Washers and Dryers and Softeners..............................OH MY!

It was Black Friday Weekend, Big L and I was at Lowes on Saturday just doing some general shopping for nothing in specific. While we were there I thought it would be a good idea to look at washer and dryers just to see which way the doors open so I could plan the placing of the mechanics of the room. I know I want Whirlpool because it is the leading MADE IN THE USA appliance manufacturer. It was inducted in the MADE IN THE USA Foundation Hall fame and you can see the full article http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/whirlpool-corporation-inducted-into-the-made-in-the-usa-foundations-hall-of-fame-125557918.html.  But here is a excerpt:

About Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of more than $18 billion in 2010, 71,000 employees, and 66 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world.  The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major brand names to consumers in nearly every country around the world.  Additional information about the company can be found at www.whirlpoolcorp.com.




While we were there I seen a pair of Whirlpool Cabrio's on sale for $998.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!  That is $600.00 off!! But wait! These were not my "dream washer and dryer" This was a top load washer! WT????? NOOOOO!!!!!! I want to be new and modern and cool and hip and happening! I can't be all that with a top load washer! Everyone know that you need to a pair of front loads to be a part of the in crowd. The front load Whirlpool Duets (which is rated #1 by Consumer Report) were in the neighborhood of $2200.00 for the pair. Way more than I wanted to spend on a couple of boxes to wash and dry my clothes. Crap! So I bought the Cabrio's and top load washers are actually better at scrubbing clothes and you can also wash comforters.  As far as the dryer goes, I hang out laundry more days than I use the dryer. They were on back order so Lowes will be delivering them on Dec. 21, 2011. I smell a deadline here........................................ 

A while back my water softener took a dump. I haven't bothered replacing yet but living in the country with a 35 foot hand dug well there is a need for a softener and/or a water conditioning unit. I figured it was something I better call an expert about. I called to companies and here is how it went:


Company A: You have A LOT of rust (duh) in your water. You will NEVER get all of that rust out with just a softener. And you are going to need a reverse osmosis unit for drinking, blah........ blah.......blah...


 Here is what I recommend:


Water Softener-                $1595.00 to buy OR $15.95 a month to rent
Water Conditioner:           $2095.00 to buy OR $29.95 a month to rent
Reverse Osmosis:              (somewhere around $15.00 a month, not sure because I had quit listening by this point)


Company B: You have A LOT of rust (duh). Let's take a look at what you got and see what we can do.


After looking at the plumbing here is what we came up with:


Fix old softener and set it up with a different resin base for rust and clean up all of the old plumbing and make it work better. (Pics to come!)


Labor:   Approx- $1500.00 dollars and reusing (recycling) what I have.




Went with Company B and by the way these were both locally owned companies.