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2 things to know about washing machines
 Maintenance and repair of washing machines stayed largely the same for numerous decades until now...
Over the the last few years, manufacturers have dramatically changed designs and the way clothes are cleaned.
Here are two things you should know:
Water Consumption
Walk into any shiny appliance store and you'll find washing machines stickered with low-water-consumption-related selling points. You may wonder: How can clothes be properly cleaned with such a minimal amount of water?
"An older top-loading washing machine fills its tub with enough water to completely immerse the clothes in water," explained Terry Spencer, a RepairClinic.com staff appliance expert. "Newer top-loading washing machines have water recirculation pumps that move wash and rinse-cycle water from the bottom of the tub and recirculate it over the clothes from the top."
 Front-loading machines use less water by calling on gravity to create agitation. As the drum rotates, clothes are moved above the waterline and dropped back into the water, repeatedly. Front-loading machines are said to use half the amount of water as top-loading machines.
Popular high-efficiency top-loading washers have small agitators; they lift and tumble, in a similar way as front-loading machines. Water consumption is similar to that of a front-load washing machine.
Pricing on these machines varies greatly so those in the market for a new one should understand the differences before making any decisions.
Washing machine spin speed & dryer energy consumption
Newer top-loading and front-loading washing machines spin at twice the revolutions per minute as older models.
Newer models of top-loading machines spin at 950 to 1,100 revolutions per minute. New front-loading models clock in at 1,100 - 1,300 RPM. By comparison, older models of top-loading machines have an average spin speed of 500 - 600 RPM.
Faster spinning = less moisture = shorter dryer usage = reduced energy consumption
An average full load of clothes placed into a dryer contains approximately a half gallon of water. As the clothes tumble, the heat and air flowing through the load removes the moisture. The less moisture present, the faster the drying time.
Of course, in order for the moisture to be removed efficiently, dryer venting should be cleaned regularly and the lint screen should be cleaned after every use.
Shop for washing machine and dryers parts and accessories here.
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