A Soggy Saga

Becky writes:

Yesterday we got a new washer and dryer. The story actually started months ago. Our old washer would leak every time we ran a load. It was worse if the load was big. I learned to just keep the dirty towels in front of the washer and wash them last. It kept leaking and gradually got worse. I kept one of those fancy absorbing towels beside the washer, wringing it out between loads. Dan decided we needed to have a repairman come check it out.

Finally I called Sears to set up a repair check. After a bunch of messages and choices, I gave up and set up the appointment on the computer. Luckily there was also a note about getting an estimate before repairs and the option of not using the repairs and applying the fee to a new purchase. I figured the washer was dead and needed replaced.

The Sears repairman was to come between 8 am and 5 pm last Saturday. He was here promptly at 8 am ! He started to look over the washer. The timer was having trouble and needed replaced. The tub was leaking and needed replaced. In order to give us an estimate, he checked on his computer. The timer was recently phased out. Then he checked on the drum. He said that his computer laughed at him! The washer is over 25 years old! I guess it is time to replace it.

Dan and I went shopping that afternoon to find our replacement. We thought about toughing it out with the leak, but it would also spin black oily stuff onto the clothes as it “cleaned” them when using warm water. We checked at RC Willey and then went to Sears. The salesman at Sears was strange. He seemed more like the stereotypical car salesman --- slimy. He gave costs that were not exact and pushed his ideas.

After getting as much info as we could, Dan and I grabbed some lunch in the food court. We really liked the salesman at RC Willey, but Sears was having a tiered sale, one item 10% off, two items 15% off, three items 20% off. It was the one we used two years ago when we remodeled. After looking at all the numbers, we thought that if the RC Willey guy could knock the price down (they are paid on commission) we would go there. We wanted to make sure of the exact deal at Sears, so we went back. The first salesman was gone and the new one (from 2 years ago) was much more helpful.

We found a nice washer and dryer, front load, by Bosch. Sears had a washer that had been a floor model, so it was marked down. We bought those, and the pedestals, along with a new freezer. It made the 20% discount and the old freezer has been dying for a long time! We set the delivery for yesterday between 2 and 4 pm. I got an automated call from Sears telling me my merchandise was ready to be picked up. I called Sears and their computer had us down to pick up our things. AS if we could pick up all of that! When I talked to a real person, he was going to check to see if it is a local delivery. He would not know until the next morning which was Saturday!

Saturday morning Sears finally called about 9:30 . We are on the schedule! The installers showed up around 3 pm. We had cleared out the laundry room and cleaned under the old appliances. They started putting together the washer and dryer on the pedestals. They took off the front door to get room. After they got the old appliances out, they began bringing in the new ones. Unfortunately our old dryer had a strange plug. The people who lived here before had used a range outlet instead of a dryer outlet. That meant that we would need a different plug for the dryer. Dan decided he could do that himself since the installers are not cleared for that.

After the washer and dryer were in the laundry room, the next problem came up. The installers had gotten the old freezer out of the basement by removing the door. The new freezer is about the same size, but it requires a special tool to take the door off. The installers did not have one!!! They had to leave it on the carport and come back on TUESDAY to bring it in. They took off the old plug from the dryer for Dan to put on the new one. So they were finally done (as far as they could) and left.

When I went down to look at things earlier, I found out that the dryer and washer had the doors going the wrong way. We needed to swap the sides! As long as we were doing it, I wanted to do it right, so that meant that we needed a longer plug and dryer out vent. Dan and I went to Home Depot and brought the old plug. We found a longer one. Finally we got home and attached the new plug, swapped the washer and dryer, got everything hooked up, and working!

Then I had to run to the store to get some high efficiency detergent! Sears was supposed to send some with the machine. There was a bottle of Woolite, but the installers had taken the book to explain the washer and I wasn’t sure how to use the liquid. I first went to Smith’s grocery store, none there. I went to Walmart. Luckily they had some! I finally started the first load last night at 8:30 !

I left a message at the installers office to have them bring my washer instruction book on Tuesday. I also need to take the dryer plug back to Sears as it is a separate charge and we had to buy a longer one. I also want them to give me a box or three of the special soap, especially since we had such a headache getting everything set up. Anyway that is the story of our new, very cool washer, dryer, and hopefully soon freezer!

At least we can laugh over our misadventures! Well, that was a long story.