DavesRepair.com
   Appliance Repair Help for the 'Handy' from a 40-year Tech! 
   Free Repair Tips, Articles, and Links to Parts at Wholesale


 

 

 

 

 

Home
Contact me
Disclaimer   
(Read First!)

Wholesale Parts!
Vintage Parts

Manuals:
Index
Ampex
GM Frigidaire
Maytag
McIntosh
Speed Queen
Sunbeam
Westinghouse
Whirlpool/KM

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)


My Guarantee

What Customers are saying...

How-to Articles 

Newsletter
Back issues

Dave's Dictionary of Appliance Terms

Garage Door Nation
(Springs, Parts, DIY)

Has my website been helpful?

Free pdf Readers:



Did you Know? 
You no longer need a Paypal account to make payments using your credit card!


Favorite Links

Site Map
A Gift for You


Website owner: 
Dave Harnish
CEO: Sadie
Dave's Repair Service
1911 Heath Hill Rd
New Albany, PA 18833
Email:
drs@sosbbs.com


Psalm 118:8


 

 

 

Official PayPal Seal

The DRSNews

February 2005  
(Happy Valentine's Day!)

In this issue:

1) Washer Installation Tips
2) 2 X 6 Wood Blocks and Dryer Vents 

1) I've had some questions on this subject lately, so I thought it might be a good idea to mention a few washer installation tips 

Leveling

Important, but not nearly as important as 'solidity' to the floor A concrete floor is best wherever possible, but if your wooden floor's on the 'soft' side, a 3/4'' piece of plywood will help. Fasten it down 'hard' with sheetrock screws that are long enough to reach all the way through to the joists below where possible . If your washer has locknuts on its feet, be sure to tighten them to keep the feet from vibrating loose and the machine from 'wandering'.

Water Pressure

20-120 psi is required. Water pressure actually opens and closes the fill valves, and too little can cause constant fill and overflow; too much can burst internal valve diaphragms and also cause overflow.

Drain Requirements

Most machines require a 36" min height from floor , with a  5-6' maximum height recommended . Drain should have some sort of air gap (a normal standpipe provides this) to prevent siphoning (if drain is lower than top of console on top loaders, water will probably drain out during wash or rinse) . Ideally, the standpipe should be at least 24” long above the trap to prevent backup and 'splashback' out the top, onto the floor

Fill hoses

Always use screens, either those already in the fill valve, or added at the faucets if the back of your washer's hard to reach. Resist the urge to remove the cold screen if it clogs frequently - removing it will 'get' you, and the flooding isn't pretty when it happens! Fittings are same size as garden hose 

Always turn off supply faucet(s) when the washer's not in use. Very few people actually DO this - only those of us who have seen what happens when a fill hose bursts with no one at home (that's when they always seem to burst - how do they know?!)

'Snug' fill hoses with pliers, not just by hand, 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!)

Transporting a Previously Installed Washer

Restrain tub movement; jam blanket between cab & tub if possible, or reinstall original shipping hardware (rarely available)

Especially important with front loaders: be sure to save that original shipping hardware, just in case.  These machines are easily damaged if transported without the shipping hardware installed (I'm tempted to say 'don't worry about this - most FL's don't last long enough today to have a second owner - but I'll leave that for another DRSNews <grin>).

Transport upright only, to avoid risk of oil leakage, suspension and cabinet damage, etc.

2)  Here's a little trick I've been using for many years, whenever I see a dryer that tends to 'migrate' back toward the wall and sneakily smash its vent. After replacing the damaged duct, I grab a piece of 2 X 6 lumber and drop it behind the dryer. 

I cut and carry several different lengths in the van, most commonly 5, 6, and 7 inch pieces, and this has been a quick 'fix' for this problem. 

Sometimes the washer (out of sympathy?) has moved back too, so you may want to inch it forward to match the dryer, just to make everything look nifty.

I see this quite often, especially on more slippery floors, of course. And it's sneaky - the dryer may move back a slight amount at a time, and you won't realize it's even happening - until the clothes start coming out wet, or the heat shuts down entirely when the thermal fuse blows. 

Just another little detail you'll want to watch out for.

                                                      ***

Your Friend,

Dave Harnish
Dave’s Repair Service
New Albany, PA
drs@sosbbs.com
www.DavesRepair.com
(570) 363-2404

Guys, remember this, especially around Valentine's Day: 
"A woman has the last word in any argument. Anything a 
man says after that is the beginning of a new argument."

Proverbs 31:10

Where to find it:
The Testimonials Page: 
www.DavesRepair.com/testimonials1.htm
DRSNews back issues:
www.DavesRepair.com/DRSNbackissues/DRSNindex.htm
How-to Articles:
www.DavesRepair.com/DIYindex.htm
Current Parts Specials: 
www.DavesRepair.com/SaleParts/partsspecials.htm
Vintage Parts: 
www.DavesRepair.com/vintageparts.htm
Manuals of all kinds:
www.DavesRepair.com/pdfmanuals/manualsindex.htm
You're Invited to My Ebay Store! Come in and Browse!
www.stores.ebay.com/DavesRepairService

 

 

 


"Nothing astonishes men so much as common sense and plain dealing" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sign up for PayPal and start accepting credit card payments instantly.

Home | Site Map | Contact me | Parts Specials | Laundry Manuals  
Vintage Appliance Parts | McIntosh Manuals | Ampex Manuals | DIY Article Index
| Marketing Resources
 

 
 

All Content on This Website is
© Dave's Repair Service
New Albany, PA
All Rights Reserved
Nehemiah 9:6