Appliance. net

Appliance news, reviews, ratings, forums, reports and buyers guides.
Locate repairs and parts. for home and kitchen appliances.

You are here: Home / 2008 / Archives for July 2008

Archives for July 2008

Recall: Lawn Mowers by American Honda Motor Corp. Due to Laceration Hazard

By

Name of Product: Honda Lawn Mowers

Units: 20,500

Manufacturer: American Honda Motor Corp., of Torrance, Calif.

Hazard: The lawn mower’s rear shield can break off allowing debris to be thrown toward the operator, which poses a laceration hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: American Honda has received one report of a shield breaking off the lawn mower. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves HRX walk-behind lawn mowers with model numbers HRX217(K)2HXA and HRX217(K)2HMA. The model and serial number are printed on a label located on the upper rear of the mower deck. Serial numbers included in the recall are MAGA-1500001 through 1520532. The recalled lawn mowers are red with “HONDA” written on the bag.

Sold by: Authorized American Honda Motor Corp. dealers and Home Depot stores nationwide from October 2007 to June 2008 for about $900.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled lawn mowers and contact their local Honda Lawn and Garden dealer to schedule a free repair. Registered owners of the recalled lawn mowers have been contacted by direct mail notification.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Honda at (800) 426-7701 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit Honda’s Web site at http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/products/recalls/

       

Are You Using LPG or Natural Gas?

By

The last time you bought a new gas appliance- grill, dryer or range for example, you were likely asked what type of gas you used in your home.  Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or natural gas are both used to power those and other household appliances,but they have different properties and will be used differently in an appliance.

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG),  is a product of crude oil distillation. It contains mostly propane, or C3H8. Propane has the nice property that, when you compress it, it condenses into a liquid. This means that it is much easier to store in a tank than natural gas, which does not easily compress.

Natural gas is just that — natural. If you sink a well in the right spot, natural gas flows out of the ground. It is mostly methane, or CH4.

Howstuffworks.com offers further explanation:

You can see the difference between natural gas and LPG most easily when you buy a gas stove. Normally, you are supplied with two sets of jets, one set for natural gas and one set for LPG. You install one jet in each burner. The jet is simply a little screw-in cap with a hole drilled into it. The difference is that the hole in the jet for natural gas is bigger — about twice as big — as the hole in the jet for LPG.

The reason for this difference is because LPG contains much more energy than natural gas. A cubic foot of natural gas contains something like 1,000 BTU (British Thermal Units) of energy. A cubic foot of propane contains perhaps 2,500 BTU. You can see that if you take a gas appliance set up for natural gas and then run it on LPG, the appliance is going to run more than twice as hot. In the case of a water heater , it is apparently hot enough to start a fire.

So, the seemingly simple question of what type of gas fuels your home, can be an important piece of fire safety information for protecting you and your family.

KitchenAid Introduces its Quietest Dishwasher Yet

By

KitchenAid is now offering its quietest dishwasher ever. Featuring the new EQ™ Wash System and Whisper Quiet Ultima Sound Insulation System, this latest KitchenAid undercounter dishwasher is exceptionally quiet with a sound rating of only 48 dBA, or decibels, a level close to that of a quiet room (40 decibels) and well below a moderate rainfall (60 decibels).

The EQ™ Wash System provides optimal cleaning performance and noise reduction while also saving water and energy. The system features a true variable speed motor that helps to minimize operating noises by starting slowly and adjusting its operating capacity to deliver the power needed based on the wash cycle. Alternating wash zones focus the washing action while using less water and energy for high performance cleaning. A three-stage filtration system captures food particles as the water circulates within the dishwasher to maximize efficiency of its pump. For enhanced drying performance, the interior of the dishwasher is heated by a dedicated drying element.

“In addition to being our quietest, our latest dishwasher is 58% more efficient than

Energy Star standards,” notes Debbie O’Connor, Senior Manager of Brand Experience for KitchenAid. “Beyond being Energy Star qualified, it also has an efficiency designation from the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE), making it eligible for energy rebates in select states.”

Additional features include a welded tall tub with a stainless steel interior, a premium feature found throughout the entire KitchenAid dishwasher line. Other innovations include a ProScrub® Option that provides concentrated cleaning during the normal wash cycle for harder to clean items like casserole dishes with baked on food. An Optimum Wash Sensor adjusts the wash cycle to specific water conditions for maximum cleaning efficiency.

A culinary tool rack, an adjustable and removable upper rack, fold-down cup shelves, an extra-large silverware basket with three lids and a Sure-Hold® Small items pouch offer great versatility in accommodating a variety of dishwasher loads.

Available in stainless steel, white, black or a panel-ready model for a custom panel, the new dishwasher model will carry suggested retail prices of $1,449 for the stainless steel model,
$1,299 for the black or white models and $1,399 for the panel ready model.

Air Conditioner Maintenance Tips

By

It’s really heating up outside and if you are like me, you want your home to be a respite from the heat. An air conditioner that is properly serviced runs more efficiently providing you with a cooler home for less money. You’ll ensure that you come home each day to a pleasantly cool house and that you will not tax either the unit or your budget. Here are some simple things you can do to keep your cool.

Replace or clean the filter every month

Air conditioners are outfitted with a simple electrostatic filter in the front grill area to filter the air that passes through them. If your unit has a filter you should replace/clean it once a month during the cooling season.

Inspect cooling coils for frost or ice build-up

If the temperature outside the room where the air conditioner is placed becomes cool — approximately 60 degrees Fahrenheit or lower — check the coils on the front of the air conditioner to be sure they are not icing up. If they are, turn the air conditioner off until the temperature rises. Also, make sure the filter is clean.

Don’t short cycle the cooling system

Air conditioners have a cooling system identical to a refrigerator’s. It’s important not to turn the unit off and then back on right away. Wait at least ten minutes after shutting the unit off to allow pressure in the refrigeration system to equalize once again. This will prolong the life of your air conditioner.

Store the unit in a basement or utility room, not a garage

Mice and other small animals love to nest in air conditioners. Thay can cause serious damage to the unit by chewing on wiring and insulation. Also, wasps and birds like to nest in uncovered units left in windows. Avoid these problems by storing units in a protected area, away from small animals, or by installing a cover on the part of the air conditioner that is outside.

Clean condenser coils annually

Condensing coils on an air conditioner will get very dirty over time. Dirt tends to accumulate on the inside of the coils, out of site. Remove the entire cover of the air conditioner to gain access to the coils. They can be cleaned by blowing compressed air at them or by using a soft bristle brush to wipe the dirt off. Be sure to also clean any dirt or lint build up in the bottom of the air conditioner so condensate water will be picked up by the condensing fan slinger properly.

Sometimes You Really do Get Customer Service

By

Here at Appliance.net we get a lot of comments (read: complaints).  People want to vent their frustration about their broken dishwasher, inept repairman and customer service that isn’t.  Our forums are great place to share what has worked for you and of course, what hasn’t.  Sometimes we find a tip that just needs to be shared.

Customer Service representatives have a responsibility to both the customer and to their employer. They are the link between consumers and the manufacturers.  Here’s a great story from a woman who called Kitchenaid’s customer service department regarding her stand mixer:

Hi, just thought I’d share my experience for the benefit of those who just ran into problems with their KA.

 I had a KA Ultra Power, purchased about 15 years ago.  Used it on and off through the years, but really cranked up use the last three months or so when I discovered bread baking.  I prefer whole grain breads so have been experimenting with these heavy doughs.  My machine started to smell funny about a month into my bread baking venture and has been sounding funny ever since.

 Last weekend, I basically resigned myself to saying sayonara to an old friend.  I called up KA because I wanted to see if it could be fixed first.   I had planned on getting a Bosch, but the price tag just made me heartsick.  I described to the rep how I had been using my machine.  Even though my machine was 15 years old, the rep said that she was concerned about the smell my machine was emitting.  She offered to replace the machine…granted with a refurbished one, but that’s better than having to buy a whole new one outright!  She upgraded me to an Artisan level machine with a choice of colors. 

Customer service, not always the oxymoron we might think it is.

Whirlpool Named to ‘World’s Most Ethical Companies’ and ‘Most Respected U.S. Companies’ Lists

By

Whirlpool Corporation was recently named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute and one of the Top 25 Most Respected U.S. Companies by the Reputation Institute.

“We are proud to be recognized by Ethisphere Institute as one of the world’s most ethical companies and by the Reputation Institute as one of the most respected U.S. companies,” said Jeff M. Fettig, Whirlpool Corporation’s chairman and CEO. ” I am proud of all of our people around the globe who personify Whirlpool Corporation’s values and make recognition like this possible.”

World’s Most Ethical Companies

The Ethisphere Institute named Whirlpool to Ethisphere’s second-annual World’s Most Ethical Companies list. Ethisphere, a think-tank dedicated to the research and promotion of profitable best practices in global governance, business ethics, compliance and corporate responsibility, revealed the award at the Ethisphere and Forbes joint-conference, “Driving Profit through Ethical Leadership,” held on June 3 in New York, N.Y. The list of World’s Most Ethical companies also will be featured in the second quarter issue of Ethisphere Magazine.

Researchers and analysts reviewed several thousand companies in order to determine the finalists, which included a rigorous, multi-step evaluation process. The extensive research process included reviews of more than 10,000 of the world’s leading companies on six continents. Ethisphere analysts reviewed codes of ethics, litigation and regulatory infraction histories; evaluated investment in innovation and sustainable business practices; looked at companies’ activities to improve corporate citizenship; studied nominations from senior executives, industry peers, suppliers and customers; and worked with consumer action groups for feedback and rating.

America’s Most Respected Companies

In the third annual survey of U.S. consumers conducted by Reputation Institute, Whirlpool earned a Pulse rating of 74.41, placing it 22 on a list of the largest 150 companies in the U.S. and earning Whirlpool a Top 25 ranking in reputation among measured U.S. companies. Whirlpool also ranked 18 among the top 20 companies Americans say they would recommend to others.

Reputation Institute conducts an annual online Global Pulse Survey of the general public to measure the corporate reputation of more than 1,000 of the world’s largest companies within 27 countries. The companies were evaluated on seven key dimensions including products and services, governance, citizenship, workplace, innovation, leadership and financial performance. In this survey of worldwide consumers, Reputation Institute included 150 of the largest companies within the U.S.