The Basics
As smart homes advance, the features keep getting better and the laundry room is no different than the rest of the house. I’m drawn back to the old Virginia Slims commercial slogan, “We’ve Come a Long Way Baby,” and when it comes to the smart laundry room we have. So stay with us here as we explore the timeline to today’s laundry room and you will discover why having smart laundry appliances make sense.
I guess you could say that the first real washing machine is a rock. Men and women at the beginning of the washing machine revolution would take their laundry basket down to the river, get their clothes soaked and soaped with some type of detergent, and beat them against a large rock or boulder. Something that hasn’t changed since then is the bickering over the best rock, and who has to use it – a scene that you can still see today over appliances and workload.
Next up , this little bute made Sears and Roebuck a household name. The rain-barrel washtub and board underwent several modifications to include a hand crank agitator replacing the scrub board and a wringer to replace the hands on chore of extracting the extra water out of the clothes for faster drying. Later, those functions were also refitted with gas and electric motors. In this era, there were also rocker washers, first manually driven with a handle. Clothes were rocked back in forth until presumed clean. This concept would also be refitted with gas and electric motors.
These appliances were used for some time yet faded quickly for the new galvanized steel clothes washers that boast larger loads. Unfortunately, the washing machine still required the machine operator to feed clothes through a wringer. Another feature was the agitator that pulsed back and forth, rather than having paddles all moving in one direction. In the 70’s, there were compact spinner washers. Not long after that we began seeing automated washers and dryers front load and top load washing machines. That brings us to the next generation of washers and dryers.
The digital age of laundry follows the traditions of its predecessors for saving time and labor intensive work. Washers and dryers featured multiple settings for a variety of tasks for different types of laundry. These machines boasts less energy use and water consumption, doing more with less. These machines featured more modern designs as has happened with their progression over time. Garment care is easier and the end results are less fabric ware and color damage. Washing machines and dryers have been tasked to meet the demands of ever changing and complexed fabric compositions.
Our final stop on the timeline as progress doesn’t allow us to go any further, is the smart washer and dryer. This class of machines is far more superior than any created before this time. The smart washing machine and dryer fit nicely into the automation system of your smart home. The smart washer monitors water temperature and the exact amount of water needed for the load that you’re washing. There are other features such as spin cycle increase or decrease, scheduled start time, and amount of detergent to dispense. Some have an automated wash start which automatically closes the lid or door and locks it, after a certain weight of laundry has been thrown in to wash. Dryers too have features such as temperature monitor, fluff until attended, and automated lint disposal, not to mention the several drying selections to choose from. There is another drying method that also rions on the hanger that we find fascinating. As these smart machines are tied into your home automation system, they are also controllable by your portable smart device or smart phone which we see as the best advantage.
The downside to smart washing and drying appliances is cost. These smart appliances can cost a small fortune which may be a deterrent from everyday buyers from purchasing them, yet discriminate smart home owners have no issue with price as all they are looking for is functionality. So smart appliances aren’t a smart choice for everyone.
At Smarter Homes of Austin, we take pride in delivering the smart home experiences that our customers demand. If you plan to build a smart home or would like to retrofit your current home with the smart home experience, please call us at (512) 775-6101. Make an appointment to see our smart home model or we’ll come to you. If you want to know more and have recommendations on designing your smart home build or retrofit, send a diagram of your home to colter@smarterhomesustin.com, and our design manager will get back to you within 48 hours to go over options with you.
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