New Dryer / New Plug and Vent Necessary?

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Earlier this week, my wife made the decision to visit our local home improvement store with the objective of purchasing a new washer and dryer. This would be the first time that either of us had ever purchased an appliance from other than a traditional major appliance retailer (Sears, etc.). We were greeted in the appliance by a very helpful and personable salesperson (Vernon), who readily described the general features and advantages of a variety of models. We proceeded to make a relatively quick decision to purchase a Whirlpool washer and dryer.

As we began to complete the transaction, the salesperson offered the standard extended warranty, which we politely declined. The salesperson then noted that we would need a new vent pipe and clamps, which I noted that since our existing dryer was less than 5 years old and had a metallic vent pipe " that we also didn’t need a replacement. Our salesperson went on to note their installers would not complete the set-up with the existing vent pipe, due to the fire danger " which immediately began to upset my wife. I mentioned that these vent pipes were probably installed in millions of U.S. homes currently, I was entirely skeptical that they represented anything like the fire hazard he was suggesting. My wife then became insistent on purchasing the new metalic vent pipe, which I reluctantly agreed to do. The salesperson then mentioned we would need to purchase a power cord. I noted that the power cord from the current dryer could just be swapped out upon installation. The salesperson again noted that for safety reasons they could not use the existing cord, which caused my wife to be again become anxious " the latter of which I verbally pointed out to our salesperson. I legitimately noted that since the existing power cord has no actual moving parts, that our existing cord was in as in as pristine condition as the day it was manufactured. The salesperson persisted, and I very reluctantly agreed to purchase the new power cord.

I thought I would post this just to see if others have had a similar experience, and while my wife says I acted rudely to point out some of the things about the vent pipe and power cord replacements, I'm not so sure. What would others have done in this situation? It seems like much of this was an effort to tack on an additional $25 sale, and at the same time, turned what had been a positive experience, into a now negative experience for the consumer.

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Type: Question • Score: 4 • Views: 22,227 • Replies: 22

[+3] - CDobyns - 07/14/2009Fortunately my wife does not read this community board, because if she did - I would have to say, ". . . you guys are not helping make this situation better . . . " Funny nonetheless.

@CDobyns,

we bought a new dryer recently.
we did not purchase any of the accessories offered at the time of the sale.
instead we let the plumber who installed it decide if we needed anything... which it turned out we didn't...

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There are an estimated 14,000 dryer fires every year so it pays to be safe when connecting a new dryer. Pro's like to exchange a plastic flex-vent for an aluminum one. Also, you should vacuum all the lint up surrounding the old dryer. If you've touched the old power cord and it wasn't warm, chances are it is still usable.

The only thing that occurred to me is that your store was guarding against law suits. In that case they should have made you initial a disclaimer and not preyed on your wife's fears.

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@CDobyns,

The salesperson was probably just doing the usual upselling that is done with most everything that is sold.

Your aluminum pipe would be just fine. All you would have to do is ensure that all of the lint is vacuumed out before connecting the new appliance. There should be no reason to replace the clamps.

I do not think you were being unreasonable or out of line. He was just preying on the concerns of your wife to sell as much as possible.

It is relatively easy to setup a washer and dryer without professional help if normal precautions are taken.

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I think that the salesman stopped way too short. What about the wiring from the panel to the dryer outlet, the main panel itself, the service wire from the transformer to the panel, including the conduit that contains the wire, the wire on the power company's side of the transformer, the transformer itself, the transmission lines, even the generating station?

1 Reply

@JTT,

you left out the nuclear power plant

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@panzade,

Fortunately my wife does not read this community board, because if she did - I would have to say, ". . . you guys are not helping make this situation better . . . "

Funny nonetheless.

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@CDobyns,

thanks for posting here CD, and as you can see, we love to stir up trouble. But I think we covered most of the safety points of dryer installation pretty well.

Don't be a stranger

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@panzade,

Happy to drop by, on the right occasions.

I am still a little askance about your upstream response of, "If you've touched the old power cord and it wasn't warm, chances are it is still usable.". Again, the power cord (figuratively and practically speaking) has no moving parts, and it is rated for the electrical load associated with the appliance. Therefore, absent being nicked, bent, spindled, folded or mutilated - I think it should be good in perpetuity.

Upon checking though, it was warm to the touch. But given that this dryer is located in a non-living area space in the house, and that it's summer - and that virtually everything in the room is "warm to the touch" - I should assume that's what you meant by that cautionary note?

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@CDobyns,

Quote:

Therefore, absent being nicked, bent, spindled, folded or mutilated - I think it should be good in perpetuity.

That's true and it even makes sense, CD, until an appliance salesman deems otherwise.

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Good thread, I've been enjoying reading it.

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@ossobuco,

Hold onto your hat, Osso, we haven't even started on the things needed for a new washer.

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@JTT,

Well, you haven't covered what you can do with dryer lint either..

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Sears has a history of bait-and-switch, of telling you why you shouldn 't buy the cheap thing they advertise which brought you into the store, but should instead buy something considerbly more expensive. Not that they are alone in that practice.

And they probably have installers under contract who'd put the dryer in, so that's not necessarily an impartial source to ask either. Try googling something like "installing a clothes dryer" and see what recommendations you get as to what should be done.

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Sorry about that. Sometimes when I post something, it gives me no indication anything has posted, no little progress bar, just nothin'. At those points, the usual safeguards against double posting seem to be inoperative. I guess I just hit one of those points again.

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How did you do that, MJ, post the same one 3 times? If you haven't convinced with those three postings, I guess you never will. Smile

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@CDobyns,

you know, for the $25, I'd rather be safe than sorry. Maybe he was being persistant, and maybe he's seen others use "old" parts and then come back to him asking wht he didn't sell them the "whole shebang". I don't fault the salesman at all for doing what he did. Yeah, you could have the old vent cleaned by a professional, at what cost? Less than $25 ? I don't think so, even if you had someone come out to check it and tell you it was ok, it would be more. I don't understand why you consider someone trying to look out for your safety as a "negative experience". If something went wrong,and he hadn't recommended what he did, would you have sued? seems to me that you would have.

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@Joethewaterguy,

Here's another update to this continuing dryer installation saga, which includes a final strange twist.

First, for Joe, while I appreciate the effort to always try to find the "good" in people, to fall for this one defies reason. This just belongs n the category of one of life's lessons. It's sort of like, "you never buy a Rolex watch from a guy who's out of breath", and "you never sit down to poker with a guy named 'Slim'". And as for the assertion that we would resort to litigation if something were to go "wrong" is sheer nonsense. If we've been fully apprised of the risk, and voluntarily elect to accept that risk, we're accountable for any outcomes attributable to that decision.

And as the late Paul Harvey would say, now for the rest of the story. Earlier this week the contract installers arrived to install the dryer. I'd told my wife the night before, that despite our "purchase" of the unneeded parts, we were going to decline the actual installation, and I'd do the work myself. Well, they must have broken the mold when they made these installers because they were wonderful. They removed and inspected the existing four feet of vent pipe, and hooked it up to the new dryer. Not surprisingly, in a five year old house, they found no lint - only a little dust.

There must have been a real communications mix-up on the electrical cord installation though (never a far-fetched possibility with my wife). My wife told the installers that "I wanted to install the electrical cord myself", which really meant that I just wanted to move the cord off the old dryer to the new dryer. Somehow though, when I got home - the dryer was installed with a new electrical cord and another new cord was laying on the kitchen table. When I inquired about "that", my wife said the installer just left the extra cord (no charge), and said if I wanted to install it on the dryer - I was welcome to do that.

Well, needless to say, we'll be returning the unopened cord, the unopened vent pipe and clamps for a refund. And we'll still have fully inspected vent pipe and a newly installed electrical cord - for free. Who says there's no justice in the world?

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@CDobyns,

No less than one would expect from competent installers.

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@ossobuco,

Quote:

Well, you haven't covered what you can do with dryer lint either..

Haven't used dryer lint yet but I've made a few nice quilts with belly button fluff. Takes a long time to collect what you need so maybe there's something to this dryer lint idea. Thanks Osso.

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New Dryer / New Plug and Vent Necessary?

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