The Second Time it Began to Rain in my Basement

Part 1: Not again!

I wasn’t home for this one. If you didn’t know, I’m also a high school biology teacher. I get up pretty early and am off to work by 6:30 or so every morning. Normally my ride is uneventful; a podcast or some music all the way to the west side as the sun rises. Not a bad little routine, albeit earlier than I might otherwise prefer to get out of the house. I made it all the way to the school parking lot and hadn’t turned the car off when my phone began to ring through the car speakers. It was my wife. This is a pretty uncommon occurrence, so I answered quickly.

“Hello. Everything ok?”

“I was running laundry while getting the kids ready for school, and I came back toward the kitchen and there was water all over the floor. I hurried to the washing machine and it was overflowing through the lid. I pressed the power button and it stopped. Then it drained. I used towels to clean the kitchen floor. Some water leaked through to the basement, but it stopped. I’ve got fans drying it up downstairs.”

“Alright. Don’t run the washing machine again for now. We will handle it when I get the chance.”

Part 2: The Problem

That day I arranged a company to come out and assess the state of the washing machine. They wouldn’t give us any solid answers, but it appeared that the computer wasn’t working properly and the repair was going to cost in the 100s of dollars. The machine was only about 4 years old. It turns out that during the pandemic in 2020, many companies had problems with their supply chains. In an effort to stay in business, they sourced parts for their machines from other sources. Many machines had less-than-standard parts in them. The tech called my washer a “Covid baby.” Well great. Basically it wasn’t worth the money to fix it.

Next step: trying to find a replacement. That night, after putting the kids to bed ,I went out to try and get it done at  the big box store where I purchased the previous machine and talked with the manager of the appliances department. I told him my tale of woe. I was trying to get the company to take some pride in their service and at least give me a decent discount on a new machine. Nothing doing. He wouldn’t budge. Further, he even admitted to me that all of the washers were probably about as unreliable! “They don’t make them like they used to,” as the old saying goes.This seemed ridiculous to me. However, he told me about “Speed Queen” washers and how he wished they sold them, as they’re the most reliable, with a multi-year full warranty. I went home empty handed, but had more knowledge than before. I won’t be buying my appliances from that store anymore.

Part 3: A Solution

I still had a problem. A family needs to be able to do laundry. Each passing day would get more desperate for a solution. The next day, I arranged to meet my wife and the kids at another appliance store that sold Speed Queens right after I left school. The store manager was knowledgeable and immediately helpful. He talked me through some options and we ended up buying the Speed Queen. It was more expensive than anything I would’ve bought at the big box store, but it came with a 7 year full coverage warranty. I’ve gotten to know the store manager since then and now I know someone who really knows appliances!

What’s my point with this story?

1. It helps to ask lots of questions and get informed when it comes to these kinds of purchases. Don’t just buy the first thing you see.
2. Sometimes a customer wants a good deal, but might be willing to spend more than they planned if it feels worth it. That was me. The big box store lost a sale because the manager wasn’t very solution-oriented. He gave me good information, but didn’t do much to earn a sale. The manager at the second store could walk me through why my purchase would be a good one and I was sold. So far, the speed queen is as advertised. It’s quiet and efficient, and I have the peace of mind knowing it’s covered by a great warranty for a long time.

The store that helped me: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ySqeHszLCTfaKqk18

The washer we bought: https://speedqueen.com/products/top-load-washers/tr7003wn/