Having the best laundry equipment for your business is a must, especially if you are doing several loads every day like you would in a veterinary practice washing animal fur out of towels or a salon where towels are used to soak up oils and lotions. Chances are that in your laundry exists a domestic washing machine from a nearby retailer that promises high washing loads and a superior clean every time.
If you run either one of these businesses or plan to start one up I have no doubt you already understand that frequent and heavier washing loads are a given.
Here are 5 reasons why a residential machine just will not cut it and will actually hurt your business.
1. The lack of energy and water savings
This is the biggest driving factor for any business. Each day when there is one load coming out and then another load going straight in for a good part of the day it tends to rack up the water and energy costs.
Even the best rated machines for the domestic market still use upwards of 63 litres of water every wash. Of course if you haven’t done your research then this number might not mean much to you, but for you savvy owners it is easier to understand that these numbers can tally up.
If you are using a commercial machine for your laundry needs then you could be saving roughly 12-20 extra litres every wash.
That’s a water saving of nearly 16 thousand litres every year!
We should also mention, that 52L for the commercial machines comes from our own front loader spec sheet. If we use the low-average amount at 44L per cycle (for our own front loader) we get a value of 68,640L.
A whopping 30 THOUSAND LITRES less than a domestic washer.
As for energy usage, almost all machines are going to vary in their usage, but a quick look at the technical specifications of varying domestic products reveals most of those same machines use around 219-260 kWh.
Most commercial washers will use significantly less than this (ours uses 0.67 kWh). When you add this on to your water savings that can be a significant chunk.
2. Repair costs
Nothing is worse for a business that does several loads of laundry each day than a washing machine having a break down, especially when you rely on only one or two machines. If your washing machine breaks down then business slows down.
To repair a domestic washing machine can cost anywhere from $100-$500 depending on the type of damage, the parts required to repair it and how long it will take.
Now, that might not seem all that bad or out of the ordinary, then again if you keep up with the same demands on the machine after getting it repaired the first time you will only run into the same problems in no time and it wont be long until you end up paying the cost of the machine in repair costs.
Either that or it may seem easier to replace the machine entirely but then history only ends up repeating itself leaving you out of pocket and going out of your mind.
3. Limited warranty
Maybe not the biggest issue on the list but still something to consider when you have a machine or two you would want to last you AT LEAST 6 years.
Most retailers will only offer 2 years warranty on their domestic washing machines with the option to buy extended warranty at a further cost.
Some have also been found trying to dupe consumers, claiming the warranty to not being valid. On the other hand, suppliers of commercial laundry equipment will generally offer a 5 year warranty on the products.
4. The service stops at the purchase
Congratulations, you’ve just bought a new washing machine from that retail store down the road, or found one online for a really good price. They also delivered it to you free of charge!
But that’s where the service stops.
More often than not, a domestic retailer will sell you a machine and then you will never hear from them again, after all its only about the sale. The only time you will hear from them after this is in marketing emails.
Now we can’t speak for every other commercial supplier here and we are sure that you will get a better after sales service than your standard domestic retailer, at Laundry Solutions Australia however, we will continue the service long after your machine has been installed.
5. Longer cycle times
Cycle times will vary depending on a few factors such as the type and size of the loads you are doing as well as whether you are using a front loader or top loader.
In a domestic front load washing machine the average full wash cycle is around 2 hours. For a commercial machine doing the same wash the average will be anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour.
Naturally a top loader will do a wash cycle faster than a front load, but it’s quite easy to do the math on this one, faster cycles means quicker loads, quicker loads means a fast moving and efficient business.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a business such as day spa or salon is always going to fair better using commercial laundry equipment. The upfront costs are higher but they end up quickly paying themselves off, leaving you with a durable, lasting machine.
Have any questions? Call us on 1300 666 289 or email us at info@laundrysolutions.com.au and we will be happy to answer them for you.
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