Thought y’all might be interested in this update that Rebecca sent me on the outcome of her washer repair ripoff dilemma:

In my not-so-humble opinion, Sears hasn’t redeemed anything! You should never have had to go through such an ordeal to get the service you hired them to do.

The Sears tech should never have charged you for the bogus repair in the first place. If he screwed up, or needed to order a different part, or was simply confused, he should have told you that up front and assured you that he was going to make it right.

I’m glad you stuck to your guns!

Samurai and Rebecca: 1, Sears: 0. BOOYAH!

The first line of defense for any mold and mildew prevention program is to make sure you have a dehumidifier installed and running in your basement. This will reduce the humidity in the basement and make the environment less hospitable to unwanted little nasties that can wreak havoc on carpet, wood, etc.

Next, I recommend using an air purifier which features both phyotohydroionization and electron generation, which work together to quietly and safely clean up to 3,000 square feet of air. The only product I know of that offers both of these features is the AirSource 3000. In scientific studies, the AirSource 3000 reduced mold and yeast counts by an average of 94% over a six-day period and bacteria counts were reduced by an average of 95%. We use two in our house: one for the upstair living area and in the basement (along with a dehumidifier). Since using the AirSource 3000, we have never had a mold, mildew or odor problem and allergic symptoms from pollen and pet dander disappeared. It’s a good investment for the health of any home. Learn more about the AirSource 3000 and buy yours today here.

Sounds to me like you may have a warranty issue with whoever serviced your washer. Any repair company worth their salt will warranty their work. If they didn’t fix the problem you hired them to fix, then they failed to provide the service you paid for, plain n’ simple. You don’t care that the whatchamahoosit was bad and they fixed that but they failed to also fix the thingamabob that was contributing to the same problem. As far as you’re concerned, you paid for your washer to be fixed, and it wasn’t.

Now, on the other hand, if they fixed the problem and it worked fine for a while and then something else went wrong and it crapped out again, that’s a different deal. That kind of thing happens and there’s no predicting it.

If you want to try fixing it yourself, use the repair forum at the Appliantology group. And be sure to include your model number.

Many grasshoppers often ask me, "Oh, most wise and beloved Samurai, which appliances use the most power and what can be done to make them more efficient?" To which I sagely reply, "Look, I’m Samurai Appliance Repair Man, not a friggin’ power meter. How ’bout you measure the power usage of your appliances yourself?" Yes, grasshopper, until recently, power consumption test instruments were very expensive. However, a new product, called the Kill-a-Watt meter can help you determine which appliance is hogging the most energy in your home.

Is your refrigerator running too much, or is your window air conditioner causing your electric bill to skyrocket? With the Kill-a-Watt meter, you can determine energy usage of any standard household appliance that plugs into a 110 volt outlet.

Refrigerators use a lot of power — between 300 and 500 watts while running. If the condenser coil is dirty, or the door gaskets are torn, they’ll use even more. Check the efficiency of your refrigerator and other appliances regularly, and clean or maintain them as needed to make sure they’re running as efficiently as possible.

You can also use the Kill-a-Watt meter to check computers, table lamps and most other devices that plug into standard wall receptacles. You’ll learn many devices, such as TVs and stereos, actually use energy when they’re turned off.

The Kill-a-Watt meter costs less than $30. This is a small price to pay to potentially save hundreds of dollars in electricity over time. Come git you one!

Hello, my precious grasshoppers. First, let me say how honored I am that you have chosen to spend a few minutes of your empty life with me here in this shrine to my own empty life. Come, let us combine our emptiness and together we shall create a huge sucking sound.

If you prefer to avoid reading any more of the drivel that you have just read, perhaps you could be better served with repair photographs. Your all-benevolent Samurai has warehoused hundreds of appliance repair photographs to assist you in your journey to appliance satori. Yes, it is true. Would you like to see them? Alright, they are listed below. Hare Krishna!

• Finding Your Model Number
• Making Basic Electrical Tests
• Refrigerators and Freezers
• Icemakers
• Washers
• Dryers
• Dishwashers
• Ranges, Ovens, Stoves
• Microwave Ovens

And checkout my more recent appliance repair pics.