The domestic market of household appliances offers users washing machines, having a special function designed for drying clean laundry. Many of us continue to hang out our laundry to dry, treating new technology with caution. It is worth noting that reviews from washing machine owners regarding the additional function are contradictory. Some people hint at poor quality, bruises, and some have abandoned the iron and ironing board forever. To take sides, you need to understand how tumble drying works.
How this function works
An automatic washing machine that dries clean laundry has one distinctive feature from a conventional unit, which is the presence of an additional heating device. The main water heater sets the water at the required temperature and is located below, between the machine drum and the loading container. An additional electrical appliance heats the air flow supplied to the washing machine through the air duct.
There is nothing special about the laundry drying option - heated air is pumped into the container, penetrates through the wet laundry, picking up any remaining moisture.There is a separate container for water condensation in the machine, from where the liquid then flows into the drain hose. To ensure uniform drying, the drum of the unit continues to rotate slowly, alternating rotations in different directions.
Drying is considered the final working stage and is performed after the laundry has been rinsed and spun. In addition, this function can be activated as an independent mode.
The drying process can take place in two types - according to a given time and the degree of humidity of clean laundry. In the first case, you can independently set the duration of the mode using a timer. For example, in the LG F 1203 CDP device, drying is set to thirty, sixty and one hundred and twenty minutes. What does the second option mean? In this case, you can dry the laundry to the condition you need, and this mode is available today in almost any modification of the washing machine.
The latest Fuzzy Logic function is equipped with sensor elements that control humidity and temperature conditions. Such devices are installed under the condenser. With their help, an automatic washing machine controls the moisture content of the laundry and turns off the drying when it approaches the set point.
Drying function modes in the washing machine
Manufacturers have taken care so that users do not think about the question of what level of humidity to determine for laundry. Conventionally, these options are called:
- “intensive drying” - the laundry is dried, sometimes it dries out;
- “under the iron” – moisture is maintained within fifteen percent;
- “in the closet” – the humidity level does not exceed three percent;
- "gentle drying"
Washing machines from LG, Whirlpool or Bosch equipped with all four drying modes, activated independently or combined with a timer.
There are washing machines where the drying function is significantly simplified. For example, the Indesit EWDE 71280 WEU is equipped with only a couple of modes – for drying synthetics and cotton.
Newer modifications of washing machines have “hot” and “cold” drying functions. The first option perfectly dries coarse materials, the second option is recommended for synthetics and more delicate items. In the same case, the “gentle drying” function is used, in which the laundry gets rid of moisture under the influence of a lower temperature. When there is a need to dry a small volume of things, they activate “quick drying”, which copes with the task in forty minutes.
Quickly drying clean laundry is a tempting opportunity, because after eighty minutes you get the item you need in a clean and dry state. You just need to remember that artificial drying thins the fibers of the material, since its different parts are heated unevenly, which leads to accelerated wear of clothing. Hence the conclusion - choose the “iron” or “delicate mode” functions so that the laundry does not dry out.
By washing down products in such machines, you give them a rebirth. The down regains its softness and does not pill.
Advantages of washing machines equipped with a clothes drying mode
It is believed that such devices have a number of advantages:
- reliability indicator.There is an opinion that machines with this function are less reliable than simple devices. The main argument is that the design is more complex and the machine breaks down more often. In reality, this happens due to the fact that the user violates the rules for operating household appliances. As a rule, an inflated volume of laundry is laid for washing;
- compact sizes. Some models of washing machines (for example - Electrolux) take up a lot of space and consume more electrical energy than units equipped with a drying function;
- speed mode for performing the function. Such washing mashines are an excellent choice for families with small children. The washing unit is capable of quickly washing and drying things at any time of the year. In addition, it is recommended to purchase such machines for those who live in regions with high levels of air humidity, in which drying clothes takes a long time;
- versatility. With this function, it becomes possible to wash various items at any time of the year without worrying about the quality of their drying;
- lowering the humidity content in the room. A combination washing machine will eliminate the need to hang your laundry out to dry, and the humidity level will not rise.
Disadvantages of combined washing equipment
Unfortunately, there are a number of disadvantages that should also be noted:
- restrictions on loading laundry. Perhaps this is one of the main disadvantages. For example, equipment from Samsung washes up to seven kilograms of clothes in one cycle, and can dry it in half as much. It turns out that when the machine is fully loaded, clean laundry has to be dried in two passes, which will require more time and electrical energy.When buying an automatic washing machine with a similar function, remember that it is considered less economical. True, there are already devices capable of drying more than half of a full load at a time;
- price. Combination washing machines thirty percent more expensive than conventional analogues. If someone is limited in financial resources, one should think about the feasibility of this acquisition;
- rapid wear of things. If the drying mode is used incorrectly, the laundry will wear out faster;
- machines with dryers do not have an anti-dust filter, which is installed on simple washing units.
Rules for choosing a machine with a drying function
When purchasing a laundry cleaning unit that has a drying function, it is recommended to take into account two main parameters - the volume of items to be dried and the presence of a special function for residual moisture (except for the timer). With proper use of household appliances, they will serve you for a long period.
It is more convenient to operate a machine with a drying function, which has a vertical loading. If there is a need to reload or remove laundry, the equipment can be stopped at any time during drying. It turns out that in one cycle you can dry things from different materials, removing the more delicate ones a little earlier.
Features of repair of machines equipped with a drying function
Most often, such household appliances break down for one reason - their operating rules related to the volume of laundry washed and dried are violated.Usually, in such cases, an additional heating element burns out, providing air heating.
Repair work associated with replacing an air heater is significantly more expensive than installing a new water heating element. This is caused by some difficulties in operation, as well as the cost of a new spare part and the number of its supplies to the market. In addition, some specialists do not have the proper experience in such repairs and deliberately inflate the cost of services.
