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Thread Number: 37931
Minimum laundry room temperatures |
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| Post# 563951 12/18/2011 at 18:27 (4,512 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room) | ||
I have been wondering recently how cold it can get in a laundry room for "safe" washer operation. By "safe" I mean that the washer will survive, and won't have undue wear. Also that the washer will get the clothes clean.
Obviously, the temperature needs to be above freezing. But how far above freezing? I hear stories of washers getting cranky with slow agitation in a basement. Does this present a problem--or just an annoyance? To a degree, this is curiosity--but I am considering setting up a washer in an attached area off the place where I live. It's not directly heated, but it also doesn't hit freezing. Then, again, it never gets very warm out there, either. Except in summer...which, right now, I feel like cannot come a minute too soon, and for reasons more than washing machine operation! | ||
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Post# 563956 , Reply# 1 12/18/2011 at 19:11 (4,512 days old) by Kenmore71  (Minneapolis, MN) |
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I can only offer anecdotal advice on this one. I really don't think it's a major issue with most machines. If the transmissions have a decent amount of lubrication in them they will warm up rather quickly at normal operating speeds.
I will certainly say that my 1967 Maytag comes up to full agitation speed about 10 seconds faster when the the garden level laundry room is 90 degrees in the summer than when it's 50-55 in the winter. I don't think there are really any major issues with getting clothes clean related to a low temperature laundry room. Obviously, if you are putting 140 degree water into a 50 degree machine you are going to start off with somewhat cooler wash water than if the machine and room were 70 degrees. Now if you really need HOT water the simplest solution is to raise your water heater by 10 or 15 degrees when you're going to do laundry. Many of my washing machine collector friends keep their water heaters set between 150 and 155 all the time. One issue I have had in cooler temps is with a DD WP machine in the winter. If this machine is used for a brief 2-4 minute pre-wash, it doesn't seem to warm things up enough for the neutral drain cam to engage. If a more normal 10-14 minutes of agitation is done, then the cam always engages. I don't think this behavior is necessarily typical of these machines and I think is more indicative of the fact that the neutral drain cam and its related parts are worn and should be replaced. But, at least at this point, it seems to be somewhat temperature related. Also bear in mind that in places like southern california and arizona it is not at all unusual to have the landry appliances in a garage, carport or even under an overhang near the back patio. In the wintertime, the days are often relatively warm, but the nights get rather chilly, often in the 40 - 50 degree range. That's my two cents on the subject. | ||
| Post# 564007 , Reply# 3 12/18/2011 at 23:50 (4,512 days old) by laundryshark (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) | ||
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Coin-Op Machines...Sorry for the silly typo. --Laundry Shark | ||
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Post# 564049 , Reply# 6 12/19/2011 at 07:38 (4,512 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
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COLD LAUNDRY ROOM TEMPERATURES Cold temps down to almost freezing shouldn't much if any effect on the machinery or the laundry process in general with a few exceptions. Wash water temperatures will not be much affected in TL washers as the mass of cold material is very small compared to the volume of water being introduced to the machine. This is quite different with a FL or low water use TL washer and in fact it is always had to get a decent hot wash in these type machines. Dryer times will be longer if the room temperature is 50 degrees colder but it will likely still use less energy to run the dryer in a cold room than attempt to heat the room and all the make up air needed for the dryers operation. I have had a 1978 WP Imperial Mark 12 gas dryer out on my screed porch for over 10 years and it is used summer and winter with no ill effects. It is normal for WP DD washers with neutral drain to skip the ND if the transmission is not fully warmed up. Even brand new machines will do this. | ||
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Post# 564065 , Reply# 8 12/19/2011 at 10:29 (4,512 days old) by jamiel (Detroit, Michigan and Palm Springs, CA) |
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I had an unheated garage with a Maytag set in Chicago without problems, although I did put a lightbulb in the tub of the washer for an hour or so before doing laundry. Occasionally I'd notice the water in the cold hose would get frozen, but never had a problem with the washer from the cold (if I forgot to turn on the lightbulb, I wouldn't get water). It was 25 years old or so (center dial) and died. The Frigemore FLs were just introduced at the time, and I inquired of Frigidaire whether they could handle low temps and didn't get a good answer one way or another. Ended up with an Estate (Whirlpool) world-washer (figuring that a washer made for the 3rd world/entire world might be better with periodic freezes).
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Post# 564104 , Reply# 9 12/19/2011 at 15:19 (4,511 days old) by polkanut (Wausau, WI ) |
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 Our laundry room can get as low as 45-50 degrees during a cold snap, so the night before I'm going to do laundry I'll open the door and let the room warm up overnight. IMO it helps the machine, and makes the room more comfortable to be in overall. Whether it really makes a difference, I don't know, but I'm sure it makes it easier on the transmission though. | ||
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