All year long, Warners’ Stellian partners with Electrolux to make a donation to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund for each delivery made by our two teal-colored delivery trucks. (“Every delivery closer to a cure.”)

In honor of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, Warners’ Stellian-Rochester will host a “Ladies Night” event tomorrow (Thursday, Sept. 9) from 5-7 p.m. to benefit the Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance.

Obviously free food will be aplenty — as will fun women — but attendees also have the chance to win an Electrolux Turquoise Sky Perfect Steam washer/dryer pair (which loyal blog readers know is my appliance fantasy), a Dacor cookware set and a Holland Grill Companion Gas Grill (perfect for tailgating!). There will be also be silent auction.

Can’t make it Rochester? This whole month, Electrolux will donate $200 to OCRF for every new Turquoise Sky Perfect Steam washer/dryer pair purchased.

Not in the market for a new washer/dryer? Visit Electrolux’s Kelly Confidential online and press the Perfect Steam button “to take your garments from rumpled to runway-ready” (their words, I swear) and  Electrolux will donate $1 to OCRF. Plus you’ll be entered for a chance to win a shopping spree between $50 and $250 and a washer and dryer from Electrolux.

>>See full details

A friend sent me these pictures of our appliances and the "Styrofoam-On-A-Stick" display (cute, right?) I made about our package recycling program.

Another view from the Eco Experience Kitchen

I haven’t made it yet, but I’m going tonight and I’d love to get some perspectives from others first.

Like this:

Starting today, you could get up to $200 of instant appliance savings from your electricity company if you use:

• Connexus Energy
• Dakota Electric
• Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric
• Goodhue County Cooperative Electric Association
• Itasca-Mantrap Cooperative Electrical Association
• Lake Region Electric Cooperative

With the Warners’ Stellian coupon provided by these electric companies (distributed in bills, bill envelopes or newsletters), you’ll get $125 off an ENERGY STAR refrigerator and $75 off an ENERGY STAR clothes washer.

Plus, you’ll get free delivery if your purchase is $499 and above (this applies more to those living outside the Twin Cities metro, where we always offer free appliance delivery!).

But, you should clean the condenser coils on refrigerators in greasy, dusty environments — and homes with “significant pet traffic” (which just sounds like a kitten parade, right?) — every two or three months.

What’s that? Cleaning stuff is a pain in the butt? Yeah, well so is replacing stuff. Regular maintenance not only ensures your refrigerator runs efficiently (aka for less money) but it will help it run for longer.

I’m betting it’s been about the suggested time span (times 10?) since you have cleared out what lies beneath, so here’s a refresher course:

1. Unplug refrigerator or disconnect power. (We don’t need any heroes, people.)

2. Take off the kick plate, or “grille.” How you do this depends on the configuration of your fridge (e.g. top freezer, side by side), but the “wiggle and pull” method seems pretty universal. For more help, consult your Use & Care manual or (do what I do and) ask a family member for help.

3. Clean the kick plate, the open area behind it and the front surface area using either a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment or, my sister’s favorite, a baby bottle brush duct-taped to a stretched-out coat hanger.

Jon, a self-proclaimed “water nerd,” has been in the industry for five years. When he’s not helping Warners’ Stellian or conducting product training, Jon visits customers’ home to “evaluate the symptoms, diagnose and treat” (get it?) their water.

Want Jon to diagnose your water?

During Water Test Wednesdays (see event calendar for dates and locations), bring in a water sample and Jon will test it. If there’s a problem, he’ll tell you how to treat it. (He can figure out how to fix a lot of problems, he assured me.)

If you already have a water softener, but you’re not sure if it’s working, draw one sample from an outside tap (because it’s untreated) and one from the bathroom cold (because it’s treated), to give him a before and after picture of how much your softener is actually doing.

The first Water Test Wednesday is tonight at our St. Paul/Falcon Heights/Roseville store from 5 to 8.

1. What are the benefits of a water softener?

A water softener removes harsh minerals commonly found in hard water. You’ll have softer, mineral-free water that is much gentler on everything that uses water:

• Less crusty, scale buildup on sinks and faucets

• Brighter, cleaner clothes

• Reduced soap scum on tubs, showers and shower doors

• Softer laundry, linens and towels

• Cleaner, smoother skin and hair

• Clearer pipes with less corrosive elements and scale buildup

Plus, your appliances work more efficiently and last longer. And they’ll need less detergent, saving you money and reducing the environmental impact.

2. What is hard water?

Hard water contains dissolved minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese. According to the Water Quality Association, water containing more than 1 GPG (grain per gallon) of these dissolved minerals is considered hard water. Relative levels of hardness have been established:

• Soft Water – less than 1 GPG

• Slightly hard – 1 to 3.5 GPG

• Moderately hard – 3.5 to 7 GPG

• Hard – 7 to 10.5 GPG

• Very Hard – 10.5 and higher GPG

3. What is the average water hardness in Minnesota?

Minnesota’s average is 15-25 GPG (grains per gallon) however some parts of the Twin Cities are as high as 35 GPG. Unlike mass-produced national retailers and franchised water softeners, Water Doctors amasses an extensive database of municipal water supplies and engineers the Water Doctors softeners and filters to match the exact water chemistry of the customer’s water analysis.

4. What is the average water hardness in the United States?

Five to nine grains per gallon. Being this is the “average,” the national brand softeners are designed to this level of hardness. Minnesota and Wisconsin’s is 2-4 times harder and requires different softening and filtering media. Water Doctors engineered systems will use up to 70 percent less salt.

5. Why is the water in Minnesota so hard?

The earth beneath Minnesota and Wisconsin is heavily saturated with limestone, which is where hardness (calcium) comes from. Limestone is made up of calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate.

6. What type of salt should I use in my water softener?

Water Doctors recommends using extra-coarse solar salt, which is commonly found in the blue bag and is cleaner than the pellets. Pellet salt uses a bonding agent to hold it in its pellet shape. When the water in the brine tank dissolves the salt for use in the softener, the pellets can essentially glue themselves together causing bridging. Once this happens the salt no longer can dissolve to soften the water. Water Doctors offers convenient home delivery of salt for all brands of softeners.

7. Can salt from softening installations enter drinking water?
Salt can’t enter drinking water through softening installations. The only purpose of salt in a water softener is to regenerate the resin beads that take the hardness out of water.

8. Why does soft water make my skin feel slippery, slimy, or I can’t get the soap off?

Those who grew up with hard water are used to the feeling, which is the result of soap scum clogging your pores. (Yes, the same soap scum that is on the shower doors and walls.) The clogged pores block natural skin oils. But showering or washing in soft water cleans your pores out and allows your natural skin oils to come out. Remember what happens when water mixes with oil? It gets kind of slippery. That is the feeling that you are experiencing. For the first time your pores are no longer filled with soap scum and your natural skin oils are free to come out.

9. Does a softener brine tank need cleaning?

Usually it is not necessary to clean out a brine tank. However, if your water happens to contain some sand or sediment it can collect in the brine tank. If this is the case you may want to clean the tank out once a year.

10.Is there such a thing as no salt softening?

No. The only way to actually soften water is by using a traditional salt-based ion exchange softener. Salt-free systems attempt to reduce scale buildup, but they don’t remove hardness from the water nor its negative effects.

11. Is electricity a big part of water softeners?

No. A water softener costs approximately $3 to $5 per year in electricity. A water softener is plugged into an outlet for time-keeping purposes only, because it recharges at 2 a.m.

12. Does a softener purify the water?

No, but there are products that will. Reverse Osmosis drinking water systems and Whole House Ultra Filtration units purify the water. A water softener simply removes hardness that clogs pipes and appliances.

A Reverse Osmosis system is designed for drinking water and can be piped to multiple locations. Whole House Ultra Filtration is installed after the water softener to treat all of the water in your home, not just drinking water.

13. What are the differences among water softener brands?

Quality of construction is a major difference among water softener brands. The other is the type of resin (softening media) used. Water Doctors uses stainless steel valves and custom builds every unit by selecting the proper resin media based on your specific water chemistry. There are approximately 40 different types of resin to choose from. Durable valves give the water softener the durability it needs to soften the unusually harsh water conditions found in this area for up to 25 years. The proper resin selected provides maximum efficiency and perfectly soft water.

Behold, the laundry room.

This post is the second in a new series, “Things I Want” for my new house. Be impressed with my previous post about refrigerators.

While taking turns bashing our antique dishwasher last week, my roommate mentioned how much water it wastes.

And it does.

We can hear the 12-gallon tsunami rage against the Cuisinart and CorningWare.

But, I told her, the washing machine is muuuuuch worse.

Her jaw nearly dropped at the news that while our dishwasher probably wastes about 8 gallons of water per cycle due to its age, our washing machine wastes about 30 gallons.

And for what? A puny capacity and agitator-worn blouses.

Desirable: Electrolux Perfect Steam Washer

(I also aspire to a design aesthetic that accommodates the whimsy of children's doodles.)

Oh, how I long for the days when I had an Electrolux steam washer and dryer. The steam dryer quickly unwrinkled dresses without me unloading the ironing board. And with the 18-minute wash/18-minute dry feature (the next generation laundry shortens the wash-dry time to 30 minutes total!), my running clothes were ready before I was on Saturday mornings.

Everything came out of the washer super clean– even when I stuffed it full and ran the cold cycle — and nearly dry. Plus, I got to do the Kelly Ripa-hipcheck-to-open-the-door move. Sweet.

However, at nearly $2,600, I wouldn’t have any clothes left to wash.

Acquirable: Frigidaire Affinity Ready Steam Washer

Gotta love promo shots: "Gee, this laundry pair saves me so much time, I've started dabbling in abstract expressionism!"

Frigidaire is made by Electrolux, so the washing machines bear many similarities. The Affinity washer‘s capacity of 4.4 cubic feet is only 0.3 cubic feet less than the Electrolux.

What’s that? A pair of shorts?

The quick cycle time bumps up a smidgen to a 25-minute wash/25-minute dry (time is money, people).

You’ll also lose a bit in the engineering, but a steam washer and steam dryer for $1,800 is a steal.

Plus, you can get a $100 Visa gift card through Sept. 26.

You’ve heard of a HEPA filter vacuum. And bagless vacuum cleaners. But those all trap dust and particulate matter using air and manufactured materials.

One of our newest products, the ROTHO Twin TT Aquafilter is truly something I’ve never seen before.

German-made ROTHO (pronounced ROW-toe) traps allergens and dust in a water reservoir. It’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen (even though the murky water in the reservoir gets pretty nasty…that’s a good thing, though!).

So pet owners and allergy sufferers especially can cash in on the investment in a water filter vacuum (innovation doesn’t come cheap — we sell this for $795).

Not only can you use it to dry vacuum carpets and floors, you avoid expense carpet and professional cleaning fees and wet-clean your own carpets, upholstery, mattresses and tile/bare floors with the spray-extraction system.

We ship the ROTHO water filter vacuum for free (all vacuums ship for free!)

Check out this video (for as long as it stays posted online):

Look for this coupon inside your electricity bill or on your bill envelope.

From September 1 – October 31, 2010, you can get instant appliance rebates for replacing your inefficient appliance with a new Energy Star qualified refrigerator or clothes washer.

Plus, Energy Star appliances use much less energy and water than your old appliances, possibly saving you up to $150 per year on your energy bills.

Warners’ Stellian customers of participating electricity providers can use the coupon (many sent out in bill statements) to get:

• $125 off an Energy Star refrigerator (with recycling of replaced unit)
• $75 off an Energy Star clothes washer

So that’s a potential $200 instant savings, plus Warners’ Stellian will deliver and recycle your replaced appliances for free (on purchases $499 and up).

We are always willing to deliver for a fee outside of the metro Twin Cities area, but with your coupon, you can waive that fee.

Electricity providers providing instant rebates to Warners’ Stellian customers include:

• Connexus Energy
• Dakota Electric Association
• Goodhue County Cooperative Electric Association
• Itasca-Mantrap Cooperative Electrical Association
• Lake Region Electric Cooperative
• Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric.

And if they shop from Sept. 1-7, customers of those electricity co-ops will pay no interest if paid in full within 18 months on purchases of $499 or more (restrictions apply, of course). Also, select qualifying Energy Star appliances will be offered at discounts of 25% or more.

>>See more details and a complete list of participating electricity cooperatives here.

Not a customer of any of these? Check the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency for a full list of energy efficiency rebates offered in Minnesota.

It's all your fault. Seriously.

I’ve been noticing many more glasses coming out of the dishwasher with a white residue on them.

I blame this trend on my roommates’ overzealous dish-rinsing habits rather than my overzealous wine glass-using habits, of course.

But, what does rinsing my plate have to do with my wine glass, Julie?

Everything, Loyal Appliance Blog Reader.

Many of today’s dishwasher detergents contain phosphates, which need food residue to break down. So, if there’s no food residue or grease, the phosphates don’t break down. Instead, they somehow end up on your glassware (disclosure: I’m no chemist, if you haven’t noticed yet.)

As if you need another reason to stop pre-rinsing/washing your dishes.

So, washing my dishes actually causes them to become dirty?

That’s what we call irony, LABR. You’re catching on.

If you find yourself with a rack of filmy glassware, save the labor — and the water (rinsing dishes often uses more water than a dishwasher cycle) — and run a warm vinegar rinse.

Put 2 cups white vinegar in a glass or dishwasher-safe measuring cup on the bottom rack. Then run the dishwasher through a complete washing cycle using an air-dry or an energy-saving dry option. Do not use detergent. The vinegar will mix with the wash water.

Running a vinegar cycle every few months is a good idea, per se.

Authors who wrote this blog post also wrote: “Dishwasher troubleshooting: Dishes not drying?”

I bet you wouldn’t be doing that if you realized you were paying up to $150 per year in energy costs to keep it humming.

Well, it’s the last month many energy providers, including Connexus Energy and Dakota Electric Association, not only will haul away and recycle your refrigerator for free but give you $35.

image courtesy Arca Inc.

But there are still plenty of ongoing refrigerator and freezer “bounty” programs (Xcel’s program is ongoing, as far as I can tell) though your ability to participate depends on your utility company.

Is your utility company offering a bounty?

Check here and here.