At Girbau Industrial, we sell both soft- and hard-mount washer-extractors because they fill different needs within the market. But, if you ask me which is better in terms of laundry production and energy savings, I’ll tell you — every single time — that commercial/industrial grade soft-mount washers are far superior. Are soft-mount washers really that great? Yes!
Here’s why:
You don’t have to bolt them down.
Seriously. They spin faster with no concrete work. Time to embrace technology here folks. Why do we put shocks in a car? Better performance. Washers are no different. Hard-mount washers require thick, reinforced concrete foundations, hole drilling and bolt-down. Soft-mount washers slide easily into place without need for these things. This is because, in the case of Girbau Industrial soft-mount washers, less than 5 percent of vibration during extract is transferred to the floor, which makes installation in unconventional locations possible and saves laundries thousands in installation costs. When space is tight, it’s also important to note that soft-mount washers can be installed right next to each other for more production per square foot. Hard-mount washers require 18- inch clearances between them, soft-mount washers only need only a half-inch.
It’s far more efficient to spin out water in the washer than evaporate it in the dryer.
Look at it this way, if you dunk a sponge in a bucket of water, which is the faster way to get the water out? 1. Hit it with a hairdryer until the water is gone? Or 2. Give it a good squeeze? The same concept holds true with high G-force extract. You expel a ton of BTU energy heating up water to the point it evaporates. Spin it out in the washer; it’s way faster and way more efficient.
They dramatically boost laundry throughput.
Soft-mount washers generate higher G-force extract than hard-mount washers. Or, if hard-mount washers do hit high-speed extract, it’s only for a short duration at the end of the spin cycle. Soft-mount washers hit that high G extract for sustained periods! So, soft-mount washers remove more moisture during extract. Girbau Industrial’s soft-mount washers, which reach up to 400 Gs, have been tested to reduce dry time over our hard-mount washers by up to 50 percent. Because dry time is dramatically shortened, laundry production and production per operator hour (PPOH) catapults!
They create big utility savings.
Today’s washers — whether hard- or soft-mount are generally very efficient in terms of water and energy used. The soft-mount machine, however, creates more resulting drying efficiencies. The high G-force of the soft-mount washer, and its ability to remove more moisture, can cut dry time by 50 percent.
In doing so, it also slashes natural gas consumption. A side benefit of this is that dryers might last longer because they don’t operate as frequently.
While soft-mount washers might require a slightly larger investment, their long-term performance translates to more value for your laundry. So, get with soft-mount technology. It’s real and it’s been making a huge difference in laundries around the globe since the 1960s.
