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Thursday, January 18, 2024

Putting a Light Bulb into the Washing Machine


This is not the exact article I read, but there are many articles that talk about higher sleep temperature for Sleep Study What's The Ideal Sleep Temperature? New Study Offers Answer (today.com) adults. 

Sue thought it was weird Tommy putting a lightbulb into the washer to keep the washer from freezing. So, I asked him how he came to do that. I just thought it was strange, but I did not question or try to dissuade him.

He explained that there is water in the motor or something under the tub. That will freeze the pump and burst. He said the washer repair man showed him the split pump. He told Tommy to just put a bulb in the washing machine. Tommy said it worked in the blizzard we had in 1993. His washer is in an unheated utility room.

So, now we all know. Have you ever heard that about the pump having water that will freeze and split the pump?

The weatherman just said we will be back in the 60s next week. Thank goodness! 

Remember the free scoop of chicken salad at Chicken Salad Chick tomorrow, Thursday. I may not be able to go. 

So, this Wednesday, another day I have not stepped foot outdoors. Tommy got the mail. I am content.

Have you ever heard of the pump freezing and bursting in a washing machine?

Have you ever heard of putting a light bulb into the washing machine? 

Will you be able to get out to go to Chicken Salad Chick? 

15 comments:

  1. I have never heard of that. However we could never leave a washing machine in an unheated place here in Canada because of the weather. I will mention the bulb in the washing machine, or under it I am guessing, to hubby as he is an electrician to see what he says.

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    Replies
    1. Gill,
      The bulb takes care of the temperature problem. He does not put it under the washing machine. He puts it inside the washing machine. My guess is that it is hanging over the side, not resting on any part of the inside. Maybe your husband might think that under the washer would be better. Let us know.

      Delete
  2. I have never heard of putting a light bulb into a washer to try and stop it freezing but it's a great idea. Over here in Tassie I am not familiar with such cold wintry weather that appliances can freeze but I would love to experience such cold weather where you really need to bundle up with the winter Woollies, hat and gloves etc.. Unfortunately we don't have a chicken salad chick but it sounds delicious, so we should have !

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    Replies
    1. I never knew this story of the repairman telling him to do that. I just thought it was crazy, yet the washer never froze.

      This is unusual weather for us. People are still wearing shorts and flip flops in the snow. But, I don't. We had a full on blizzard in 1993 that paralyzed the whole country, especially the South.

      Delete
  3. There is no way either my husband or I would ever be able to get a decent night's sleep at those higher temperatures. It's 64 maximum at night, with a window at least cracked in all but the coldest weather. Although, I found out during this latest freeze, from something a kid said, that at 64 degrees, they've all been keeping windows open at night. (A kid said, "I actually slept with my window closed last night for the first time," and the others said the same) so I have begun turning the thermostat to 62 degrees about an hour before we go to bed. I am not going to pay to heat empty living areas at night! If a studying kid is cold, they can wear a sweatshirt. Our thermostat returns to 68 about an hour before the first kid has to get up for class.

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    Replies
    1. Meg,
      Until the last few years, I could sleep in a frigid bedroom. But, I cannot sleep with a window open at any time, cold or heat, because of allergies.

      Delete
  4. If there is something free to be had there will not be a single parking space and a mile long line. Hubby flat out refuses to be a part of those giveaways. He says he will gladly pay another day.

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  5. My house has to be cool or I cannot sleep. I keep the ceiling fan blowing on me 365.
    I have never heard of the lightbulb thing. You can put a bulb in a dog house to heat it up - so I guess!
    We don't have the restaurant around here that I know of. I wouldn't go anyway - there would be too many people wanting something for free. I will just stay home!

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    Replies
    1. Cheryl,
      His house is always cool. We both like it that way. He has no ceiling fans, but I will change that...lol.

      It obviously works because after ten degrees, the washer is working.

      I doubt we will go, either for different reason.

      Delete
  6. Well, I learn something new here every day.

    I have never had the pump in my washer freeze and burst, because the washer itself is in a heated space. But I have had the water lines to the washer freeze.

    I did a small remodel of my laundry room years ago. I had the regular door changed to a pocket door, as well as installing some new cabinets. I have always liked the look of having the water supply pipes enclosed in the wall, with the shutoff valves and hoses to the wash accessible in framed niche. So I asked the contractor if he could do it, and he said yes.

    Stupid me. Those pipes were enclosed in an exterior wall. Meaning that indoor heat could not really get to them. It didn't matter until we had a severe cold snap and my pipes froze. I had to set a space heater behind the washer to warm up that wall holding the supply pipes. Thankfully, it worked.

    I was furious with the contractor for not warning me that it could be a problem. F**k that guy and his damnable ignorance.

    After unfreezing my pipes, I looked over the basement space under the laundry room and realized that an uninsulated wooden door (leading to my bulkhead) only a few feet away from the supply pipes was leaking cold air like crazy. So I had a different contractor install a steel insulated door in a proper frame and seal the frame with insulating foam.

    MUCH better--no more cold air coming in under the laundry room. And no more frozen pipes since then. I'm grateful, because I have no intention of tearing up that wall again to re-expose the water pipes!

    Sorry for the long tale, but it just goes to show you can't trust most contractors to be knowlegeable and do a proper job. You have to g**gle the crap out of your issues and make sure you learn what's what.

    Boy, that brings up bad memories! Grrrrr...

    Linda, I sure hope you have a good day and can go out for a free scoop of Chicken Salad Chick so I can be happy for you!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sue,
    My mission is accomplished.

    I hate it when a contractor lets a person do what they want. It is like they do the job to get money and have a happy customer, never mind the consequences and cost down the road!

    That is why we hire professionals--to give us good
    advice. He was stupid. You were just ignorant. Ignorance can be fixed, cured. He will forever be stupid, probably.

    My laundry room was above the basement door. Cold air from the door was always a worry to me. The pipe was in the laundry room behind the washing machine. However, where the pipe went through the floor, I always feared the cold air might freeze the pipe to the machine.

    When it was the coldest, like single digits, I would go into the basement and tack a sheet of plastic over the inside of the door. I would also do laundry all night long to keep the water flowing. Whatever I did, worked.

    I never had the door replaced. It would have been nice. But, the door must have been a sixty-year-old door with nice windows. Metal would not have eventually rotted.

    I have always liked the pipes in the room because the pipe is easy to reach if there is a problem.

    No, we had something else to do, so we had to choose. Chicken Salad Chick will be there another day. I am happy. I just hope other people went.

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  8. I’ve not heard of the lightbulb in the washing machine before, how interesting. I didn’t get out so was unable to get my chicken salad. Maybe next year…

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    1. Belinda,
      So, now we know. There is always next year...lol.

      Delete
  9. Tommy's explanation makes a lot of sense to me. Fixing a frozen washer water connection seems much less severe than a frozen motor.

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    1. Janet,
      If the pump freezes, it is a new pump, so he tried to alleviate all freezing problems.

      Delete

Okay, hoping the annoyances have gone away.