1/18 Storage Question

[soapnsuds]

I hope the 1/18 Guru's are out there today!

I was laying in bed last night and the funniest thing popped up. It was still 76 degrees at 10 last night and it just kind of dawned on me, that I keep my 1/18 out in the garage (along with my other 'toy' washers. I live in Sacramento and during the summer we are in the 90's to about 105-110 degrees. Is that heat going to dry out the bellows that is in the 1/18? I use it once or twice a month, but should I leave some water in the tub to keep the bellows moist? I know the water would go bad, so either drain it once a week or put a few tablespoons of bleach in it?

What do the experts suggest?

Thanks Everyone for your help.

Laurent

 

[jaytag]

Caution on the bleach

Although washers are tough, make sure you dilute the bleach very carefully, I m not an expert on this. Anyone else chime in on this. My father used to put bleach down the disposer to cut the smell and it locked it up tight.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Garage washers

Chlorine bleach will actually dry-out rubber materials, not help them. That's why plumbers hate those chlorine laden toilet tank tablets because they dry out the flappers and cause leaks.

I keep a couple washers in the garage too, and we get pretty warm in the summer here in the south too. You may want to use your machine a little more often in the evenings when it cools down a bit, but I would not leave water standing in any washer, new or vintage.

Your best bet may be to find ways to ventilate your garage to keep it as cool as possible.

 

[soapnsuds]

Thanks Guys. Guess I should put one of those roof fans in to get the air moving... Thanks for tips. Laurent

 

[washerlover]

I kept my 1-18 in an unventilated garage when I lived in Phoenix,(thank GOD I'm not there anymore!!) which gets hotter than Sacto, for three years with minimal use (maybe once every six months) and it survived just fine, along with my Norge, Speed Queen and Wards machines! Now I'm in far northwestern damp northern California and my machines and me are loving it!

 

[soapnsuds]

Phoenix?! I WISH I was there. LOVE the heat and the Phoenix Art Museum wasn't bad either.
Well, if the washer's can survive Phoenix, I guess they can survive 'chilly' old Sacramento and FREEZING Eureka, I should have nothing to worry about.

Thanks Todd.