Washing Machine - Hot Water

[paulklee]

I need a washing machine with hot water capabilities due to an allergy issue. We don't have a running hot water supply in the house, just the usual on demand shower water-heaters.

Before I launch into a major research and buying exercise (I find every sizable purchase in Thailand somehow becomes a major project! ) I wonder if anyone has gone through this before or has some info about it? I'd appreciate it.

Is there a washing machine available in Thailand that would heat up the cold water supply water internally? Presumably it will cost more than a cold water washing machine but the purchase cost will be an issue. Would the water heating costs be on a par with say a kettle or the shower heater, depending on rating?

Any other ideas very welcome, it's my ten year old who has the house dust mite allergy and we are going through all the things we can change to create a better environment: more aircon use, better aircon filters and cleaning, HEPA air-purifier, hypo-allergenic pillows, anti-allergen mattress covers, soft toys laundered, new sofa, de-clutter, eucalyptus spray, lots of cleaning etc - phew, that's a lifetime's work right there.

Also, we have two cats - I know, I know - but don't talk about them going cos I think I would get kicked out first!

Anyway, a hot-water washing machine to tackle bedding cleaning is needed. Any ideas? Other suggestions?

[harrry]

Very expensive on electricity if you can even get it. Your house wiring probably won't be enough here.

Sun drying everything is a more effective answer. not in the shade but in the sun.

[paggamb]

Most of Front Load Washing Machines have electric heater inside. For this catagorie, the cheapest choice seem to be 7 kilos capacity Samsung or LG at the price around 15k baht.

[Hssl]

+ 1 front loaders

[cnx355]

I have a LG front loader that can heat water to 40 C 60 C 95 C.

Runs fine !

Go to Home Pro or other appliances store. They have many brands available that heat water.

[ignis]

Yes have seen Front loaders have this............

Myself near 8 years ago now, fitted a normal shower water heater on the wall by the washing machine, and connected my 11kg

top loader to it.. 8 years on all I can say it works well and cost a fraction of a front loader with internal heater.price

Of course you cannot set to say a 90 degree very hot setting......... but you can turn the pressure right down so the water comes of the the wall heater slow and hot.

Edit: another option..... I lived in the Algarve Portugal for 13 years, there I had a coil of black tube on the roof in the waterline to the washing machine, you learn at what time of day to wash, by mid afternoon the water was very hot, ideal time to wash towels and bedding, the other washes I did in the morning.......... There are always ways around buying expensive.

Edited September 11, 2012 by ignis

[thaicbr]

Also. Tesco lotus have a wide range of front loaders from 13.999b. Electrolux etc

sent from my Wellcom A90+

[paulklee]

Many thanks for the suggestions, I should have thought of the front loader option, silly me. For various reasons, a front loader is not my favoured option, tho. I had thought of a shower heater on the wall beside the washing machine but how does it work automatically, if the washing machine doeasn't have a hot water input to start with? I don't fancy having to attend to a shower heater manually with an automatic washing machine.

For your interest I hope, I did find another suggestion on the web. Wash the clothes normally, dry them normally, then run them for 10 minutes in a tumbler dryer, that is reckoned to kill the mites and the allergens that weren't killed in the cold water wash. OK, I need a tumbler dryer, maybe very expensive to buy but a better running-cost bet than heating a lot of water? Still unsure.....

[paggamb]

I think shower heater is automatic control by water pressure. When the washing machine needs water, shower heater will open same as your normal shower use. For your safety, add Safety Breaker to cut off electricity both heater and washing machine when not in use.

[ignis]

I had thought of a shower heater on the wall beside the washing machine but how does it work automatically, if the washing machine doeasn't have a hot water input to start with?

Sorry don't follow......... why would a washing machine need a hot water input ?

My washing machine the only 'water in' pipe in screwed into the wall mounted heater...... as per having a shower you can set the temperature as you want..

Myself mostly only use hot to wash, so yes you must go back to machine and move the heater to cold to rinse. 1 x 2 second job, if that is to difficult then rinse in hot, or buy a washing machine with a heater if you have 20,000 odd baht extra to spare

[thaicbr]

I had thought of a shower heater on the wall beside the washing machine but how does it work automatically, if the washing machine doeasn't have a hot water input to start with?

Sorry don't follow......... why would a washing machine need a hot water input ?

My washing machine the only 'water in' pipe in screwed into the wall mounted heater...... as per having a shower you can set the temperature as you want..

Myself mostly only use hot to wash, so yes you must go back to machine and move the heater to cold to rinse. 1 x 2 second job, if that is to difficult then rinse in hot, or buy a washing machine with a heater if you have 20,000 odd baht extra to spare

Some top loaders have hot and cold water pipes. They rinse with cold water.

sent from my Wellcom A90+

[jbrain]

Very expensive on electricity if you can even get it. Your house wiring probably won't be enough here.

Sun drying everything is a more effective answer. not in the shade but in the sun.

Don't know if you noticed already but we entered the 21th Century some time ago.

Modern frontloading machines like in the west are available in Thailand at any respectable electro dealer.And yes they use electric,same as a waterheater does.

[HardenedSoul]

Very expensive on electricity if you can even get it. Your house wiring probably won't be enough here.

Unbelieveable

Utterly unbelieveable

[David006]

our twins were allergenic to dust mights and other things when small....bigger problem in the west with all the soft furnishings carpets etc.

although we did use hot water washing.....tumble dryer was most effective methinks.

Dryer is probably more convenient here as a few minutes at high heat is effective rather than the rather extended cycle of front loaders..just a thought..good luck

[AyG]

then run them for 10 minutes in a tumbler dryer, that is reckoned to kill the mites and the allergens that weren't killed in the cold water wash.

If you Google the subject, you'll find that 10 minutes isn't enough. Government-type sites suggest 30 minutes to one hour. That'll be expensive.

I also think that buying a cold water washing machine + tumble dryer is probably more expensive than buying a front loading machine.

[ignis]

Cheaper to wash only on hot sunny days, you can leave them drying in the sunshine for 4 hours or so

[David006]

then run them for 10 minutes in a tumbler dryer, that is reckoned to kill the mites and the allergens that weren't killed in the cold water wash.

If you Google the subject, you'll find that 10 minutes isn't enough. Government-type sites suggest 30 minutes to one hour. That'll be expensive.

I also think that buying a cold water washing machine + tumble dryer is probably more expensive than buying a front loading machine.

whatever ,I guess depend on what sites you found...anyways one problem I see with front loaders is the capacity..ie hard to wash dooners and pillows etc..

[David006]

well it is absolutely pissing down and am too lazy even to read. ( probably make some spaghetti sauce and bread before I drop off when the scotch runs out).

......so been thinking..ouch.....

.....if it was me I would buy a big stainless urn and build a secure shelf above a top loader...boiling water as required?....yes?

.....anyways a few hundred or thousand bucks either way for your kids' health and welfare..is irrelevant yes???

[rizla]

I just fitted a gas water heater (mazuma) 6000 bhat + bottle...great..hot water for washing clothes, hot showers and a hot BATH....well worth the money...

oh and hot water for washing the car , great for removing the flys

Edited September 13, 2012 by rizla

[paulklee]

If you search enough on th web you will find conflicting info. Thus, I'm not sure what water temp will be sufficient. Nor the amount of time required in a tumble dryer.

Front loaders I've seen here are 2.2.kw and around, so wiring is OK.

I'm used to hot and cold water input w/ms for houses with central water heating, thus my question. We won't be using a shower type heater if manual intervention is required.

Gas heater with hot water input w/m sounds good. Tumble dryer - expensive tho - is s second option. Re the gas w/h, did you retrofit or plan?

Thanks for all the excellent info.

[TS79]

Front Loader Machine is the way to go. Modern washing machines use so little water these days that electricity to heat up the wash cycles is minimal.

Electricity cost is less that 0.5 kW/hr per load, i.e about 2 baht a load.

Edited September 16, 2012 by TS79

[rizla]

If you search enough on th web you will find conflicting info. Thus, I'm not sure what water temp will be sufficient. Nor the amount of time required in a tumble dryer.

Front loaders I've seen here are 2.2.kw and around, so wiring is OK.

I'm used to hot and cold water input w/ms for houses with central water heating, thus my question. We won't be using a shower type heater if manual intervention is required.

Gas heater with hot water input w/m sounds good. Tumble dryer - expensive tho - is s second option. Re the gas w/h, did you retrofit or plan?

Thanks for all the excellent info.

Retrofit, into your cold water normal house supply...i mounted my gas heater outside the house on the wall away from wind and rain , i didn`t want any waste gas fumes in the house for obvious reasons ..

Basically you just cut into your house supply be it mains, well or tank fed.

The gas heater has a non mains powered ignition via a flow switch and a pizzo ignition (one battery) so if your house is fed from a raised tank you can still have hot water with a power outage easily..

You need to just plumb it in series in your house feed, and you need a bypass line on it with a ball valve which you can adjust the flow better to give you a mix of hot and cold water on the same line to the house...dead easy to set up and install...

[ignis]

You may notice that Thai cold water washing machines have a small tank in them with a filling hole saying bleach........ Thais wash with bleach added, no idea if this will help dust mite allergy ?