Washing machine leak

[sawduster]

It would appear that the tub seal on our whirlpool clothes washer has given up the ghost :wsad:
the washer is about 8 years old

Opinions please ........fix or replace ( the machine ) ? If fix then is it something that a fairly mechanical minded fellow ( me ) can do myself ?

of course The Shoppe Widow is voting for replacement :gar-La;

Any and all input welcome :icon_thum

 

[Gotcha6]

I vote for keeping the Shoppe Widow happy.:gar-Bi
Who knows? It may get you some points towards more shop tools.
Look at the High Efficiency models. They use less water & detergent. You both will like that.:icon_thum:icon_thum You may also be eligible for the appliance tax credit.

 

[CarvedTones]

My favorite commercial for the newer units is the one where the guy goes in to the store with all the people who have been trying talk him into the new units (for mostly touchy/feely reasons) and says he isn't sure and the sales guy tells him the energy cost savings on the dryer will pay for the washer. That is true. And after that it will pay for other stuff...

 

[Skymaster]

Saw: Make moma happy but yes go for the HE units. Secondly, the seal is probably no more than 25 bucks that is the good side: the downer is that to change that seal you have to basically disassemble 85% of the machine, of course once you do that then the gremlins come out to play.
Jack :gar-Bi I got that T shirt and some spares

 

[Ben325e]

I just wrote a paper for an engineering economics course the other week on the very subject of when to replace faulty washers and dryers. Considering the age of your previous unit, you'll most likely be best served by getting a new washer. The advantages offered by the HE units today allow the new washer to "pay for itself" in a decent amount of time.

The biggest bang for the buck washer I could find was the LG WM2050C. Very reasonable cost, performance as rated by consumer reports was on par with many of the much more expensive washers, and it's annual operating costs are very low.

And please, no one ever pay several hundred dollars for one of those "bases". That's just money in the bank for the manufacturer.

 

[Travis Porter]

Ditto on getting a new unit. I need to do that myself. My washer's spin cycle isn't what it used to be making the dryer run longer. If you think about the age of what you have, and the opportunity for the motor, transmission, or electricals to fail, not to mention what a pain they are to work on, I suggest getting a new one.

 

[Wolfpacker]

8 yr old doesn't seem that old...our first one lasted us 22 yrs, course I replaced the clutch twice, top gasket once and worked on the rotary timer a few times, but did I mention that I LOVE to fix things ?

Anyway, I have learned that the US Gov has set aside money for a "cash for appliances" program and each state has to come up with it's own program. Here's a link to the Lowes site program. Not sure if any other stores will be doing this, but am guessing they will. There will be a 15% instant rebate, plus the benefit of any store sales or mfg rebates in force at the time. It's only four days and you may not be able to wait until late April to replace yours, but wanted to let you know about it.

http://www.lowes.com/cd_Cash+for+Appliances+Energy+Rebate+Program_134104238_

We replaced our washer with the Fisher Paykel unit which is DC drive and after 8 1/2 yrs, I haven't had to do anything to it at all. Quiet, energy efficient...so far, so good.

Good luck!
Brent

 

[Travis Porter]

Linky no worky.

 

[Wolfpacker]

Well, that's the URL for the info. Not sure why it doesn't work other than it's a computer :BangHead:

Go to Lowe's website and type in "cash for appliances" in the keyword box. It'll get you there in another click or two.

Brent

 

[JackLeg]

Bro, put a bullet through the pump and go get Ms Debra a new machine!! It'll pay dividends in many ways!
:wsmile:

 

[FredP]

+ 244..... get new. I know a guy who can get ya a good deal!:rotflm:

 

[LeftyTom]

Yeah, buy new. With washing machines, usually it only pays to fix if it is a timer, water valve, or the pump is clogged (won't spin out water).

 

[Glennbear]

I would side with the replacement camp. I watched my Dad wrestle with washer repairs many times and attempted a few myself. As has been said, the seal entails major disassembly and the rest of the machine will still have 8 years of wear and tear on it. :tongue2: A dryer would be a different story since they are a lot less complicated to repair/maintain. Besides Lowes, you might want to check Sears since their ads claim they can compare prices from their in-store computers. When I moved down here I needed a dryer and shopped Home Depot and Lowes and the price difference was great enough that I ended up driving the 40 miles to buy one from Lowes. The bottom line is, compare, compare, compare. :wsmile:

 

[JackLeg]

Check Consumer Reports.org for the latest skinny on washers and dryers.
:wsmile: