FAQs

What should be the length of the agreement we can expect to enter into with Hercules?
The majority of agreements entered into today are between five and ten years, with the average being seven. The longer the agreement, the more generous the terms of remuneration and other amenities.

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How many machines should be installed in our building?
The number of washers and dryers will depend upon the family composition of the occupants, the number of apartments to be served, the presence or absence of children and the number of laundry rooms in the building.

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What about using "remanufactured" rather than brand new?
While the selection of brand new equipment might be appealing, it's not always cost effective. The costs of installing new equipment could result in very low monthly rents received or even no rental income at all. Often, it will result in less washers and dryers to serve the residents. Hercules remanufactured equipment is rebuilt from the ground up to completely restore them to their original factory condition and performance. This gives the best of both, machines that look and run factory fresh at a significant savings.

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How about increasing the vend rates to receive more rental?
Nothing impacts more on the rental you will receive then charges for the use of the equipment, "vend rates". Don't assume however, increasing the vend rates will automatically translate into an increase in laundry room income. If there is a laundromat close to the building, or you do not police the use of private machines in the apartments, you have every reason to maintain moderate pricing. Usually as the vend rates increase, demand falls.

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How about accepting a percentage rate, what about accountability?
If your rental income depends on percentage of the money collected, you will either have to trust Hercules figures as fair and accurate, or oversee the collections made by Hercules collection personnel. If you have a smart card system installed, accountability is automatically built into the electronics and accurate reports can be easily rendered.

In addition, utilizing a hand-held control unit, Maytag computerized washer and dryer models offer advanced two-way data communication. This state-of-the-art system provides complete accountability throughout an entire laundry operation.

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How about Up Front Money and Bonuses?
Although "up front money" or "bonus money" might sound like a windfall, neither is what it seems. Both are discounted money paid at the beginning of the agreement that otherwise would be paid over the life of the agreement. Thus, the larger the "bonus" payment, the smaller the rental or share of the collections paid throughout the term of the agreement.

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What is meant by the term "load factor"?
This is the key element in determining income potential in any given building or location. If a resident uses the equipment one time per week with one white clothing load and one dark clothing load using two typical top-loading washers and two matching dryers in the process, they do two loads per week or approximately eight and one-half loads per month.

A building with young families with children will do substantially more loads per month than a building with "empty nesters" or seniors.

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What kind of energy savings do energy washers offer?
HE washers can use as little as 20% to 50% of the energy used by traditional agitator washers because there is less water to heat (from 20% to 66% less), according to the Soap and Detergent Association (SDA).

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If the washer uses a small amount of water, how are clothes cleaned well?
In front-loading HE washers, the laundry tumbles back & forth in the water as the tub rotates, to move the water and detergent through each garment and to help remove soils. The tumbling action is intended to clean efficiently and be gentle on fabrics.

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Do HE machines rinse as well as regular machines?
Yes. Even though HE washers use less water, they have two to four rinse cycles rather than one rinse in a traditional washer. According to the Soap and Detergent Association, multiple rinses are typically better than one deep rinse. HE detergents help to assure good rinsing because it's specially formulated for low-water washes & rinses.

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Are HE washers gentle on my fabrics?
Yes. Front-loading HE washers use a tumbling action instead of an agitator found in traditional washers. The tumbling action is gentle on fabrics.

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How do I keep my machine running well?
According to the SDA, using regular detergent may prevent some soils from completely rinsing out of the HE washing machines. The Soap and Detergent Association recommends avoiding problems by using an HE detergent and by running a regular maintenance cycle, which means running a full wash cycle without any laundry in the machine. Check the manufacturer's instructions and recommendations for specific details.

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What's the difference between regular detergent and HE detergent?
HE detergents create few suds and disperse quickly to help get the best cleaning performance with only 20% to 66% of the amount of water used in traditional machines.* And HE detergents were actually developed by home appliance engineers and detergent scientists. The result: an effective cleaning system. Traditional detergents are formulated to get great cleaning power with high water washes, they aren't created to work well in low water. * Source: SDA

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Can I just use a regular detergent in my HE washer?
According to the Soap and Detergent Association (SDA), HE detergents are the “only choice” for HE washers. Using regular detergents can create too many suds, which can interfere with the washer's tumbling action by “cushioning” the laundry, and reducing soil and stain removal. These excess suds can also lead to residue buildup, because they are not as easily rinsed away. Over time they could lead to machine malfunctions.

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How much detergent should I use in my HE washer?
Just as with a regular washer, you should use the recommended amount based on the size of your load. Because HE detergent is formulated to be low-sudsing, you can use a full dose without having to worry about over-sudsing in your machine.

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Can I use non-HE fabric softeners in my HE washer?
Yes, you can add liquid fabric softener to the fabric softener dispenser. Follow the manufacturer's guidelines for proper use of the dispenser.

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What's the problem with suds?
According to the SDA, too many suds in an HE washer can reduce cleaning power. And excess suds may prevent some soils from completely rinsing out of an HE machine properly. This can cause soils to build up in the machine, resulting in odors or machine malfunctions.

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