FRONT-LOAD VERSUS TOP-LOAD WASHERS

Does front-load or top-load washing machines best suit your needs, that is the question. If you’re in the market for a new washer you might need to take a look at some of the great new technologies with the appliances. Take a look at these pros and cons of both front-load and top-load washers before deciding which one is best for your needs.

Energy Efficiency

The most energy-efficient washers tend to be high-efficiency top-loaders. Research and testing indicates that the highest-efficiency is the top-load washer vs. front-load or top-load with a center agitator. You can save on energy, water, detergent,  and money when you decide to get an appliances that is Energy Star Certified.

The difference between a front-load washer and top-load washers is that a traditional top-loader will float your clothes in water and rotate them with a center agitator. A front-load washing machine rotates the drum to move the clothes, rather than having an agitator in the center.

Most high-efficiency top-load washers don’t have an agitator. Instead, there’s a wash plate at the bottom that creates turbulence for the clothes. A test between a high-efficiency top-load washers vs. front-load machines, high-end front-loaders tended to use less water and were more effective at cleaning clothes.

Cost & Features

When making any major appliance purchase, your two primary considerations are likely to be cost and features.

Front-loaders use less electricity. According to research front-load washers cut electricity use by up to 50% when paired with an electric hot water heater.

Front-loaders leave clothes less wet at the end of a wash cycle.  Front-load machines spin faster than top-loaders, and therefore leave clothes 10% drier, which means that your dryer doesn’t need to work as hard or dry as long, which also translates to energy savings.

Front-loaders can be more costly at purchase. As with any appliance, the upfront cost will depend on the brand and how many features you choose. But, on purchase price alone of comparable models of top-load vs. front-load washers, the front-loaders tend to be more costly.

Pros and Cons of Top-Loaders

Even if you have already made a determination that a top-load washer is right for you, you still want to understand the top-load washing machine pros and cons so that you can make a well-reasoned purchase. Here are things to consider when purchasing a top-load washing machine:

Clean and Gentle. High-efficiency top-loaders tend to clean clothes better and be more gentle on fabrics. 

Faster spinning means less drying. While one of the high-efficiency, top-load washing machine benefits is that it spins faster than a machine with an agitator, it also means that fast spinning could cause clothes to tangle, so you want to be sure to untangle items before placing them in the dryer.

Large capacity. Because of the high-efficiency of a  top-loader has no center agitator pole, it has more room and can accommodate a bigger load of laundry.

Less vibration. One common washing machine complaint is that the appliance can cause a vibration on certain kinds of floors. Often this is less of an issue for a front-load washer versus top-load washer, but the high-efficiency top loader versus front-loader has an even better Consumer Reports score on vibration.

Less opportunity for mold growth. Mold growth in front-load machines has been a problem for a long time, and it actually has been the reason for lawsuits against some large appliance manufacturers. However, Consumer Reports indicates that mold doesn’t seem to be an issue for high-efficiency top-load washing machines.

Significant potential for repair costs. High-efficiency top-loaders tend to be more complex than standard top-load washers, and the more features that are added to an appliance, the more opportunity there is for something to go wrong. In the comparison of high-efficiency top-load versus front-load washers; there are similar maintenance and repair costs because of the complexity of both.

We hope this is a great guideline for you to understand the difference in features between a front-load washer versus top-load washer. Please contact us if you have specific questions for your laundry needs and our team can definitely find you a solution that works best for your needs.

Why is it so important to inspect a dryer vent?

How do you inspect a dryer vent?

Dryer vents clogged with lint are the cause of an estimated 15,000 house fires each year. There are three parts to the dryer heat exhaust system:

1. The transition duct from the dryer to the permanently installed vent
2. The hard metal vent duct itself
3. The duct termination. Let’s start with the transition duct, and a list of what we look for:

• The transition duct should be securely connected to the dryer at one end and the vent duct at the other.
•  It should not be crimped, damaged, and be a single length not longer than eight feet. Two transition ducts connected together are not allowed.
• The transition duct should be ul rated. We look for the ul sticker (ul 2158a), but it is not always visible. Unrated plastic foil vents are not acceptable and a fire hazard.
• The entire length of the transition duct should be visible. It cannot run through a wall, floor, or any other construction.
• Lint and dust buildup behind the dryer is an indication that the transition duct is damaged or not securely connected, and the lint should be removed when the transition duct is repaired.

What to check at the vent duct:

• Duct should be a stiff metal (minimum 0.016 inch thick) with a smooth interior surface. Ribbed ducts are no longer acceptable and are noted as a safety defect.
• Connections of duct sections cannot be made with sheet metal screws that stick into the duct.
• The maximum length of a straight duct is 25 feet, with a 5 foot reduction for each 90-degree bend and a 2.5 foot reduction for each 45-degree bend. The 25-foot length restriction does not include the transition duct.

The Duct Termination:

• Ducts must terminate at the exterior of the home, not in an attic, crawl space, or—worst of all—interior wall. A clothes dryer can exhaust as much as a gallon of water as vapor that will condense on the surfaces of an enclosed space and lead to mold infestation. Many mobile home manufacturers put a sticker at the dryer location in the laundry like the one above, because termination under a home is such a problem.
• The termination should have a back-draft damper, typically a set of louvers that open under hot air flow, and should not have any type of screen in place.
• Dryer vent should not terminate within three feet of any door or window openings into the home. Also, although it is not mentioned in the building code, locating a dryer vent termination directly behind an air conditioning condenser is problematic because the escaping lint collects on the condenser coils and eventually clogs them.
• The building code defers to the dryer and vent manufacturers regarding length and size of ducts, so exceptions to some of the standards may be allowed per manufacturer. For more information on dryer vent sizing, see our blog post  “what is the maximum length for a clothes dryer vent?”
• Maintenance and regular cleaning of the lint at the filter screen at the dryer and the duct interior is also important. The consumer products safety commission provides fire prevention guidelines for dryer maintenance in their fact sheet below.