Carbon monoxide is produced when certain fuels do not burn completely. Common fuels are wood, gas, oil and charcoal. If carbon monoxide is breathed in, the blood is less able to carry oxygen around the body to all the vital organs. So what is carbon monoxide poisoning? Essentially, it means that the body becomes starved of oxygen, eventually dying. Understanding what is carbon monoxide poisoning is just one piece of the puzzle, however. What is far more important to know is that it almost always happens in the home. The most common sources include faulty boilers or central heating systems, fires and gas appliances. Also, people with open fires in their homes may have blocked chimneys or flues, which stops carbon monoxide to escape. Poorly ventilated rooms are also a big culprit. One other common source is the exhaust gases of cars, which is one of the reasons why using exhaust gases is still a common way for people to commit suicide. Every year, several hundred people die of carbon monoxide poisoning and even more are left seriously ill because of it.  Read More Here…

Carbon monoxide has no taste or smell and does not call any irritation to the skin or airways. This is why it is known as the silent killer, because it is a highly toxic gas that people often don’t detect until it is too late. In this country, around 500 people die each year of the dangers of carbon monoxide, and an even larger amount receives what is known as sub-lethal poisoning. However, it is believed that these figures are skewed because people who have died may be wrongfully diagnosed as having had a heart attack or other problems when carbon monoxide was the real culprit.

The biggest problem is that there is a serious lack of awareness around the dangers of carbon monoxide. This is true both for everyday people and medical professionals. Furthermore, carbon monoxide poisoning usually mimics other medical conditions, including the flu, gastroenteritis and food poisoning. The difference is, however, that poisoning doesn’t cause people to develop a fever. The only way to overcome this silent killer is to raise awareness across the public about the dangers of carbon monoxide, as well as increasing the vigilance exhibited by healthcare professionals, so they are better able to detect poisoning. Certain people are at particular risk of poisoning, being pregnant women, children, people with heart conditions and babies. However, even those who do not fall into these categories can be at high risk.  Read the full article here…

Carbon Monoxide poisoning

The price of an average washing machine today is hardly more expensive than buying a washing machine twenty or so years ago.  The big difference though is in the quality and the time the machine will last before breaking down oreven  needing to be replaced.

In order to produce washing machines that we want to buy, the manufacturers all carry out their research into how, when, where and how often we use our washing machines and how often we replace them.

If you have recently purchased a new washing machine, you may be asking the same question as everyone else in your position – why is my wash taking so much longer to complete, and what can I do about it?

Many people are querying why no washing machines on sale in the UK today are

both hot and cold fill. There are many reasons which will be detailed below, but you

may be surprised to know that it is only the UK that seems to ask for this facility and

manufacturers are unlikely to produce a specific washing machine for the UK only,

as most manufacturers design and sell to either the European or global markets.

Previously there were a couple of manufacturers who produced hot fill machines,

but they were UK companies. However, these companies are now mainly owned by

Italian manufacturers, so no longer offer this option.

One of the 1st washing machines of Constructa (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It is fair to say that the hot fill programme options were fairly limited at the time.

Why are there no hot fill washing machines

Washing machines are far more complicated than they used to be, and offer many

more programmes, each with a different temperature as we know. The hot water

that we produce in our homes is generally of a much higher temperature than that

used to wash our clothes.

There would probably only be one or may two programmes that would call for hot

water at such a high temperature, which would make the process impractical.

Hot water in our homes is generally produced either by a Combination Boiler or

stored in a hot water tank though our central heating systems. Either way, this

means that any water called off by the washing machine would have have to travel

through the pipes in our home. The result would be that the machine would be filled

from the cold water that is standing in the pipes, and drawing hot water into the

pipes, that would be left to get cold. Not an economical proposition.

At home, we normally to run the hot water tap for a time to run off the cold water in

the pipes first and, depending on the system you use, this could be from a minute or

two up to about 5 minutes, depending how far the hot water has to travel.

Therefore, the washing machine would be filled with this cold water, and the heater

would have to come into operation to heat it up to the right temperature.

If you did have a system, however, that was able to transfer your domestic hot water

into the washing machine, the water would conversely be far too hot for most of our

clothes, and would actually damage them.

You also need to take into account the detergents that are used in modern washing

machines. If you use a biological detergent and the water temperature is above 40

Degrees, the enzymes in the detergent will be damaged and will not work.

In theory having a hot fill machine seems to make perfect sense but up to this time,

in practice, it is not a workable system. However, in future, as more research is

carried out into green energy, this may well become both practical and economical to

use.

There have been many articles written on the increased demand for cheaper products by consumers. There have also been other articles written urging people to keep away from the lower end of the washing machine market due to the almost built-in obsolescence to the product. The result of this is that many people have to write-off a cheaper machine within the first two years. One impact of this is that they have to go out and spend more money to replace the machine, plus the major impact on landfill sites in the UK. Most of us would like to avoid both of these consequences.

To help you understand the cost breakdown of a cheap washing machine, the hidden costs are shown below, in an approximate manner, but enough to show how much money you are actually spending on the washing machine itself. It is fair to say that the examples shown below can be applied to all large electrical appliances.

For the purpose of this exercise, we will use a £200 washing machine as the cost example.

Number 1 – Tax

As in the UK the Value Added Tax is included in the product cost, we tend to overlook the fact that 20% of the purchase price of your goods goes directly to the Government. You are now, for all intents and purposes, paying £160 for your £200 washing machine, as the Government has taken £40.

Number 2 – Logistics and Delivery

Logistics covers both storage and distribution. Once your machine has been manufactured, whether in the UK, Europe or further afield, costs are incurred to ship the goods from the factory to a storage warehouse, and from there delivery to the retailer.

In most cases, washing machines are shipped in large containers. To break the costs down you need to work on up to 150 washing machines to each container. The container will cost up to £2000 for shipping – this can be broken down to about £10-15 shipment costs per machine. You are now paying between £140-145 for your £200 machine.

Number 3 – Retailer Margin

This does vary between each retailer, but in order to exist they have to earn from each appliance they sell. This margin can also be levied on the size of the retailer and how many £200 washing machines they expect to sell in a twelve month period. Some retailers put a higher mark up on their goods, but for the purpose of this exercise we will use an average cost of £25 per machine sold. This now means you are paying £115-120 for your £200 machine

Number 4 – Servicing and Warranty Costs

When you purchase a washing machine you always have at least one year’s manufacturer’s warranty for parts and labour. The cost to the manufacturer for providing this service can be enormous. As we are looking at a £200 machine, there is a strong likelihood that you will have problems during the first year, needing to call on the Warranty.

In order to honour this Warranty, the manufacturers must have a Call Centre to deal with all the calls, plus an engineering force in order to honour the Call Outs. Many manufacturers outsource this service but the costs are still very high.

Again, for the purpose of this exercise, we will call it a cost of £12.50 per machine sold. This now means that you are paying between £102.50-108.50 for your £200 machine.

Number 5 – Factory Costs

Most factories levy a margin cost and, in this instance, we will call it an average of £12.50 per machine, whatever the brand. This now means that you are paying between £90-96 for your washing machine.

Number 6 – Actual Production Costs

This greatly depends on where the machine is being manufactured, what type of components are used and, to some extent, the manufacturer. This, however, comes out at an average breakdown of between £60 and £80. Quite sobering when you think of your original £200 how much is actually spent on building the machine itself.

We are all generally aware that there are hidden costs in the sales price of any item, but it is very sobering to see in black and white how very little of your total outlay of £200 is actually spent on the machine itself.

Obviously this example is only based on the cheapest end of the market, but these costs are also included in the mid to high range products as well. However, what you need to remember is that the actual costs of manufacturing the washing machine will be much higher, as the components will be of a much higher quality. Also, most of these mid to high range machines are generally manufactured within Europe, which will reduce the shipment costs.

If you want to have a washing machine that will give you good service, minimal mechanical failures and last for many years then you must pay much more than the £200 washing machines at the lowest end of the market. From an economical point of view, this will work out much cheaper over the life of the machine. For instance, a good machine will last between 8-10 years, whereas a cheap machine will last for only about 2 years and will cause your problems with repairs. The finances speak for themselves.

The very first thing to bear in mind when in the market for a new washing machine is to work out exactly what you want. You should carry out a lot of research into makes, models, what fancy doodahs you are looking for, before you even start to put your toe into the murky waters of buying a new machine.

There is a huge difference in the prices of washing machines but, in the end, the price may not be the biggest thing to consider. The first things to think about are:

How often will you use the machine – this will identify the quality of the machine that you need. If you have a very light washing use, you may find a cheaper machine may actually fit your needs

Number of people whose clothes will be washed – this is quite a critical question, as it will help you to determine the load size you need. It means you can discount machines that only have up to 5 kg load capacity.

Skin complaints or allergies – this is also an important consideration, as you should be looking for a machine that offers an extra rinse option. The rinsing is very important for allergies or other skin complaints, as the more detergent that can be rinsed out of your laundry the better the results will be.

Type of flooring – although this may sound an odd point to consider, but with a floating wooden floor, a machine with higher spin speeds will not only be noisy but can have the tendency to jump around. This is quite disruptive, especially if the machine is in your kitchen, but could have an impact on your neighbours if you live in a flat.

Line Drying – if you are used to drying your washing outside as much as possible, this would make the need for higher spin speeds redundant. Not only will a higher spin speed not really disperse that much extra water from your wash load, but it will certainly crease your clothes considerably more than a lower speed.

There are obviously other questions relevant to your situation, but these should be able to reduce the options a little.
Tumble dryer usage has decreased over the last few years, not only for economic reasons, but also out of consideration for the environment. None the less, it is interesting to note that spinning clothes at a higher speed will not reduce the amount of time your wash will take to dry in a tumble dryer.

Higher spin speeds have become over rated, but people feel that this is something you should be looking for when purchasing a new machine. Without going into too much detail, the additional amount of water dispersed between an 800 rpm or 1000 rpm spin speed is not much more than a capful. Is this something you really need on your new machine and, if you had it, would you use it.

One other factor you should consider is that it is very important that your new machine is installed correctly, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.  At one time, it was a fairly simple job to install a machine, with very little differences between makes.  This is not the case now, and please be aware that if the machine has not been fitted correctly, not only could it damage the machine itself, but also your Warranty may not be valid and any repair costs would need to be settled by you.

Where to buy?
The next step is to decide where to buy your machine. Even if you have carried out all your research and gone through all the specifications, it is not the same as speaking to a real person, and actually inspecting the machine yourself.

Having said that, it is not always easy to find someone who is unbiased, and who is not just interested in your money. With a national retailer, you are not always able to find the good advice you need. A lot of these retailers are really only interested in making a profit and, in order to do that, they need to keep selling washing machines, so are not always interested in pointing out the better machines which will not need replacing so often.

These retailers are also very keen on selling you an expensive Extended Warranty for your new machine. Did you know that in many cases, the retailer will make more money form selling a Warranty rather than selling the machines. The mark-up on the cost price of larger white goods has been cut so much that the profit levels have almost disappeared.

If possible, you should look for an independent retailer as they are more likely to be interested in satisfying your needs, and providing you with the type of customer service we all want.

You should also be aware that buying a low price machine can be uneconomical in that it will wear out much quicker than a better quality machine, plus any repairs are expensive due to the high price of spare parts. The cost of manufacturing these cheaper machines has been cut as low as possible, resulting in cheaper components being used. They have fast become part of our throwaway society, as can be seen from any landfill site in this country.

If you want a machine to last for up to 10 years, you will need to buy a better quality machine, but you do not have to have all the extra programming and fast spin cycles that you really don’t need. You may end up spending more than you originally wanted to pay, but this will end up cheaper in the long run, as your new machine will outlast possibly up to two cheaper machines.

Take your time, know exactly what you need from a machine, and shop around, not only for price and quality, but also for good advice and excellent customer service.

That question is just like asking how long is a piece of string, almost impossible to answer.
You should first of all:

• Set your budget – and try to stick to it.
• Do some research to try to limit the amount of washing machines that you go to look at. If you look at too many you will find it much harder to make a good decision
• Know the size of machine you need, although to be honest, they are all fairly standard
• Select your colour choice – this is getting more important as most people still have their washing machine in the kitchen, and all your appliances should at least blend in, if not matching completely.  This may limit your choice of manufacturers, as not all manufacturers offer a good range of colours.
• Even if you have decided to purchase on line, it is time well spent to actually go to a retailer to have a good look at the machines first before your make your decision. It may surprise you to know you may get as good a deal on the High Street as you will get on line. It just depends.

The average range for washing machines is from about £300 up to £1000 plus – quite a choice.

If your budget is towards the lower end of this range, you will still find quite a difference in quality and reliability, which is why it is so important to do your homework first, so you know which ones to avoid. The same point goes for those machines at the top of the range, some of which are too complicated for their own good and can cause as many issues as the poorer quality machines at the lower end of the market.

You should take into account the number of people in your household, therefore, the number and variety of programmes that you will need and the number of washes a week. It stands to reason that if there are more people to use the machine, there is probably a greater mix of materials etc. which will require more programme options. If this is the case, you will need to select a more robust machine – this does not necessarily mean a much more expensive machine, but it will probably rule out the lowest price models.

Budgets are still extremely tight, but if you do not buy a machine that is able to stand up to the needs of the household, you may find that it will be liable to break down and you may even have to replace it within a year or two. It is definitely worth a second thought.

If you have a small household it may be you are looking for a more simple machine with just a few programmes. Again this type of machine is available across the range and you should select the most appropriate machine for your use, regardless of price, within limits.

Another good tip is to look for a manufacturer who is happy to give you a two year Warranty with their machines, as this shows confidence in their product.

To ensure your new machine gives you a good service and lasts for a long time, it is essential you follow the manufacturer’s advice on how to use the machine, including both operation and installation.. If you have a problem with your machine during the Warranty period, please bear in mind that if you have damaged the machine by ill-use, such as overloading or poor installation, you may become liable both for the call out and repair costs.

That is a very big question as it depends on so many different things, as you will see later in this article.
Before going through the list, it is fair to say that the manufacturing processes for washing machines is much better than it used to be, and modern washing machines are of a higher quality on the whole. However, there are many types of machines, and prices can vary drastically.

One of the problems with the range of products available on line, there is gererally no-one to look to for advice on the sales sites. Unless you have carried out a certain amount of research first, you may find you are attracted to the best price, or the colour way that goes best in your kitchen, not always the best way to buy.

What type of machine suits your needs:

• Always purchase a machine towards the top end of your budget, never buy the cheapest available. Inevitably the machine is very cheap for a good reason – it is made from cheap parts, and, chances are, it will not last very long and will not give the results you are looking for.

• You should think about the usage of the machine and ask yourself the following questions. How many are there in the household? How many times a week will the machine be used?  The industry average is one wash load per day or, say, 365 wash loads per year.  Obviously if you have one or two people in your household, this is probably about right for you, but if there are four or five people in your household you can quickly see how this average will increase
• If you are in a larger household with children, you will probably not only have your normal wash but perhaps other items such as sports kits, you may even have to take a turn in washing the sports kit for a whole team! All these wash loads add up to the wear and tear of your machine.
  This would indicate that you would need to buy a more robust washing machine, than your single neighbour next door.

  Do your homework first, check for the most reliable machine in your price range and ensure it is a robust machine and capable of taking on more loads. It is also a good idea to look for a manufacturer who is prepared to offer a two year guaranty rather than the standard one year, as this shows confidence in their product.

• Do you run a business perhaps and need to do extra washing of tablecloths, overalls, uniforms etc. on a daily basis. Combined with a larger household, this may suggest that you might need to be looking for an industrial washing machine. This may be more money that you wanted to spend, plus it would take more room, but it would probably work out much cheaper in the long run, as it would stand up to the increased usage far better than even the best domestic washing machine.

Regardless of the amount of usage your washing machine will have to carry out, you must remember these are only machines and even the best of them are liable to have faults at one time or another, as with any other electrical domestic appliance. With the best will in the world, nothing is perfect.

You can, however, help to extend the life of your machine, by following the manufacturer’s instructions on load sizes, selecting the best programme for the job in hand, and carry our your normal maintenance tasks, such as emptying the filter regularly to avoid blockages, and to keep it clean.

The most important action to avoid is overloading the machine. This is definitely the highest cause of damage to washing machines. If you have to stuff the last few items into the drum when loading the machine, it is too much. Not only do you put the machine under strain when you do this, you will also not wash any of the items properly, and it is a waste of time.

If you have to call out an engineer whilst the machine is still under Warranty, and you have caused the damage by overloading the machine, there is a very good chance that you will have to pay for the call out and repair, as it is considered to be a ‘self-inflicted’ problem, not covered by the Warranty.

Look after your machine and, in most cases, it will last a long time. However, bear in mind, that faults can happen to the best of us.