Lately, dry cleaners seem to be getting into the wash & fold laundry service business.  It makes sense really.  With the Covid-19 situation and more folks working from home, there seems to be fewer business clothes needing dry cleaning.  Plus, it’s a service that many current and potential customers are receptive to. 

Making Your Wash & Fold Laundry Service Profitable

The issue with making  a wash & fold laundry service a manageable and profitable business is controlling labor.  Before garments can be washed, employees must sort through each item to check for spots and in pockets before sorting into the proper load.  Once that’s complete, each customer’s clothing can be placed in their own mesh bag for the washing process.  Unfortunately, keeping them inside the bags for the drying process increases drying time.  To solve this problem, you could tag each customer’s items (more labor costs), or you could add drying capacity.

Recommended Washer & Dryer Equipment

Wascomat/Laundrylux has a series of small washers and dryers called the Encore Line, which are rated at a 22 pound capacity.  The washers are high speed extract and built on a soft mount frame with SKF bearings for durability. You can buy them in a washer/dryer stack combo, solo washer and dryer, or stack dryer units. The dryers are available in electric, natural, or propane gas.

That means for less than $3,000 you can add two dryer pockets or 44 pounds of drying capacity for your wash and  fold operation, speed up the process, and increase your production rate for a fast growing service element of our business.

If you are interested in learning more about the equipment you might need to enter the wash & fold service business, call Tri-State Laundry Equipment at 1-866-885-5218 or contact  us.

The most important and the most expensive piece of equipment a dry cleaner owns is the dry-cleaning machine. Therefore, it’s important for an operator to properly maintain this piece of equipment, so he gets plenty of mileage out of it.  Today, we are going to focus on two simple but important areas – Air Flow and Solvent Flow.

Air Flow

Air Flow is critical to the function of the machine for both speedy and thorough drying and solvent recovery.  In order to achieve maximum air flow, an operator should do the following.

Ways to Achieve Maximum Air Flow:

• Clean all air filters after each load.
• Annually check and clean, if necessary, the coils that heat and cool the air.

Solvent Flow

Solvent Flow is also critical because the more solvent your machine pumps to the filter system and back to the wheel, the more dirt is removed from clothing and then suspended in the filter system.  

Important Maintenance Steps:

• Clean the pump strainer, if equipped, after each load.
• Clean the button trap lint filters after each load.
• Run the spin disk regeneration program for every 500 – 700 pounds of clothes cleaned. 
• Run two bath cycles which will dump dye and solids into the Still rather than the filters.
• Change carbon filters for every 1,800 – 2,400 pounds of clothes cleaned.

We recommend these maintenance and machine operation procedures for all of our RealStar Dry Cleaning Machine customers, and they are also recommended by the chemical companies we work with within our industry.

If your dry-cleaning machine hasn’t received regular maintenance in a while or if you need assistance setting up a maintenance routine, please give Tri-State a call at 866-885-5218  or contact us online.

Compressors are an essential piece of equipment when it comes to running a pneumatic equipment operation, and there are two types to consider – the Reciprocating Compressor and the Rotary Screw Compressor.

Advantages of the Reciprocating Compressors  

• Most Common
  Most commonly purchased so there are plenty of mechanics trained to work on
• Good Price Point
  Lower purchase price

Disadvantages of the Reciprocating Compressor

• Life Span
  Shorter life span because pistons, rings, and crank bearings tend to wear out quickly
• Takes Up Space
  Require a storage tank which takes up more space
• Duty Rating
  Duty rating is 50% which means it can only make 50% of the air volume and pressure required at any given time
• Storage Tank
  Storage tank is required to absorb the lack of volume because of the pulse of piston compressed air

Advantages of the Rotary Screw Compressor

• No Storage Tank
  100% duty which means it can run under a load continually and produce the volume needed without a storage tank
• Takes Up Less Space
  Smaller space requirements thanks to the compact cabinet size and lack of tank
• Won’t Wear & Tear as Quickly
  Designed so the oil seals the internal rotors preventing wear and tear
• Air Volume
  Its ability to make steady, even air volume and pressure eliminated the pulse of the Reciprocating design with no storage tank

Disadvantages of the Rotary Screw Compressor

• Price Point
  Cost is higher than the Reciprocating Compressor

I guess it is pretty apparent which compressor Tri-State Laundry Equipment Co. prefers.  As with most purchases, you get what you pay for, and the Reciprocating Compressor versus Rotary Screw Compressor is no exception.  If you are debating which one to choose for your pneumatic operation, let us help you evaluate your options.  Simply contact us at 866-885-5218 or check out this link to Atlas Copco Compressors.

Given the current climate with Covid-19 and all that goes along with it, we have found ourselves receiving numerous phone calls regarding dry-cleaners that need to close their doors.  It’s a difficult conversation, especially when most of these folks have been in this industry for years and have poured their heart, soul, and funds into a business that’s no longer viable to maintain.

After offering compassion and encouragement, I always suggest they try to find a competitor who may be interested in purchasing the entire business, all of the equipment, or a portion of the equipment. This makes the transition much easier, especially if the buyer arranges for proper equipment removal. 

If that is not an option and you need to move out for a new tenant, Tri-State Laundry Equipment suggests the following:

• Pressing equipment
  Equipment should be unbolted, placed on custom pallets, and bolted to those pallets. In addition, press heads and bucks should be secured so they do not rotate, fall, or become damaged.
• Solvent
  The solvent from the dry-cleaning machine should be drained and properly disposed; this also includes the filters. Be sure to check state and local environmental requirements for removing and reporting.
• Drain the Boilers
  Completely drain the boilers and seal with closed valves. They also need to be properly crated for shipment, sale, or storage.
• Piping
  All piping needs to be cut to manageable lengths and disposed properly.
• Utilities
  Ensure all steam, air, water, and utilities are closed off and made safe. Check with your landlord to find out how they want these done because if they have to come in behind you to finish, it could be quite expensive.
• Shipping
  If you are shipping the equipment, you need to make sure the wood crates are built to protect your equipment. Otherwise the freight company will likely not accept your items for shipping.

Tri-State Laundry Equipment buys, sells, removes, and stores late model used laundry equipment and used dry-cleaning equipment on consignment.  This type of work requires a particular set of tools, expertise, storage facility, and shipping connections, and Tri-State can guide you through this particularly difficult period.  Please call if we can help or contact us online with any questions.

Have you ever felt like your hands were not clean even though you just finished washing them?  It could be your water.  If your commercial laundry has hard water, defined as the amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium in the water, the soap reacts with the calcium in the water to form soap scum.  (Hard water ranges from moderately hard at 1-3.5gpg to extremely hard at >10gpg.)  As a result, when you have hard water, the more soap or detergent is needed to get things clean, including your laundry.

Why is Hard Water Bad?

While there are health benefits to the minerals in hard water, it can play havoc with your equipment.  That’s because when hard water is heated, the calcium leaves solid deposits behind, and that can reduce the life of your equipment, lower the efficiency in your water heater, and clog your pipes.   Worst of all, it will cause you to produce an inferior product.  White garments will gray over time; dark clothes will fade; and towels will become rough.  

What is the Solution?

Add a water softener.  A study conducted by Water Quality Association, a non-profit organization that provides information about water treatment issues, determined that softened water requires 50% less laundry detergent.  By using a water softener , washing machine temperatures could be reduced from hot to cold while still achieving the same or better stain removal and whiter clothes.  Not only will businesses and consumers notice better laundry results, they will also notice lower utility costs and a longer life for their equipment.  Finally, the environment will notice benefits too in the reduction of harmful detergents getting into water streams.

If you are concerned about the water in your commercial laundry  establishment, just contact Tri-State Laundry Equipment at 866-885-5218. 

At Tri-State Laundry Equipment, we take pride in our expansive inventory of dry cleaning and laundry parts, and as a result, most of our daily parts  requests are quickly resolved.  But on occasion, we will have a customer call looking for something that is so unusual or uncommon that even we don’t have it in stock.  These folks call on us because not only does Tri-State have an expansive parts inventory, they also know that Tri-State has cultivated long-lasting relationships with other distributors across the nation.  As a result, we use this network of companies and people with countless years of experience to locate these hard-to-find parts.

Not only do our customers rely on us to find hard-to-find parts, equipment manufacturers that we represent have their customers call on us for replacement parts on equipment where parts may no longer be available from the manufacturer. They know of our vast connections and fabricating capabilities.

When a Part  is Unobtainable

Even though we have a high success rate tracking down hard-to-find parts, there are times, however, when the part is simply unobtainable.  When this is the case, we break it down into two options.  First, we attempt to professionally fabricate a replacement part, which has been successful on numerous occasions.  Second, as a last resort, we will walk the customer through the process of purchasing new equipment.

If you have a need for a hard-to-find part, give Tri-State a call at 866-885-5218 or contact us online; we will do everything in our power to track it down.

All steam boilers, including our favorite brand Parker Boiler, require a daily blow down regiment to remove solids and sludge within both the boiler and water column.  Every brand and model have their preferred process, so be sure to consult with your representative or the manual before beginning.  But the one thing they all have in common is proper piping.

Proper Boiler  piping is incredibly important for safety and operational purposes, but it is also regulated by both state and federal code. 

Important Regulation Regarding Piping:

• The piping for all blowdown lines should only be assembled with Schedule 80 pipe and fittings.
• The blowdown piping cannot be reduced in size any smaller than the boiler’s blowdown tapping.
• The valves must be sized to ASME Code, with two slow opening or one slow opening and one fast opening installed in series.
• Regulations allow for piping two blow down lines from the same boiler if equipped to one main blowdown line as long as the pre-mentioned valves and installed in both tapings.
• The code also requires a drain valve in the lowest point of the piping to provide a way to fully drain the boiler of water.
• The blowdown piping should be piped into a blowdown separator or blowdown tank that separates the water to the sewer and the steam out of an exhaust pipe directed in a direction, preferably through the roof pointing to the sky.

Finally, consider these things when buying a blowdown separator or tank.  What is the local code for the maximum temperature of water discharged into the sewer system?  Will the inspector require a city water injection into your blowdown separator for cooling the water before entering the system?  Keep in mind that some tanks hold water from the previous blowdown to cool, so the city water for cooling isn’t required.  Finally, make sure that the separator or tank is ASME rated for the size and pressure of your boiler.

Over the years, Tri-State Laundry Equipment has had lots of success with installing and trouble shooting boilers.  If you need assistance with any boiler related issue, please contact us at 866-885-5218.

While the country is on lockdown because of Covid-19, Joe Moore is still out and about working on laundry and dry cleaning equipment; after all, clean clothes are essential.  Even though Joe is the newest member of the Tri-State team, having only been with us 2 ½ years, he’s proven himself quite capable.

One of the things I love about Tri-State is that there’s always a story, and how Joe joined the group is no exception.  Chris Lawson works part-time at a gun store in Rural Hall, and Joe, who I am learning is a man of many talents, was the Gunsmith there.  The two became friends, Chris mentioned Joe to his dad, and the rest is history.

Why Joe is a Great Fit  for the Job

“Joe is smarter than your average bear,” said Kevin Lawson, Vice President of Tri-State (which seems like a funny thing to say given that Joe and I talked about hunting, and he said bear meat was his least favorite game to cook or eat).  “He had no experience in our industry, but I hired him because he is former military and that always translates to hardworking, disciplined, and dedicated.  It didn’t take me long to figure out that he was the right fit for our team.” Speaking of military, Joe is a former Marine having served in 5 tours. 

When I talked to Joe, I asked him if they ‘threw him to the wolves.’  He laughed as he said ‘basically.’  “But the first time at anything is always difficult, and I think older machines are much easier to work on than the newer ones.  You just start with smaller problems, solve them, and before you know it, you’re off and running,” said Joe.

What Joe Likes  About Working at Tri-State

Joe is pleased to be a part of the Tri-State team.  “Everyone is competent and does their thing.  We look out for each other.  My boss works just as hard as I do, and the owner is concerned about our well-being.”  We are also pleased that Joe is a part of the Tri-State team.  “Not only is he mechanically inclined and a quick study, he’s also the right fit personality wise.  It’s a man’s shop.  We travel together, and the work can sometimes be hard and dangerous.  I couldn’t be more pleased that Joe joined our team,” stated Kevin.

Joe’s pleased, we’re pleased, and you should be pleased if Joe shows up to work on your dry cleaning or laundry equipment or assist with an install.  Should you need assistance from Joe or anyone at Tri-State, simply call 1-866-885-5218 or visit our contact us page .

Several years ago, we introduced you to Rich Volk of Bowen Cleaners in Greenville, North Carolina when we installed two Realstar 80lb Dry Cleaning machines using DF2000, a synthetic hydrocarbon fluid.  Over the years, Rich and I have become good friends, and our families often vacation together.  This gives us an opportunity to talk business – even when our wives wish we wouldn’t. 

Rich has steadily worked toward fail-safe plans for every portion of production given his central plant does production for six drop stores; this puts a lot of production pressure on his operation.  Over the years, we’ve not only provided him with the Realstar Dry Cleaning Machines, we’ve also installed dual Unipress double bucks, and he has two of everything Sankosha offers for dry cleaning finishing. 

During a recent conversation, I was reminded that Rich was running his plant with a 1996 Parker 50 H.P. boiler that I found used in a closed-down Hanes Brands facility.  Rich, having grown up in the dry cleaning and laundry business in San Diego, was quite familiar with Parker Boiler, which is headquartered in Los Angeles.  He had always used Parker and knew their products very well. 

How our Relationship With Parker Boiler Began

It’s interesting how things work out.  At that time, we didn’t sell Parker Boilers, so I called Mike Lemming at Parker Boiler to learn more.  This led to a meeting at an upcoming The Clean Show and ultimately the Parker Boiler/Tri-State Laundry Equipment relationship was born.  Fifteen years and 150+ boiler sales later, we couldn’t be happier with the performance and durability of Parker Boiler products.

As Rich evaluated his options for replacing his nearly 25 year-old boiler, he again wanted to have a fail-safe plan in place . He chose dual 25 H.P. boilers along with having Tri-State fabricate a sweet stainless return system.  It included dual 13 stage 1.5 H.P. pumps, electronic level and fill controls with no possibility of a faulty $20 float valve to go bad and cause steam production issues. Now if one boiler goes down, he still has the ability to operate his plant with a little load shifting until his other boiler is back online.

When I stood back to admire the finished product, I was convinced that Rich has one of the nicest dry cleaning laundry boiler rooms I’d ever seen.  Tri-State was really proud to have been the company chosen to complete this project, and now Rich has piece of mind when it comes to the needed steam to operate his facility.  Giving Rich piece of mind isn’t an easy task.

Sadly, it looks as if the warm weather is gone for good, and we are stuck with cold and even colder for several months.  Given the temperatures lately, I suspect you’re not wearing shorts and a t-shirt these days; so, just as you pull out warmer clothing to wear, you also need to think about keeping your laundry equipment warm and protected. 

Tips for Preparing Your Commercial Dry Cleaning Plant this Winter

• Clean your exhaust fan louvers (if you have them) so when the fan is off, you’ll have a good seal to keep the cold air out.
• Keep the propylene glycol content in your process chiller water tank at 15-20%; however, don’t exceed 20% because it will dramatically reduce the ability of the chiller to chill the water.I also recommend that you run the chiller pump even with 20% at 15° and below.
• Place insulation around your boiler pressure controls and the tubing going to them.Tri-State does this on all Parker Boilers, and it helps a lot.For instance, we’ve seen a boiler running on low all night cut off to cycle and the pressure switch freeze causing the boiler not to restart.
• Most boiler rooms are not heated, so be sure to keep the temperature high enough to prevent freezing.Even something as simple as a shop light hanging near by will do the trick.
• Make sure all your outside duct and stack is secure, the caps are on, and the caps are in good condition to keep the weather out.
• Finally, remember the one thing I always forget.Disconnect the garden hoses from the hose bib; I’m certain I’ve ruined at least 5 good hoses over the years.

These may seem like minor things, but they add up to help keep your operation running smoothly during the winter months.  Just ask anyone that’s had to thaw a piece of laundry equipment , a boiler room, or worst of all an entire plant.  It’s an unpleasant job. 

Feel free to call Tri-State at 866-885-5218, if you have any questions about caring for your operation during cold weather.

Most dry-cleaners, unless they live in Maine, dread the summer.  The hot, humid weather not only makes for uncomfortable working conditions, but the humidity can also be hard on your equipment.  Let me explain why. 

Typical dry-cleaning plants have production equipment with air-activated cylinders and valves.  The process begins when an electric valve directs compressed air to feed into either cylinders or valves connected to the actual press mechanism, and each cylinder or valve has a rubber O-ring with lubricant around the seal.  If the air is excessively damp, then that damp air will mix with the lubricant creating a sludge that causes the rings to become slow to operate or to completely stick.  This slow or non-reaction leads to issues like shirt press expansion bags not opening in a timely manner causing poor quality and added touch up labor.

An air compressor does not control the moisture of the air; it simply takes in air, so the moisture content of the compressed air is whatever your climate offers, but an air dryer cools down the air as it passes through prior to hitting the storage tank.  Cold air can’t hold humidity like warm air can, so the water condenses and is removed by the water separator on the dryer air outlet. Air dryers, like the Atlas Copco FX HT 2 pictured above, are continuous run units and are both simple and maintenance free.  The only thing you have to do is to periodically clean or change the air filter, and as an added bonus, they don’t require much more electricity than a dorm refrigerator.

Refrigerated air dryers come in different sizes based on the CFM of your air compressor; your distributor can help you determine the model you need.  I would recommend by-passing the air dryer during installation in case there is an issue down the road or if an internal part of the air dryer develops a leak.  This will help you with repairs should you develop any issues later.   

Once a refrigerated air dryer is installed in your compressed air system, you will notice less issues with air operated equipment and will have smother pneumatic valve operation and far fewer pneumatic valve issues.

If you have questions or need help in this area, feel free to call Tri-State Laundry Equipment at 1-866-885-5218.

In our last blog post, we discussed that A Cleaner World Commercial and Uniform Services started providing uniform and floor mat rental, restroom and restaurant supplies, and shop towels roughly nine years ago.  Initially, their operation was small, and over time, we helped them piece together an adequate system.  Adequate was no longer good enough, so we recently upgraded their washers and dryers with a line from B&C Technologies.

In addition to the necessary commercial laundry equipment for washing and drying, we all know that hot water is a critical element for a high-quality commercial laundry business, and there are plenty of opinions on the subject.  Given that Tri-State is a tried and true Parker Boiler Distributor, we turned to their engineers and most experienced distributors for advice.

Common Hot Water Boiler Problems:

• Direct steam injection, which is tough on boilers because of the one-way steam and no condensate return.
• Hot Water Boilers being used to heat stored wash water through circulated plate heat exchangers.As a result, you’d be running and relying on two pumps to circulate the water for heating and filling the machines.This can be costly for a smaller operation, trying to get the best quality wash they can for the smart buck.

Ultimately, we came up with this solution:

• After speaking to our above-mentioned resources, we were advised to design a hot water system with an indirect Parker Water Heater, which is incredibly sturdy, and set it up for a high temperature of 190 degrees.With their linen production daily and weekly poundage numbers in hand, we figured gallons of water for process at 2 ½ per pound on linen and came up with amounts needed both now and in the future.Our answer is approximately 2.1 million gallons, assuming 70% of the production is hot wash.That led us to the Parker WH-3000 A 3 million BTI Indirect Water Heater that produces around 1,280 gallons on 190-degree water; plus, it has a bit of room for expansion.
• After deciding on the water heater, the next issue to discuss with our team was water storage and washer fill times.Our experts determined the best option was 1,250 gallons of storage using a Parker Cement Lined Storage Tank circulating constant to our WH-3000, fitting our washers with a 2” city water feed.

This system will be live by the time we are ready for our August blog post, and we will report on the results as well as our solution for a simple hot water drain pit BTU recapture system, tempered water storage and heating, and Cain stack heat exchanger on the stack of the WH-3000 to help with tempered water makeup.  Lots of exciting stuff happening for both A Cleaner World Commercial and Uniform Services and Tri-State Laundry Equipment!

In last month’s blog, we talked about washer extraction speeds, especially as it relates to hard versus soft mount washing machines.  We concluded that soft mount washers are the best long-term option because they require fewer repairs and, most of all, they provide better results which translates to lower utility and production costs.

Soft Mount Washers Lead To Lower Costs Than Hard Mount Washers

How? Lots of folks only consider the cost of a washing machine when purchasing the item, but you also must take into consideration the machine’s cost over its lifetime of use.  Besides the lower repair costs and the ease of maintenance, there’s also this huge benefit – because of the machine’s g-force, more water is being squeezed from the clothes which requires less drying time, saving you in utility costs on every single load over the lifetime of the washer.

Click on this graph for an example: Water Retention Graph (5).pdf

As you see, we’re saving five minutes per dryer load extracting 350 g’s over 200 g’s, and that’s five minutes per load all day every day for the life of your washer.  A typical 75-pound gas dryer consumes approximately 140,000 BTU’s per hour, and there is 100,000 BTU’s in a therm of natural gas, which is how we pay for usage.  A dryer can consume 1.40 therms per hour, and I’ll let you do the rest of the math since the cost varies greatly on location.  You’ll save around 11,500 BTU’s for every load for the life of the soft mount washing machine (and don’t forget the lower repair costs too).  But the bottom line is that it’s a huge savings, and the reason purchasing a soft mount B&C Technologies, Electrolux, or Wascomat is a no-brainer. 

If you are in the market for a new soft mount washing machine, give Tri-State Laundry Equipment a call at 866-885-5218.