kWh / On-peak. 9.3¢ per kWh

To view estimated costs and savings, Visit

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/in-ontario-electricity-pricing-is-a-matter-of-timing/article1423424/

Whirlpool Clothes Dryer WED5100VQ not spinning and belt not broken

Question: I have a Whirlpool Electric Clothes Dryer, Model Number

WED5100SQ0 and when I set the timer the heating element turns on, however, when I hit the start button the clothes dryer does not tumble. I checked the clothes dryer belt and it is fine. There is no noise when I hit start button on my clothes dryer and it does not turn on or start. What can be wrong?

Answer by ApplianceJunk.com, Appliance Repair Advice

Whirlpool Electric Clothes Dryer, Model Number WED5100SQ0

It sounds like a problem with the motor or motor switch. A start switch is mounted on the front of the motor. It could be stuck in the “run” position because the heater element should not have power unless the motor is running and that motor switch is tripped.

I would take it apart and see if the motor has a lot of lint build-up around it making the start switch stick.

View repair diagrams for a Whirlpool Electric Clothes Dryer, Model Number WED5100SQ0

View replacement parts for a Whirlpool Electric Clothes Dryer, Model Number WED5100SQ0

LG Dehumidifiers recalled due to fire and burn hazards

Consumers should immediately shop using the following recalled Goldstar and Comfort-Aire 30-pint portable dehumidifiers due to a fire and burn risk involving a malfunction in the unit’s compressor.

The recall involves 30 pint portable dehumidifiers sold under the brand names Goldstar and Comfort-Aire.

Manufactured by LG Electronics Tianjin Appliance Co., of China, the company has received 11 reports of property damage incidents allegedly  involving the dehumidifiers including  arcing, heat, smoke, including four fires that spread to the building structure and involved significant smoke/water damage. No injuries have been reported.

The dehumidifiers are white with a red shut-off button, controls for fan speed and humidity control and a front-loading water bucket. “Goldstar” or “Comfort-Aire” is printed on the front. The model and serial numbers are printed on the interior of the dehumidifiers and can be viewed after the water bucket is removed.

Check the chart below to see if your dehumidifier is being recalled:

Brand	Model No.	Serial Number Range	Sold at
Goldstar	GHD30Y7	611TAxx00001~08400 611TAxx08401~40600 612TAxx00001~20400 612TAxx21001~30600	Home Depot
Goldstar	DH305Y7	612TAxx00001~00600 701TAxx00001~16800 702TAxx00001~03000	Wal-Mart
Comfort-Aire	BHD-301-C	611TAxx00001~01697 612TAxx00001~04200 701TAxx00001~00578 710TAxx00001~00599	Heat Controller Inc.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dehumidifier, and contact LG to determine if it is included in the recall and return it to an authorized LG service center for a free repair.

For additional information, contact LG toll-free at (877) 220-0479 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday and between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. CT on Saturday for the location of an authorized LG service center for the repair, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.30pintdehumidifierrecall.com

The dehumidifiers were sold across Canada and the U.S. from January 2007 through June 2008  at Home Depot, Walmart, and Heat Controller Inc. for between $140 and $150.

Ontario Power Authority will haul away your old refrigerator for free

Book your appointment with the Ontario Power Authority to have your old refrigerator hauled away for free. Go to

Book your appointment to have your old refrigerator hauled away today.

http://everykilowattcounts.ca/residential/fridge/ to see if you qualify for this free service. The OPA will make sure your refrigerator is recycled in an environmentally-responsible way and very little will be sent to a landfill waste.

According to the OPA website, you can save $120 – $150 a year off of your electric bill when you switch to a new ENERGY STAR® refrigerator.

Some additional energy efficiency tips you can follow:

• Don’t overfill the refrigerator – this blocks air circulation.
• A full freezer will perform better than an empty one.
• Clean your refrigerator’s coils (in the back) and air intake grill (below the doors) every 3 months.
• Allow hot foods to cool before putting them in the refrigerator.
• Keep refrigerators and freezers out of direct sunlight, and allow at least 5 cm all around the unit.

You can also have that old air conditioner or dehumidifier hauled away and recycled as well.

• Window air conditioners and dehumidifiers must be:
• in working condition
• 10 years of age or older

• window air conditioners must be removed from the window prior to pick up and placed near a power source.

For more help, visit http://everykilowattcounts.ca/index.php

A stain guide for the holidays: how to remove stains from your holiday attire

The holidays mean dressing up and eating and drinking which can be the perfect combination for stains.  Here’s a quick how-to guide for removing stains:

• Red Wine – If it’s red wine, wet a paper towel and blot with cool water. You can also use white wine to neutralize the stain or try club soda. Spot treat remaining stain with a laundry detergent and launder according to care label.
• Candle Wax-   Scrape off as much hardened wax as possible, then place paper towels both over and under the stain and use a warm iron to melt remaining wax.  Or, place garment over a bowl of hot water and pour boiling water over the stain spot until stain is removed. Spot treat with laundry detergent and wash in the hottest water possible that is still safe for the fabric .
• Chocolate – Pre-treat with stain-remover and work detergent in with fingers and let it stand for 20 minutes. Launder in the hottest water possible that is still safe for the fabric .
• Fruit juices, cocktails – Wet a cloth with warm water and club soda and blot. Rinse in cool water.
• Red Sauce Stains (Salsa, Cocktail Sauce, Spaghetti) -  Turn garment inside out and work from the “back of the stain” flushing it with cold water. Wet a sponge with white vinegar and sponge stain then rinse with cool water. Repeat as necessary to remove as much of the stain as possible.
• Grease stains (Salad dressings) – Shake on talcum powder or cornstarch to soak up as much oil as possible and pre treat stain with a detergent. Let soak, the launder.

Don’t be caught unprepared! A take along stain remover like Shout® Wipes, or the Tide To Go® stain removal pen works wonders. Stock up and take it along with you to your next holiday party.

For more Stain removal help, here are some great sites:

• Shout Detergent Stain Removal Guide
• GoodHousekeeping.com’s Stain Buster Guide
• Real Simple Magazine’s Stains Guide

Rid your dishwasher of smelly odors

New Affresh™ Dishwasher Cleaner is your once-a-month solution for

Affresh™ Dishwasher Cleaner, new once-a-month solution for Dishwasher Odor

smelly Dishwasher Odors.

Simply add an Affresh tablet to your dishwasher and Affresh will penetrate and dissolve any foul odors from your dishwasher, leaving your dishwasher smelling fresh for up to a month. Each package contains 6 tablets and is recommended by such notable dishwasher makers as Amana, KitchenAid, Maytag, and Whirlpool.

Order Affresh™ Dishwasher Cleaner in Canada through APWagner.ca.