Last week there was a crack in my confidence. The washing machine wasn't emptying the soapy water or the rinse water unless I went downstairs to open and close the lid a couple of times. I wondered how long I could cruise with the machine needing to be babysat before it conked out altogether.
Monday was the (un)lucky day. I'm thankful the family's laundry was all completed before the machine died. On Monday all that remained to be washed was the tarp we used to help transport our Christmas tree from the tree farm to the car, and from the car to the house.
When I opened the lid, I saw some seriously dirty soapy water in there, and it was not going anywhere no matter how many times I opened and closed the lid. I felt like I was manipulating a giant ugly muppet.
The repairman was on his way. When he arrived and he opened and closed the lid just one time and it started draining right away. Does that kind of thing only happen to me?!?!?
After a few tries, he did get it to fail. And then he had his diagnosis. I needed a new one of these:
Cost including the house call was a little over $100. (Significantly less than a new machine). Being able to do my family's laundry at home in my own basement again, priceless.
4 comments:
Whew! Trip to the laundramat - averted!
We've had good luck using doityourself websites about appliance repair. My dryer is 20 yrs old, it's probably just a matter of time. The dishwasher died at the end of the summer and we just had a repair guy in for the diagnosis yesterday - it can't be salvaged. I wonder why we go through dishwashers every 2 years at this house. Back home, we had the same Kitchen Aid the entire time I was growing up.
Priceless indeed! Growing up my mother refused to give up her wringer washer. Even when the washer part conked out, she kept it because the spin cycle on her new machine wasn't as good as running the clothing through the wringer twice -- at least that is how she saw it.
I'm glad it was a small fee and not a fortune for you.
Mossback: where did you get that dryer? We had a repairman in Wednesday and were told that the repair for our 8 y.o. dryer (less 7 summers of clothesline use) would be at least $225. He actually came pretty close to saying outright - get a new one. I expected the appliances we bought 8 yrs ago when our kids were 4&5 to outlast the residence of our kids in our home. Silly mommy.
Heard both from Mr. Repair Man and the Home Depot man that appliances that used to be made to last 20 years now are made to last 10.
Where is the green community here? Where is the outcry about landfills filling up with 2-10 y.o appliances? We too replaced a dishwasher last Christmas upon finding out that it would cost more to repair than replace. The dishwasher was less than a year old when we bought the house.
Seriously, if there is a grassroots movement to change this, tell me. I'm onboard.
You were so lucky to get someone to fix your machine for $100. Here it's $100 to just walk in the house and tell you what's wrong. When our 12 yo washer died we figured it was time to get a new and I'm loving the new one :) Now I just hope my 25 yo dryer hangs in there knock on wood ;)
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