1) We talked about dishwasher installation last time, and it got me thinking that it might be a good idea to take a quick run-through of some installation details of other appliances. I don’t believe we’ve ever covered the subject before, and there are just a few tips that can make things a lot easier.

I’ll start with washers and dryers this time, and we’ll get into refrigerator and range installs in the next issue.

Washers

Leveling

Important, but not nearly as critical as 'solidity' to the floor
A concrete floor is best wherever possible
If your machine has foot locknuts, be sure to tighten them

Water Pressure

 20-120 psi required (water pressure actually opens and closes the fill valves)

Drain recommendations

36" min height from floor
5-6' max height recommended with most brands
Air gap (normal standpipe provides this) to prevent siphoning (if drain is lower than top of console on top loaders, water may drain out during wash or rinse)

Fill hoses

Fittings are the same size as garden hose
Tighten with pliers, and always use new hose washers whenever hoses are disconnected. Trust me on this! It's cheap insurance against leaks.

Always use a dab of silicone-based grease on metal faucet threads before connecting fill hoses - this will keep them from rusting and save you a lot of hassle later, when you need to remove the hoses.  (Skip this step, and you may have to hacksaw them off later!) The same type of grease I use on Whirlpool-built washer brakes (also used as auto disc brake anti-squeal grease) works great. Petroleum greases are hard on the rubber hose washers in the hose fittings, and probably shouldn’t be used. 

BTW, I recommend turning off supply faucets when a washer's not in use.  Very few of us actually DO this - only those of us who have seen what happens when a fill hose bursts with no one at home. And that's when they always seem to fail!

Dryers

Wiring Requirements

Full-sized electric dryers in use today commonly draw 22-24 amps at 220-240 volts AC, so a 30-amp supply circuit is required. That means a 2-pole 30A circuit breaker and 10 gauge copper wire. Called 10-3WG, this actually contains 4 wires: a 3-wire bundle with a 4^th conductor added as a ground (WG:’with ground’).

Electrical codes call for some sort of disconnect at the dryer, either a plug and receptacle or a ‘safety switch’. A disconnect is normally not required if the machine is installed within 30 feet of the breaker box with no partition wall between them, but I definitely recommend a plug and receptacle even if the dryer’s next to the breaker box. Makes life easier all around.

Codes now require a '4-prong' receptacle and pigtail in new installations.

Gas dryers normally run on ‘standard’ 120 volts AC, and can be plugged into any 15A or 20A receptacle.

Mis-wired 240V on terminal blocks

Dryer wiring is color-coded, with the red and black ‘hot’ legs of the 220V always connected to the two outer connectors of the main terminal block on the back of the dryer.

The white neutral lead attaches to the center connector, and the ground, often a bare wire, connects to the cabinet.

Venting

You may already know this, but flexible white plastic dryer vent duct isn’t allowed any more, and most dryer manufacturers won’t honor your warranty if you use it. And your insurance company may give you real problems should you ever have a fire related to the dryer vent if this stuff’s used.

The white plastic duct really gets brittle as it ages. Cracks and air leaks are common. And it will fill with water when it's run through a cold crawlspace or cellar (If this describes yours, at least poke a few small drain holes in the bottom of the duct until you get a chance to replace it). I've seen so many problems with it over the years, I've become a true believer in rigid 4 inch aluminum pipe. Better airflow means a more efficient and safer dryer.

I’ve run about 16 feet of smooth-wall aluminum here at our house for 30 years now, and have had to clean it only twice! I check it every year, but it stays beautifully clean. One of those things that’s worth doing right, because then you can forget about it for a long time.

Also, when running solid 4-inch aluminum duct, don’t fasten the sections together with sheet metal screws or duct tape. The screw points sticking into the inside of the duct will grab and hold lint, and ordinary duct tape will dry out and let go pretty quickly from the heat.

I’ve gotten really good results assembling dryer ducts 2 inch wide foil tape made for the purpose. Lasts a good long time, and you end up with a nice smooth interior wall. It’s used in the heating and air conditioning industry, so you can find it at most any HVAC/plumbing supply store.

If you have no choice but flexible duct, consider using a good quality aluminum product like 'Supurr-Flex'â from Deflecto Corp. This duct is nearly as flexible as the old plastic, but is constructed of 5 layers of aluminum foil, and has been an excellent alternative to flex plastic, which is now illegal in most states. It looks like this:  

Whether you're installing your dryer or just moving it to clean behind it, you'll want to pay close attention to what happens to the flexible duct ‘tail’ behind it when you push the machine back into place. The most common result of a kink back there is a burnt-out heating element or safety thermal limiter, but it can get much worse than that. The flex aluminum is also less prone to kinking than previous materials.

If your dryer is on a slippery floor and prone to 'walking' back towards the wall and smashing the duct, a short piece of 2 X 6 laid on the floor behind the dryer will keep it where it belongs and breathing easy.

2) A whole bunch of you have taken advantage of me ;-) with the 'Two or More Ship Free' sale, and again this month shipping and handling are no charge for any two or more online products, to any US address. But only for DRSNews subscribers.  Regrettably, this has to be limited to US subscribers, as international shipping rates have gotten pretty crazy. 

Here's the current list of parts and tools included: Sale Parts . If you don't see the one you need there, and you're a subscriber, just ask me .

One of the incredible rewards I get from writing this newsletter is the encouragement you've been to me over the years. I want you to know I appreciate you, and this is just one small token 'thank you' that I'm pleased to be able to do for you.

Please feel free to send me any other ideas you might have for subscriber 'perks' I can add for you, and I'll do my best to make them happen. And I'm always looking for suggestions for future article topics and/or manuals, so don't hesitate to send me your ideas.

Swing by and check out my new Appliance Terms Glossary Project if you haven't yet - it's still a work in progress, with the downloadable pdf version almost ready.  Here's what I have online so far: Glossary

Thanks again for allowing me into your inbox! I’ve said it before, but it’s absolutely true: your trust and friendship are my most treasured assets!

May God richly bless you and yours in 2008, 

Dave Harnish
Dave's Repair Service
New Albany, PA
drs@sosbbs.com

Nehemiah 9:6 

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