GE dryer Appliance abuse!!!

[dustin92]

I was visiting friends recently, and they have a GE profile electric dryer (I think the next version after the filter flo's). Up until recently it has run well, and nearly silent. (It was in their house when they moved in 5 years ago. The last time I was up, (I think late october) it had started squeaking LOUDLY. Since they are renting, I figured they would have the landlord repair/replace it. At this point they are doing laundry for 10 people (Whirlpool estate DD washer), and I usually help out with laundry a bit (usually just switch a load and start another), and I could hear the thing scraping when I walked in the front door... uh oh, doesnt sound good. I commented that it sounded like an elephant had sat on the dryer, and when it finished I went to unload it, opened the door to find that the DRUM had WORN THROUGH THE FRONT OF THE CABINET, right around the top corners of the door, peeling the metal back like a sardine can in about a 6" strip. I honestly dont know how it could turn the drum, and I asked how it happened..... My friends acted completely shocked, and said they didnt know it was like that! They said it has been making that noise for a couple months, and their landlord said he would replace it when it quit! I am sure overloading and overdrying has contributed to it, because the kids were pretty good at stuffing the washer, to the point that the clothes on top arent even getting wet. I explained to them how to load it properly, and they said "thats how our mom does it", meaning that she had taught them to stuff the machines. The kids learned very quickly (ages 14 and 16), but I'm sure mom is still stuffing, and won't hear of any different. They dry the stuffed loads for 80 minutes on high, even though the dryer has an auto dry cycle (which I use). I didnt have an oppertunity to snap a picture, but I am sure you can picture it. I wonder how long it will last? Obviously it is beyond repair at this point, may as well run it until the drum lands in the middle of the floor...

 

[whirlcool]

A lot of times people have no regard for things they don't have a financial interest in. They just don't care.

What they should have done is told the landlord the noise is getting worse and he needs to come look at it. It would have been cheaper to repair than replace. But then a lot of people don't know that. I think what the landlord had in mind was to get every last bit of use out of the machine and delay having to spend the money for a new dryer later.

I once heard a woman tell me that she had to buy a new dryer because the transmission went out on the old one. I asked her why she thinks that and she said the dryer just doesn't tumble clothes anymore. Most likely a belt. But she insisted no it was a transmission problem. [this post was last edited: 2/5/2013-23:33]

 

[tolivac]

The dryer is not theirs-so they don't care.Now,I bet if the dryer belonged to the householders-they would have had it fixed.

 

[drewz]

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Property Management!

 

[DADoES]

 
It can be repaired but perhaps isn't cost-effective.

I refurbished a Neptune MDE5500 dryer several years ago that had the same problem.  Front drum support wore down, edge of the drum ripped through the front panel.  Required a new front panel, new drum, and a couple other bits were needing attention.

 

[maytagbear]

HEY!

Not all tenants are like that.

I have been a renter since 1996, and I take good care of the property. In fact, I take better care than my landlord. When I asked him if I could have a gas stove, he said if I paid for it. I did, and I also paid him for the stove and refrigerator that I replaced. I also paid him to put in laundry hookups. When the shower door deteriorated, and jumped its track, and cut my right foot, I did not sue. I paid a handyman I know to take out the shower door, and to put up a shower curtain rod---after phoning my landlord (and getting no response!)

Yes, there are bad tenants. I am not denying that. However, there are good tenants.

I pay my rent on time, I don't have loud/wild parties, I keep the place looking respectable......

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[yogitunes]

Lawrence

there are good tenants like yourself, my last two took very good care of things, these two I have now are a little similar to what Dustin has described, we do get all types.....

but because of how well you take care of things, and handle the little stuff on your own, as I did when I was renting, rent stayed low, and was not increased year to year...actually mine was reduced because I would do the work as long as he paid for the materials...others in my building could not understand why they paid so much more, and got increases....

some have the mentality that they pay rent, and all the excess damage they create is to be covered and replaced.....

just like Dustin's friends, they may not think that it's their property to take care of, but their rent increase will say different....you have to wonder, if the dryer is destroyed, and the washer being that packed, will soon die, one way or another.....makes you wonder how their treating the rest of the apartment....and kissing that security deposit GOODBYE!.....

that's not saying anyone can't have a bad landlord as well.....we don't know all the facts on any one persons circumstances....things can spin in many directions...

 

[dustin92]

My friends really do care, they just dont know anything about appliances. Their landlord told them to use the dryer until it quits and he will replace it, even though he didnt really provide the appliances, they were left by the previous tenant. They do most of the repairs around the house, even though the landlord would gladly do them. Their landlord treats them very well qnd they do the same in return, They have missed their rent a couple times when finances have gotten tight and the landlord told them not to worry about it because they have done repairs that he would have had to do. He has about 20 rentals and he says they are his best renters, and he would hate to lose them.

 

[tolivac]

Yes,when I rented I took care of the things the landlord supplied-helped their tech fix anything in my apartment that went wrong.I was the only tenant that would help out.The property manager talked to me when I left my last rental about how good I was.I bought my first home at that time.Sort of missed some of the things on renting.