Phunnies: A mathematician, an accountant, and an economist are applying for the same job.  The HR person asked the mathematician “What does three plus three equal?”.  The mathematician answered “Six”.  The same question was asked of the accountant, who answered “On average, six, give or take a few percentage points.”  Of course, the interviewer also asked the economist “What does three plus three equal?”.  The economist got up and walked over the the interviewer. He whispered in the interviewer’s ear “What do you want it to equal?” Phacts and Philosophy: Without much fanfare, in the summer of 2010, phosphates were removed from dishwasher detergents.  Particularly with the hard water we have on the Central Coast, many people are experiencing poor  washing results with their dishwashers.   This all started in Washington state, who instituted the phosphate ban in order to save fish.  You see, phosphates, after they go down the drain, are dumped into bodies of water.  Unfortunately, they provide the perfect environment for the growth of algae blooms, which prosper and use up the available oxygen in the water, killing the fish populations.  As of now, there are 17 states(I think) that ban phosphates.   If you remember the fairly recent “dead fish incident”  in Redondo Beach, California, tons of fish were found dead in the harbor.  It was thought to be caused by just this type of algae bloom. So, what does this mean to you?  Well, first of all, you are already used to “No Phosphates”.  That’s right, many years ago they were banned from clothes washing detergents.  This tidbit may not not help your dishwashing performance; I just wanted you to know that eventually this won’t be a big deal. The most important item in any dishwasher doing a good job hasn’t changed. . .it’s water temperature.   One problem with that is when there are children in the house.  Many parents turn the heat down on the water heater to prevent scalding.  This may be great for the kids. . .not so much for the dishwasher.  Most of the codes recommend outlet hot water temperature not to exceed 120 degrees.  Dishwasher manufacturers would like to see closer to 140 degrees.  Moms want 110 degrees. First, what is your hot water temperature now?  Most people don’t have thermometers handy, but a good rule of thumb for getting close to 120 degrees is that once the water at the sink is hot, you should be able to stick your hand under it, but not be able to keep it there for more than a few seconds.  I just did that test at my kitchen sink, and it seemed plenty hot.  I then checked the actual temperature (because, of course, I have one of those handy thermometers) and it was 119 degrees. So what do we do to counter the lack of phosphates?  First, run the hot water at your sink faucet until it is hot, before you turn on the dishwasher.  Second, don’t run the dishwasher right after or during the time that you are using the washing machine or taking showers.  Third has to do with dishwasher detergents.  Just like with clothes washing detergents, the major manufacturers spend a lot of money on researching the right formulas that will work with our new energy saving appliances.  It’s not just hype.  In fact, most consumer surveys on this subject show that the Finish and Cascade brands in the little packets do the best job.   And last, you will need to monthly (or more often) clean the inner workings of your dishwasher.  You can use white vinegar or any of a number of products, many of which are citrus based.  Simply run the dishwasher (empty of dishes) with the cleaner of your choice. Be patient.  It won’t take too long for the soap manufacturers to get the optimum formula for new detergents. If you find that you need an actual repair to your dishwasher (or any other appliance) you can schedule an appointment at www.hotaircoldair.com Do Good, Rich Johnson  

The central coast is a beautiful place to live.  Before I get into boring appliance stuff, I want to pass on the philosphy of a friend:

Bill Isaman, well respected local architect, and part time philosopher,  suggests: “Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day. . . . . Teach a man to fish and ………………………….he’ll sit in a boat and drink beer all day.  You can check out Bill’s work at “isamandesign.com”

Now, about bigger stuff. . .

• I have a small one, my friend Bill Isaman, the Architect, has a big one.
• Some of my friends I can’t speak for (since I’ve never seen theirs).
• I have to admit, some of my buddies probably don’t even know where theirs’ is!

I know what you’re thinking, that you are happy with the size of yours, as long as it does the job.  Well, that’s exactly where the size problem comes in, if it is too large, it may have trouble getting the job done. And, newer ones tend to be larger. A couple of inches could be critical!  How would you like it if you got a new one and it sticks out too far?  Or, because it’s too long it just doesn’t work.

How far could I drag this on?  not much farther if I want you to keep reading, plus the fact that my wife, Jen, said “Ok that’s enough, end the parody already”.

I am talking, of course about the size of new washers, and especially new dryers.  We get a number of repair calls having to do with the size of new laundry appliances, and in most cases, the sets that include a front loading washer.  Prior to writing this blog, I went down to the local appliance dealer and actually measured the depth of a number of new washers and dryers. The main problems have to do with the depth measurement (from front to back).  The problem comes in when you have a new dryer that is up to 4″ deeper than your old dryer, and you have a laundry space that either has doors enclosing it (often byfold doors), or you have an entry door that swings passed the laundry pair to open.  Don’t use your tape measure foolishly!  I suggest that if you are considering new laundry appliances that you  carefully measure the space you are putting them into, noting door locations and swing, write it down, and take it with you to the store (or website).  When measuring the new appliances, don’t just look at the front to back measurement of the finished top.  Make sure you include the depth of any sheet metal that protrudes from the back of the washer or dryer, which you may not see unless you are viewing the unit from the side.  Also, be aware that the door on the front may extend significantly from the top edge of the appliance, and including the “bowed” out design feature that many of them have, this can easily add 1 1/2 to 2″ of depth, which you will miss if you are only measuring the finished top. The problem this causes has to do with dryer venting, and sometimes gas pipe location.  I will address solutions for this in my newsletter next month. If you need help sooner than next month, or you just can’t wait for next month’s newsletter, go to my blog at peopleschoiceservices.com.  Adios!  Rich Johnson