Sheesh, I wonder whether the lady from Whirlpool came up with that lie by herself, or Whirlpool taught it to her. A few facts: 1) Government regulations, both the mandatory ones and the voluntary ones, don't specify temperature. Rather, they regulate energy (and water) consumption. 2) The only mandate (hard requirement) for US washing machines is the Federal Standard. This is a very loose standard, especially as applied to front-loaders. The current one, up until the end of this year, doesn't even include a limitation on water consumption. Well, for the rest, I'll copy something I posted a few months ago in another thread: =========================================================== [Gardenweb member name omitted], your statement "Getting HOT water on a regular cycle is a joke, just like all Energy Star machines" expresses a nearly universal misunderstanding. I'll try to set the record straight here. First, a little background. Clothes washer efficiency is expressed in terms of Modified Energy Factor (MEF) and Water Factor (WF). Higher MEF is more energy-efficient, and lower WF is more water-efficient. This page Clothes Washers Key Product Criteria defines MEF and WF, and says the Energy Star standards require MEF >= 1.8, and WF Do a "Quick Search" for model number WF419 on Find ENERGY STAR Qualified Clothes Washers to find that the Samsung WF419 has an MEF of 2.86 and a WF of 3.11. So, the WF419 is way more efficient than required by Energy Star. Why? The answer is likely found on Tax Incentives Assistance Project where you can see that the WF419 exceeds the criteria for earning a $250/unit tax credit, with no annual cap. So your washer, and many others, go way beyond the Energy Star requirements, in order to earn a very substantial tax credit. I don't know why they go beyond even the tax credit requirements. So, while everyone thinks that appliance manufacturers have had standards forced on them by the government, and therefore forgives the manufacturers for performance compromises, the fact is that the manufacturers are getting money for selling compromised machines. Not being familiar with the economics of the industry, I don't know how much of that money improves their bottom line, and how much it reduces the price you pay. I'm not opposed to conservation, and I'm not opposed to tax credit incentives. But if the facts are known only by one side of the transaction (the industry), then it isn't truly a "free-market incentive", and the consumer is at a disadvantage.

Well, me too... now sink into the west little OT post....

What size pool? 400' of decking? Are you only going part of the way around? If there is no spa, and this pool is the size I suspect roughly, a 2 HP pump is way too big. I do like the big cartridge filter though. Less cleaning. Intellibrites are very worthy of your considerations. Ask for a three way valve at the pump exhaust. This will allow you to vacuum to waste. Otherwise I foresee a hose bib that is only useful for lowering the pool's water level after a rain. Specify schedule 40 pressure rated pipe, no flex. Check for rock at excavation in the contract. Scott

ci_lantro, I see your point. The siding was started one month before the kitchen addition, which is in the center of the back wall of the home and not visible at all from the street. Our existing siding was aluminum and actually still looked fine. We decided to have it replaced since we knew that they wouldn't be able to match the addition. They told us that they could do the front and sides, and then come back to side the addition. The first thing they did was take down all of the shutters and decorative trim. For about half of the time, there were large areas where the bright pink fanfold foam was visible where siding was taken down and left off for several days, both the original and the first round of vinyl. Last week was the first time since they started that you could look at the front and sides and not immediately get the message that it was being re-sided. Did I mention that the roofer/siding guy had completed hanging the front and two sides, and was starting the old part of the back, and commented to MrsPandy, "I think I'm getting the hang of this now!" That's when the owner finally confessed that this was a roofer and we really pushed the issue of substandard work being done. I suppose that I should just suck it up and take it since I'm ending up with a nicely sided house. This is one of the best known local companies since they have multiple divisions (plumbing/heating, remodeling, roofing, electrical service), so you can't go a day without seeing one of their trucks. I will politely ask the owner at settlement time if he thinks an adjustment is in order. If he says no, I still think I will tell anyone who asks us who did the work how long it took and that they assigned someone who had absolutely no experience to do the siding.